There's reportedly 'a plausible scenario' where Dolphins make this Mike McDaniel call

There are still more questions than answers about the future of Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel after the team "mutually" agreed to part ways with general manager Chris Grier on Oct. 31.

Following that divorce, Miami won two consecutive games to improve to 4-7 before the team's Week 12 bye. For a piece published on Wednesday, ESPN's Dan Graziano asked fellow NFL insider Jeremy Fowler whether McDaniel can save his job before the offseason begins.

Has Mike McDaniel made things "interesting" for Dolphins owner Stephen Ross?

"I do," Fowler responded. "I wouldn't call it likely, but in my mind, there's a plausible scenario where he sticks in Miami. The team is coming off back-to-back wins, and the vibe seems to be good. The Dolphins are responding to McDaniel more than they are tuning him out, which players will do when the message grows stale. And as one NFL executive put it in a conversation recently: If you're looking for an offense-minded candidate, McDaniel is still better than most from this cycle's pool, which is considered weaker. So, while cleaning the house feels entirely possible, McDaniel is at least making things interesting."

In three seasons as head coach, McDaniel has yet to lead the Dolphins to a playoff victory. However, given Miami's upcoming schedule, they could make a playoff push over the next month. After their bye week, the Dolphins host the struggling New Orleans Saints (2-8) on Nov. 30. In Week 14, Miami will play at the New York Jets (2-8).

Could history repeat itself for Dolphins with Mike McDaniel?

"He did something like this last season, when the team started 2-6 and then won six of its next eight to claw back onto the edges of the playoff race," Graziano added about McDaniel. "He might still end up gone, but he has made the case that he can hold onto the locker room even when things are going badly, and that says something about him that ownership will surely consider when making its decision."

Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa missed four games last season due to a concussion. He was then sidelined for the final two contests because of a hip injury.

Tagovailoa has started every game for Miami this season and has often left much to be desired in his play. StatMuse shows that he and Sam Darnold of the Seattle Seahawks committed a league-worst 14 turnovers over the first 11 weeks of the campaign. 

A report from earlier this month indicated that Ross "wants to wait until after the 2026 season before deciding whether a full franchise reset — new coach, new GM, new quarterback — is the way to go." Whether or not that could change if Tagovailoa continues to be a turnover machine through Week 18 remains to be seen.