The Mike McDaniel Firing Points to a Dolphins Head Coach Decision

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After another losing season, Mike McDaniel has been fired by the Miami Dolphins, ending a Dolphins era filled with what ifs, and what could have beens.

Stephen Ross and Mike McDaniel released the following statements:

Statement from Dolphins Chairman and Owner Stephen M. Ross:

“After careful evaluation and extensive discussions since the season ended, I have made the decision that our organization is in need of comprehensive change. I informed Mike McDaniel this morning that he has been relieved of his duties as head coach. I love Mike and want to thank him for his hard work, commitment, and the energy he brought to our organization. Mike is an incredibly creative football mind whose passion for the game and his players was evident every day. I wish him and his family the best moving forward.”

Statement from Mike McDaniel:

“Coaching this team and being a part of this great franchise has been the honor of a lifetime. When I took this job, I had a vision of a team that was bonded together and played with passion and energy on the path to winning championships. I gave everything I had for that goal. I am disappointed, especially for the fans, that we did not have better results on the field, but I am grateful for every coach, player, and staff member who poured themselves into that vision alongside me.

I’m grateful to Stephen Ross for the opportunity he gave me, a little known coach at the time when he hired me. Most of all I’m thankful to my wife Katie and daughter Ayla for their unending love and support. I love this game, the people and relationships that are a part of it, and I will forever cherish my time in Miami.”

So why fire McDaniel, well, there are some high value, proven head coaches on the market now.

I had called for McDaniel’s firing in a recent article, here Mike McDaniel Should Not Return as the Dolphins Head Coach – Five Reasons Sports Network. Discussing the late season fallouts, no more half measures, the inability to win without Tua, and many other reasons. But I understood a world where you kept McDaniel for another year, to prove himself, rather than turning to a rookie head coach.

Well now the story is different, with two high profile head coaching candidates available; John Harbaugh and Kevin Stefanski.

Stefanski is a two time coach of the year, and a culture builder, while Harbaugh is a coach of the year, and Super Bowl Champion.

McDaniel’s job appeared safe, at least a few days ago when McDaniel stated he would be back in 2026:

“My understanding is I’m the coach of the Miami Dolphins until told otherwise… the job itself is enough to worry about, so worrying about whether it’s yours, that’s not part of the formula. I think all of us in the Miami Dolphins organization, especially with ownership, are not happy with the results. They’re not up to the standard. So my sole focus each hour you can reach me in the foreseeable mini hours is correcting and improving something that’s not good enough right now.”

But now that’s not the case, and Stephen Ross must go all in on one of these two candidates, to build a new culture in Miami, to put Miami back on the map.

I expect a coaching decision to potentially be made a little later –most importantly after a General Manger is hired– as there are potentially other jobs that could open, including Miami’s Division rival Buffalo Bills.

Harbaugh is my choice in Miami, and I don’t think Ross would have fired McDaniel if the Dolphins weren’t at least going after a top coaching candidate.

Nonetheless, an era is closed in Miami, and it’s time to bring in a coach to end this playoff –and Super Bowl– win drought.

Special Teams, Special History: Jake Bailey and Riley Patterson Rewrite Dolphins Records

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After Jake Bailey disappointed in his first season and Jason Sanders went down, it appeared the Dolphins special team’s unit had taken a hit, but it actually ended in historical fashion for the Miami Dolphins. Although the Dolphins season didn’t go the way they wanted, their special teams’ leaders Jake Bailey and Riley Patterson made the most of their opportunities.

Riley Patterson’s Success and Next Years Question

Riley Patterson finished 2025 with a mark of 27/29, good for 93.1 percent, the most accurate field goal kicking season in Dolphin’s history. Patterson was signed early in the year when Jason Sanders went down and filled the All-Pro kickers shoes quite nicely.

Patterson missed only two kicks, and tops Dolphin’s kickers Dan Carpenter, Olindo Mare, and Pete Stoyanovich for the best kicking season in Dolphin’s history.

