Why The Miami Dolphins Firing Mike McDaniel Was Inevitable

Why The Miami Dolphins Firing Mike McDaniel Was Inevitable

Last week, the Miami Dolphins fired their head coach, Mike McDaniel, after four seasons as their head coach.

As of now, the Dolphins have not hired his replacement yet but they have hired a general manager, Jon-Eric Sullivan who I think, if given time by the diehards of the fanbase, can turn around this organization into the winner it was in the seventies through the nineties even though only two Super Bowls were won in seventy two and seventy three, respectively.

I will not waste any time with my usual three takes as to why he was inevitably let go, so it is now time to take that Deep End Dive for the first time in a while, this time as to “Why The Miami Dolphins Firing Mike McDaniel Was Inevitable”.

Overall Record

In his tenure as head coach of the Miami Dolphins, Mike McDaniel compiled an overall record of 35 wins and 33 losses over his four seasons. The most successful being his first two, particularly 2023, where the Dolphins, if they did not botch three of the last five games, would have had the one seed and home field throughout the playoffs in the AFC.

He took the Dolphins to the playoffs in his first two seasons, but the key is that he failed to win them a playoff game, something this organization has not had since 2000.

Then, after 2023, it was a regression starting in 2024, where they finished with eight wins, then seven, leading up to him being fired by the Dolphins last week. Ending a tenure that, yes, he may have been a beloved head coach by players and fans, but we have to ask ourselves, is he the guy to lead us to the Promised Land, which is something I just do not see, and is something I wish I knew when the Dolphins hired him in 2022.

Press Conferences

This one I think is very overlooked and it was the way Mike McDaniel spoke in his press conferences. I think he stuttered too much on the podium, almost like he was nervous to talk to reporters. Too many stutters at his press conferences, not to mention he was a jokester on the podium, and that is fine when you are winning, but losing is a whole different ball game.

I think McDaniel personally just is not qualified to be a head coach in this league, even if he is to get another opportunity elsewhere, based on how he addresses the media, especially while he was the head coach of the Miami Dolphins. Hopefully, the next head coach is not like Mike McDaniel, with all the stutters, and only does the joking part if we are winning, not losing.

Stephen Ross Had Enough

The final reason I think McDaniel was inevitably let go was that I think Stephen Ross wants to go in another direction. You have to consider that Ross, like most owners in this league, is old. In fact, Stephen Ross will be eighty-six in May, so his window for winning a Super Bowl as owner is rapidly closing, and I think that he has seen enough of Mike McDaniel after four years, especially since it got this team nowhere but not a single playoff win.

Something this fan base has been begging for for twenty-six years now. I think Ross wants to win badly personally and he knows it especially when he said that the status quo was not good.

I also think that Mike McDaniel’s writing was on the wall when Chris Grier was let go after the Dolphins lost to the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday Night Football this past season. Three months later, both Grier and McDaniel, and probably Tua, are all gone in the same season.

Mike McDaniel’s Tenure In Summary

As for Mike McDaniel’s tenure as Dolphins head coach, how do I sum it up?

First, his overall record as coach is thirty-five and thirty-three to be precise. Second was something overlooked, which was his press conferences, especially the stuttering part. Lastly, I think Stephen Ross not only had enough, but he wants to go in another direction to try and make the fans happy. I think Mike McDaniel will get another shot in this league to coach, but will he get another shot? I just do not think that is the case.