Dolphins HC Mike McDaniel addresses job security after loss to Patriots

The Miami Dolphins' season is close to running off the tracks by the end of September. The 0-2 Dolphins will travel to play the Buffalo Bills on Thursday night in a game that could decide head coach Mike McDaniels' future.

McDaniel entered 2025 on the hot seat. After being blown out, 33-8, by the Indianapolis Colts in Week 1, the Dolphins suffered a 33-27 loss to the New England Patriots in front of 65,593 fans at Hard Rock Stadium.

McDaniel is only worried about the Dolphins' next game

McDaniel was asked by reporters after the game if he was worried about his job security after losing to the Patriots. McDaniel answered that he couldn't do his duties, focusing on winning Miami's next game, if he worried about his coaching future.

"I think if I worry about my job security, I won't be doing my job — and I think that inherently is against all things that I believe in," McDaniel said via Marcel Louis-Jacques of ESPN. "I've never felt entitled to this position and it's very important for me to spend all my waking hours worrying about exactly how to do my job. 

"I won't spend one moment thinking about all the things that, whatever people want me to think about. [I'm] thinking about this team and the Buffalo Bills here, after I get done with this podium."

The Bills game could be very important for McDaniel and the Dolphins to win if he wants to keep his job. Should Miami lose on Thursday night, the Dolphins would have an extended Week 4 to make a smoother transition to an interim head coach before they play the New York Jets on Sept. 29.

McDaniel, 42, is 28-25 during his four seasons as Miami's head coach. He's 0-2 in the postseason. The Dolphins missed the postseason in 2024 when the team finished with an 8-9 record, and don't appear to be a postseason threat through the first weeks of this season.