So, after a great year, who do the Dolphins bring back for 2026, their All-Pro kicker, or Riley Patterson who had the best year of his career and in Dolphin’s history. Patterson has his range issues — career long of 54 and struggles from distance– but his accuracy can’t be debated.

The Dolphins should bring back whoever is the cheaper contract and certainly has a good problem on their hands in the kicking department.

Jake Bailey Sets Another Record

Jake Bailey finished the Dolphins season with a net punting average of 42.6 yards, the best punting season in Dolphin’s history. Bailey was a former All-Pro and found his footing after an average first year in Miami. Bailey broke the Miami Dolphins record for net punting average, surpassing Brandon Fields. Bailey only had three touchbacks and certainly should be considered as the teams 2026 punter.

Both are unrestricted free agents this season and have forever marked themselves in Dolphins’ history. If the Dolphins move on from Sanders, Patterson should certainly be the first option, and Miami should no doubt bring Jake Bailey, the former All-Pro back.

 

Miami had a lot of problems this season; Bailey and Patterson being the furthest from them.

The Dolphins are 35-35 in four seasons under Mike McDaniel, including 0-2 in playoffs.

Pressure Point: Dolphins should hire GM before deciding on McDaniel

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Now that another Miami Dolphins season has been flushed and soon to be forgotten, attention turns to a momentous offseason.

First, the postmortem: A season prefaced by owner Steve Ross as no excuse for failure, ended Sunday as it began with a one-sided defeat on the road, 38-10 to the playoff-bound Patriots.

The final tally was 7-10 — a second consecutive season without a trip to the playoffs and 25 years since their last playoff win.

Where does this woebegone franchise go from here, regarding coach Mike McDaniel and hiring of the next general manager?

An indication could come quickly, depending on what Ross says — or doesn’t say — in the next few days.

Insider reports mostly point to McDaniel returning, an opinion not supported by many long-suffering Dolphins fans. Others suggest it’s a coin flip, which seems about right with this team’s record of decision making.

In my view, the season was an embarrassment and starting fresh with a new general manager and coaching staff is warranted.

Ross has failed Dolphins in leadership hiring

Ross, 85, has repeatedly screwed the pooch in steering the Dolphins since taking over controlling interest from H. Wayne Huizenga in 2009.

His expertise is in real estate and development, and he has excelled in expanding facilities in and around Hard Rock Stadium and bringing marquee events to South Florida. As steward of an NFL team, his instincts have been misplaced and he has steered the Dolphins franchise farther into the weeds that it was when he took over.

On the surface, Ross’ hiring of Hall of Fame quarterback and ESPN broadcaster Troy Aikman as a consultant in the process of hiring a general manager seems encouraging.

Yes, bring in perspective from outside the organization. Aikman is well connected in the NFL.

Seems like a good idea, but Ross has used consultants before, Bill Parcells and Mike Tannenbaum among them. Yet he has never gotten the leadership of the football operation right, in the front office or on the field.

But, sure, utilizing Aikman’s knowledge and relationships inside the league makes sense, might help.

What doesn’t make sense is the backdoor approach of seeking a general manager with a coach already in place. Logically, an experienced executive coming from outside the organization would want to, and likely insist on, choosing the coach. Unless that individual has previously worked with McDaniel and favors keeping him, which is possible.

Dolphins’ next GM should be involved in decision on coach

Ross has followed this dubious course before. In 2014, he hired Dennis Hickey to his first and only GM post to work with coach Joe Philbin and then-executive vice president Dawn Aponte. Two other candidates the Dolphins sought turned down the job, reportedly questioning the team’s power structure, and a third declined a final interview.

How did that work out? Philbin was fired early in 2015 and Hickey was out at the end of that season.

Fast forward a decade, and Ross is again looking for a GM who may have to work with another coach of dubious achievement.

That is to the dismay of Dolphins fans, who look at McDaniel’s record and question where he has taken the team that his failed predecessors this century haven’t.

