The Case for and Against Keeping Mike McDaniel

The Case for and Against Keeping Mike McDaniel

Will Black Monday come for Mike McDaniel?

The question has been debated and discussed many times in the past several weeks, and the answer remains a mystery.

Let’s break down the pros and the cons of whether to fire McDaniel or run it back in 2026.

Why should the Miami Dolphins’ top brass, including, of course, owner Stephen Ross, decide to keep McDaniel?

McDaniel is well-liked by the players, and they play hard for him despite their record during the season.

Stephen Ross likes him and is biased towards maintaining consistency.

The problem was primarily with former General Manager Chris Grier, and not McDaniel.

McDaniel turned around Tua Tagovailoa’s career in 2023, propelling the Quarterback to a Pro Bowl season and talks about winning the MVP that year.

Mike McDaniel deserves a chance to work with Quarterback Quinn Ewers during an entire off-season as a possible starter and assess his future as the team’s franchise QB1.

The case against keeping McDaniel includes some very familiar themes.

McDaniel has consistently failed to beat higher-quality playoff-caliber teams throughout his four-year tenure.

McDaniel has failed to lead the team to a winning record in the past two years, missing the playoffs.

In 2022 and 2023, although making the playoffs, the Dolphins failed miserably in the first round and embarrassed their fans in front of a national audience.

McDaniel cannot seem to get out of his own way and continues to call the offensive plays, resulting in late calls and needless time-outs.

McDaniel apparently does not know how to adjust his offense at halftime or during games, and fans wonder whether there was any adjustment at all.

McDaniel tends to often get too cute in his play-calls at the most inopportune times, resulting in failed plays.

McDaniel typically makes the wrong decisions when facing challenges and, as a result, wastes precious time-outs.

We will know if Black Monday arrives at our coach’s doorstep come Monday.