The Ladder of Blame for 2025

The Ladder of Blame for 2025

After a disappointing start to the 2025 season, fans of the Miami Dolphins are in a horrendous place.

Many fans have already written off the season. It is still early, and anything can happen, but the reality is that this team is probably going to have a pretty high pick in the 2026 draft. This team was not expected to be a Super Bowl contender. However, they were supposed to be a solid unit, albeit with some weak spots.

So, who is to blame for this dismal start? It would be great to be able to point the finger at one person. It just isn’t that easy, unfortunately. So, let’s imagine a ladder. On the lowest rung is the least blameworthy, at the top is the person who is the most responsible.

At the bottom (least to blame)

Tua. Fans are screaming for a new quarterback. Yes, he is very much part of the problem. He is not anywhere near the biggest reason for the Dolphins’ predicament. Apart from a horrible game against the Colts (he was 100% to blame for that loss), he has played fairly well. Sadly, each year his play has regressed, and he simply is not the guy you want when there are two minutes left and you need to move the ball. He is not the player he was at Alabama or evenin  his first year in the NFL. Injuries have perhaps taken their toll on him.

The next rung

Mike McDaniel. Unless the Dolphins pull off a miracle run, he is pretty much gone at the end of the season, if not sooner. His play-calling has been better this season. Well, except for the Panthers game. The culture he developed hasn’t produced a dominating team or a playoff win. He has been obsessed with a speedy offense and neglected to address the physicality needed to win in today’s NFL. Teams adapted to his style of play, and he has never adjusted to it.

Up one more rung

The defense. The team has just lost to the awful Carolina Panthers, giving up 200 running yards to backup Rico Dowdle. It is scary to think what the starter, Chuba Hubbard, would have done had he not been on the injured list. Rookie Kenneth Grant is off to a terrible start. The entire unit seems incapable of stopping the run. They are not producing much pressure on opposing quarterbacks. The secondary is even worse than expected in the preseason.
Yet another rung

The offensive line. Why talk about it? It’s been an issue for this team for too many years. It stinks. Period.

Next to the last rung

Stephen Ross. Fans are screaming for Ross to sell the team. Stop. He isn’t. All in all, he is not a bad owner. He has built a top facility. He is not afraid to open the checkbook for players. Now, he isn’t perfect either. He meddled in the Brian Flores/Tom Brady situation and paid a price in draft picks. He may not be done paying yet, either, as the case is going to court. His biggest criticism comes from retaining the man on the top rung of the Blame Ladder.

The top rung (the winner of the most to blame)

Chris Grier. Yes, you can complain about Tua, McDaniel, and everything else. However, the core of the problem is Grier. HE created this roster. HE said that this season they would address the trenches and, as usual, made poor draft picks. HE said the media was worried about the o-line more than he was. He’s still paying for that stupid comment. He has pretty much botched the 2020 rebuild. He owns this roster, with all of its holes. He runs the organization. Like any business manager, the buck stops with you. Everyone in the NFL world, media, and commentators have wondered why you are still employed.

On a bright note, the punter Jake Bailey has been exceptional this season.