In four seasons under McDaniel, the Dolphins are 35-35, including first-round playoff losses in the first two and no postseason appearances in the past two.

As for year 4, a run of five wins in six games doesn’t make up for losing six of the first seven, which doomed the season from the start.

Ross fired GM Chris Grier at midseason. Certainly, it was time to part ways with Grier, who succeeded Hickey in 2016 and will be remembered notoriously for selecting Tua Tagovailoa over Justin Herbert with the fifth overall pick in the 2020 draft.

Not to overlook the ridiculous contract Grier awarded (with Ross’ blessing) Tagovailoa, which will severely limit the next general manager’s maneuverability under the salary cap.

Nonetheless, a case could be made that Grier’s work over the past 12 months was more positive than McDaniel’s.

All eight of Grier’s 2025 draft picks are on the roster and contributed to varying degrees as rookies: quarterback Quinn Ewers (a seventh-round pick), defensive tackles Kenneth Grant, Jordan Phillips and Zeek Biggers, guard Jonah Savaiinaea, cornerback Jason Marshall Jr., safety Dante Trader Jr. and running back Ollie Gordon II. The overall quality and future of the group is debatable, though; Savaiinaea has been one of the worst starters at any position in the NFL this season.

Dolphins treading water under McDaniel

Ross extended McDaniel’s contract through 2028 and is reportedly still enamored with the quirky coach.

McDaniel has been hailed as an offensive visionary, particularly during his first two seasons with the Dolphins. The past two, not so much, though the reputation has generally stuck with him.

I think his main strength is with the run game, though he never solved the Dolphins’ woes in short-yardage situations.

He coaxed two strong seasons out of Tagovailoa, whose perplexing decline this season led to his benching with three games to go and has likely ended his tenure with Miami.

However, Hall of Fame quarterback Kurt Warner’s video breakdown of the pass plays in Tagovailoa’s final start in a 28-15 loss to the Steelers are insightful.

Most interesting were Warner’s comments about the design of the pass patterns that receivers ran. On many of the plays the routes weren’t, in his opinion, structured in a way to put stress on the defense and provide Tua with an open receiver to throw to.

Warner explained how those plays could have been designed to achieve that objective.

Warner’s conclusions were more of an indictment of McDaniel’s play design than Tua’s play as quarterback.

Veteran coaches may become available

One argument for retaining McDaniel is to see what he can do with a different quarterback. The three-week experiment with Ewers yielded some positive but was not decisive. A top priority for the new GM will be upgrading that position.

Whoever gets the job should also be involved in the decision on the head coach.

There’s no reason to make a quick jump to that conclusion. Especially before seeing who may become available. The list of available coaches could be lengthy and includes some intriguing names.

On Sunday, NFL insider Adam Schefter identified three prominent coaches who might get the ax: Raiders’ Pete Carroll, longtime Ravens coach John Harbaugh and the Browns’ Kevin Stefanski.

The next Dolphins general manager should have a voice in determining whether McDaniel should also be on that list.

Craig Davis has covered South Florida sports and teams, including the Dolphins, for more than four decades. Follow him on the site formerly known as Twitter @CraigDavisRuns.

 

 

 

Why Greg Dulcich Should Return as Miami’s Tight End Next Season

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The Miami Dolphins tight end position has never been a great one. In their history it’s been highlighted by guys like Keith Jackson, Anthony Fasano, Randy McMichael, Jim Mandich and others.

Recently, it was Mike Gesicki, Jonnu Smith, and now Greg Dulcich.

Dulcich was signed in the middle of the season when Darren Waller went down with a hip injury and has made the most of his opportunity.

Dating back to his first game with valuable snaps, Dulcich has played 8 games hauling in 23 catches for 304 yards and a touchdown. Dulcich has made plays in the play action game in the flats and up the seam, constantly throws good blocks, and is as sure handed as they come.

Dulcich is on the more athletic side of tight ends as well, showcasing great elusiveness and speed in the open field.

So, as we had into the 2026 off season, the Dolphins should highly consider bringing Dulcich back.

Young, Cheap Tight End

Heading into next season Dulcich will be 26 years old and the Miami Dolphins are at a crossroads where they need to develop young, high-end talent. With Dulcich they have walked right into it. Rather than drafting a tight end they found Dulcich on waivers and signed him with the hopes of stabilizing their tight end room, instead they may have found its future. Dulcich’s contract likely wouldn’t exceed more than $5 million (AAV), making it a no brainer for the Dolphins.

If Ewers is The Guy, Continuity is Key

Mike McDaniel talked about it after the victory over the Buccaneers.

(What has made the QB Quinn Ewers to TE Greg Dulcich connection so deadly over the past couple of weeks?) – “Ironically, Quinn (Ewers) would be the authority on throwing to Greg (Dulcich) seeing how they started on scout team together this season. I think Greg was the scout team player of the week maybe Week 2 or 3, I can’t remember. That’s one thing, consistency and realistically, he has kind of an idea of how Greg is going to react to certain looks based on that rapport to a degree. It’s just a credit to leaning into that trust or recognizing that Quinn can trust Greg. Greg keeps coming through for him in situations and proving him right. I think that it doesn’t hurt that they had those added reps, even if it was on carded defenses, those count too. It’s also just two guys taking advantage of an opportunity that keeps giving us reason to give them more opportunities.”

While Mike McDaniel’s future may be up in the air, Dulcich’s can’t be. Not only is he forming a connection with Miami’s potential 2026 starter, but he has showed up big week in and week out for Tua and Ewers.

Look Around the League, Tight End’s Galore

The NFL’s best teams –and offenses– sport a good tight end. Buffalo and Dalton Kincaid, the Chiefs with Kelce, Philadelphia with Goedert, San Fran with Kittle, and many other teams, but also teams are drafting tight ends in the 1st round as their importance has become so essential. The tight ends that can block like a lineman but also make plays in the passing game are so essential to the modern offense’s success. Tyler Warren, Brock Bowers, and Colston Loveland are just a few of the guys to go in the first round an make an immediate impact.

If Miami can salvage Dulcich’s value without using a draft pick and make him a top tight end for years to come like they did with Jonnu Smith, they have to take advantage of it.

Dulcich fits the mold of a modern tight end and fits the mold for the Dolphins future.

Resigning Dulcich is just one of the many steps in getting Miami back on track.

Prediction- Resigned 3 years $10-12 Million

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Quinn Ewers is the first Dolphins rookie quarterback to throw two first-half touchdown passes since Dan Marino.

Pressure Point: QB Ewers impresses, but Dolphins’ 2026 plans shrouded in mystery

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Quinn Ewers, take 2: Much improved.

The rookie quarterback gave an eye-opening performance in his second start for the Miami Dolphins, throwing for two touchdowns Sunday in a 20-17 win against a Tampa Bay Buccaneers team vying for the playoffs.

Ewers became the first Dolphins rookie quarterback to throw two first-half TD passes since — ta da — Dan Marino.

That is not to say that Ewers in the next Marino, though he has already shown more than some of the other 26 quarterbacks who have started for Miami since Marino retired.

It is also too soon to anoint the rookie from Texas the definitive answer to what the Dolphins have been seeking for a quarter century.

Though the self-confidence Ewers projected suggests he already believes he’s the new man for Miami.

The seventh-round draft pick was more poised and comfortable in the pocket in his second NFL start than Tua Tagovailoa showed all season.

But here’s the thing, no matter how well he plays, it is impossible to project these garbage-time games into relevance for next season. Because we don’t know who is going to be making the decisions about next year’s team.

Dolphins’ leadership plans remain unknown

Who’s the general manager? Who’s the coach?

More important, what is owner Steve Ross thinking? Does he have a clue?

The root of the Dolphins problem for years has been the owner. Ross has been great with infrastructure and bringing marquee events to Hard Rock Stadium. But as far as not only running but elevating the team he owns, his stewardship of the franchise has been an abysmal failure.

The rumor mill has Ross leaning toward retaining Mike McDaniel as coach. The effort the team showed against Tampa Bay may have cemented that, at least for Ross.

In that case, interim GM Champ Kelly probably stays in that role. It would be tough to lure a premier general manager if he arrives tethered to this coach.

The irony is that fired general manager Chris Grier’s final draft class has been mostly solid, with several standout contributors to Sunday’s win. In addition to Ewers’ performance, Jason Marshall Jr. had an interception, Zeek Biggers blocked a field goal, and defensive linemen Jordan Phillips and Kenneth Grant combined for five tackles.

Several Dolphins making case to return in 2026

In addition, Ewers’ touchdown passes went to Theo Wease Jr., an undrafted rookie wide receiver, and tight end Greg Dulcich, who was signed to the practice squad in late August. Safety Ashtyn Davis, an offseason free-agent signee, had an interception.

While Ewers has already settled in as the leader of the offense, the future of the position shouldn’t be considered settled.

The mission must be to find the best quarterback they can, to continue to seek the answer that Tagovailoa never fulfilled.

Considering how much they owe Tagovailoa next season, having Ewers as starter earning $1.005 million makes sense for 2026 while looking ahead to the 2027 draft, which is regarded as deeper for quarterbacks than the upcoming draft.

Ewers finished 14 of 22 for 172 yards with a passer rating of 118.0 and, notably, no interceptions or turnovers.

He appeared much more at ease in his second start with another week of practice with the first team.

Ewers made a nice read on a Bucs defensive set that left Wease running free for a 63-yard touchdown strike along the left sideline.

He threaded a third-down pass to Dulcich in the end zone for his second touchdown. Dulcich has emerged as Ewers’ favorite target, with five catches for 58 yards.

He also scrambled for a first down while the Dolphins were running out the clock.

Ewers making his case to start in 2026

But he was a late-round selection for a reason.

So far his accuracy on deep passes has been lacking, a reflection of a sidearm motion that is better suited for chucking hand grenades than delivering spot-on strikes down field. He is much better on mid-range passes. On check-downs, he’s quick and decisive in distributing the ball.

There is plenty to like about Quinn Ewers’ game after his two start to warrant further evaluation.

Yes, he’s shown he’s an asset with potential. He could turn out to be a solid backup in the NFL. Maybe he’s a stopgap starter for the Dolphins in 2026. Or he just might be here to stay for the long run.
For the moment, at least, he has rendered Tagovailoa to the role of high-priced cheerleader.

Craig Davis has covered South Florida sports and teams, including the Dolphins, for more than four decades. Follow him on the site formerly known as Twitter @CraigDavisRuns.

 

Mike McDaniel Should Not Return as the Dolphins Head Coach

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There was once a time where the Miami Dolphins had the NFL’s best, most innovative offense. There was once a time where everyone wanted to play for Mike McDaniel and all those enjoyed his silly, goofy press conference answers. The outfits, the sprinting off the field into the locker room, and the joy that Miami’s head coach had.

But that time has long past and as the results don’t back up the character, Miami can’t afford to partially clean house again, it is time to clear the house completely. The stats back it up, the results back it up, and the lack of growth in four years back it up.

It was reported before Sunday’s blowout loss to the Bengals that Mike McDaniel was expected to return and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was not. And while the first half Sunday provided some hope, the Dolphins same issues persisted and the team ultimately quit on coach, the ultimate sign that change is necessary.

So, let’s look at these claims and find the evidence to back them up.

The Dolphins Can’t win in the Cold.

December and January have been where the Dolphins fall apart in the McDaniel era 7-13.

The Dolphins had lost 13 games in a row in games in sub 40 degrees dating back to 2016.

The Dolphins Can’t Beat Good Teams.

3-15 against teams above .500

Mike McDaniel Fails to make Halftime Adjustments.

4-23 when trailing at halftime

The Dolphins are always late out of the huddle.

There is no statistic I could find yet this is another fatal flaw. Miami constantly mismanages the clock and comes out of the huddle late forcing the Dolphins to take ill-advised timeouts/penalties.

Mike McDaniel Can’t win without Tua.

3-10 with QBs other than Tua

Mike McDaniel is Not Good at Challenging Plays

4-21 with replay challenges

These blatant flaws are just the surface, dig deeper and ask why was Jaelan Phillips playing so late in the blowout victory when he tore his Achillies, why couldn’t the Dolphins hold on to their late lead against the Titans, and why couldn’t the Dolphins adjust as the league began to figure out their offense.

Simply put it is coaching, the Dolphins have a talented roster and have for multiple seasons –albeit there have been flaws and injury troubles– but there was never a reason for two back-to-back losing seasons when the team believed their Super Bowl window was open.

While McDaniel could still be the coach next season, the Dolphins can’t continue the half measure wipeouts. Mike McDaniel needs to go, along with his staff, Grier can’t be the only one to blame for the failed rebuild.

While the Dolphins search for all the answers, the fans will be patiently waiting as Miami should look for the answer in the franchises 15th head coach.

Quinn Ewers showed promise but also threw two interceptions in his first start at quarterback for the Dolphins.

Pressure Point: Ewers shows promise, but Dolphins in full retreat under McDaniel

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Quinn Ewers’ coming out party started out promising Sunday for the Miami Dolphins and their rookie quarterback.

Then the focus on a quarterback switch got broadsided by the bigger question hanging over a franchise in disarray.

Never mind, for a moment, who the future at quarterback for the Dolphins may be. We’ll get back to that, but first, what about the coach?

Does octogenarian owner Steve Ross really want to see more of what transpired in Sunday’s 45-21 stomping at home by the Bengals — an opponent that came in 4-10 and eliminated from the playoffs for the third consecutive season.

Six days after allowing touchdowns on four consecutive possessions in a brutal loss at Pittsburgh to get dealt out of the playoffs, the Dolphins gave up 35 points over five drives spanning the late second quarter to the early fourth.

NFL Insider: Ross likely to retain Dolphins coach McDaniel

Meanwhile, the rumor mill of those supposedly in the know has Ross still sold on coach Mike McDaniel and expected to retain him for a fifth season in 2026.

If that decision was yet to be set in stone, it may have crumbled as the Miami defense did in a baffling third-quarter collapse for the second week in a row.

Earlier Sunday on “NFL GameDay,” Ian Rapoport reported that “From everything we understand, McDaniel is expected to return next season. He has strong support from [Ross], and there’s a real belief within the organization that McDaniel can make this work. McDaniel also believes the best way forward is with Quinn Ewers as his starting quarterback … but it raises serious questions about Tua Tagovailoa’s future in Miami.”

Ewers’ first start showed promise, but it’s inconclusive whether will prove to be on overachieving Brock Purdy or a backup at best like Skylar Thompson, to invoke two other quarterbacks drafted in the seventh round.

Ewers showed poise. He had touch on his passes and made several clutch throws to Darren Waller and Jaylen Waddle.

“The moment wasn’t too big” for Ewers, was the consensus of McDaniel, and the CBS announcing crew.

Oddly, McDaniel said afterward that he has to look at tape to know for sure, though he has in his mind that Ewers will start again next week.

Too soon for verdict on Ewers as Dolphins QB

Huh? What is there to mine from the final two weeks of the season other than further evaluation of what they may or may not have in Ewers, who has only had a couple of practices with the first-team offense?

So what, would it make sense to switch back to Tagovailoa, who they will try to unload in the offseason, or go with Zach Wilson, who they clearly won’t re-sign?

Ewers, the former Texas Longhorn, led the Dolphins on two lengthy touchdown drives in the first half, the second one giving them a short-lived 14-10 lead. Then he threw two interceptions in the third quarter. Defensive pass interference could have been called on the first pick.

Instead, the Dolphins had one drive unravel after horrendous offensive pass interference penalty against rookie receiver Theo Wease Jr. — it appeared he was trying to avoid contact with a defender — that negated a 32-yard gain by De’Von Achane off a screen pass.

Nonetheless, success in the NFL is often reflected in how a player and team responds to adversity. As often the case, the Dolphins shrank in the moment.

The very next play, tight end Greg Dulcich fumbled after a reception. In short order, the Dolphins were buried under an avalanche of mistakes and inept — or was it disinterested? — play.

Dolphins assured of second straight losing season

No surprise, they are now 4-23 under McDaniel after trailing at halftime. But, as seen repeatedly, the Dolphins don’t just fail, they gravitate to humiliation.

Capping the Bengals’ fifth consecutive touchdown drive was Mike Gesicki, the former Dolphins tight end, making a leaping catch in the end zone and performing his trademark Griddy dance at Hard Rock Stadium.

Meanwhile, the Miami offense was being stymied by the Bengals’ 32nd ranked defense, led by Al Golden, the former University of Miami coach whose tenure on the same field was forgettable and regrettable.

Just as Tagovailoa’s performance regressed this season, the whole team has been on a downward slide since blowing a 14-point lead in the final three minutes at Tennessee on Monday Night Football in December 2023.

They came into that game 9-3 with the inside track on winning the AFC East. Since then, they are 16-20 and have clinched their second consecutive losing season.

They are approaching the end of their 25th season without a playoff victory with uncertainties about the quarterback and general manager for next season — the latter will inherit a mess of top-heavy contracts and little room to operate under the salary cap.

Still, we are led to believe that owner Steve Ross still has unyielding belief in McDaniel as coach, which is baffling.

Hall of Famer Warner critical of McDaniel’s play design

The benching of Tagovailoa and ascension of Ewers as starter evoked lots of commentary and debate over the past week. None more revealing than Kurt Warner’s Studyball analysis of Tua’s last start. Check it out on YouTube.

In a 53-minute film study, the Hall of Fame quarterback presented an in-depth examination of every Dolphins passing play in last Monday Night’s 28-15 loss to the Steelers.

Warner’s premise: “I wanted to go back and break down the game to see how much of the struggles were on Tua. Did he play bad enough to warrant a benching after winning five of the previous six games?”

He examined the blocking and the receiver’s routes, and as well as how Tagovailoa reacted as the plays unfolded.

Most interesting were Warner’s comments about the design of the patterns that receivers ran. On many of the plays they weren’t, in his opinion, set up in a way to stress the defense and provide Tua with an open receiver to throw to.

On those plays, Warner showed how the play could have been designed to achieve those objectives.

Warner’s conclusions are more of an indictment of McDaniel’s play design than Tua’s play as quarterback.

It certainly wasn’t an endorsement for changing quarterbacks while keeping the coach.
Warner ended the video by saying, “You tell me, did he make a couple of bad decisions? Of course he did. Bad interception. Almost threw another interception when the defensive lineman popped out. But for the most part, did you see a bunch of guys running wide open? Did you see a scheme that was giving him a bunch of opportunities that he didn’t take advantage of?

“Again, I understand, there are a bunch of factors on why he’s not playing, and not just based on this game. But I hate it. If I was a quarterback and I had just won five of six, and now all of a sudden we lose one game, and it’s that game with those plays out there on film, and you bench me, I wouldn’t be a very happy camper today.”

The TV cameras did show Tagovailoa smiling and celebrating on the sideline after the Dolphins’ second touchdown Sunday.

Maybe he was genuinely happy for his teammates. Or, perhaps he was envisioning the day he returns to Hard Rock Stadium in an opposing uniform and embarrasses his former team.

Craig Davis has covered South Florida sports and teams, including the Dolphins, for more than four decades. Follow him on the site formerly known as Twitter @CraigDavisRuns.

Tua Tagovailoa failed again to deliver a season-saving win for the Dolphins in a 25-18 drubbing by the Steelers.

Pressure Point: Enough of Tua, time for Dolphins to see what Quinn Ewers can do

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The best that can be said about the Miami Dolphins’ putrid performance in Pittsburgh (try saying that ten times fast) is the fantasy that they were actually in playoff contention can be mercifully flushed.

Monday night, in their most important game of the season, the Dolphins froze up in yet another frigid failure in December.

The 25-18 drubbing administered by the Steelers confirmed the inevitable: Miami’s drought without a playoff win will hit the quarter century mark before the end of the month.

More than that, it showed that in four seasons of Mike McDaniel as coach and six years of Tua Tagovailoa at quarterback, nothing has changed.

No progress. No hope left for this season. Zilch.

Only one thing is left to accomplish in the final three games of this latest of lost seasons. Find out what they have in rookie quarterback Quinn Ewers.

Tagovailoa falls short as franchise quarterback

If he’s not a viable option, the Dolphins will need to start looking elsewhere for their quarterback of the future, asap.

Because it’s not Tagovailoa. He’s not getting better, he’s gotten significantly worse this season.

Asked about giving Ewers an audition now that the Dolphins are eliminated from playoff contention, McDaniel handled the question about as poorly as he did with the game plan against the Steelers.

“Yeah, I think it would be very irrational, shortsighted if I even tried to tackle that option,” he said. “I think I have to look at the tape. I’ll move on from there.”

What he’ll see on the tape is another failure of Tagovailoa to deliver what a franchise quarterback must with the season on the line.

It was a very Tua-like performance, producing a stat line totally misaligned with how he played.

It featured another bad interception — his league-leading 15th — to end an early drive into Steelers territory. Later, when he tried to scramble for a first down that would have kept another drive going, his slide came up short.

Tagovailoa outplayed by 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers

In the third quarter, when the game got away from the Dolphins, the Tua-led offense produced minus-20 yards. It was the least productive quarter of McDaniel’s tenure.

Then, after gray-beard Aaron Rodgers led the Steelers on four consecutive touchdown drives for a 28-3 lead, Tagovailoa padded his stats in the fourth quarter against Pittsburgh’s prevent defense.

The pair of late touchdown passes to Darren Waller served only to raise the question, why didn’t they get the big tight end involved when the game was still in question?

Asked what went wrong with the passing game, McDaniel said, “I think passing, a lot of times people squarely put focus on the quarterback. I think there’s several times tonight, one in particular stands out, where I think he was about to make the right read, and we had our [primary receiver] fall over.

“I thought Darren [Waller] made a ton of plays at the end. Should have got him involved earlier. There’s a lot of things. Ultimately it hasn’t been good enough. I think that hurt us tonight.”

Aikman ridicules Tagovailoa, Dolphins offense

While McDaniel was reluctant to heap blame on Tagovailoa, the CBS announcing crew didn’t hold back. Referring to the interception and other questionable throws, analyst and former quarterback Troy Aikman said, “It’s a little bit of a head scratcher. Those type of throws, you’re not quite sure what he’s seeing or not seeing.”

What we’ve seen all season is a quarterback with very little mobility making poor choices and unable to make a throw with the zip needed to connect downfield.

The interception came on an underthrown ball for Jaylen Waddle that floated like a wobbly duck while Asante Samuel Jr. maneuvered for the pick.

Tua’s pocket presence has also diminished. Typically, he looks once, twice, then finding nobody open and feeling the walls collapsing on him, he starts running around like someone with his hair on fire searching for a blanket to smother it.

He was sacked four times Monday. Yet, Tua’s numbers (22 of 28 for 253 yards and 113.2 passer rating) belie the reality of what transpired in another missed opportunity to break out of the narrative that has haunted this franchise for 25 years.

Dolphins flop again in prime-time chill

Here are the numbers that matter: the Dolphins have lost their past 14 games with the temperature under 40 degrees, including the past six with Tua; they are 4-13 in primetime under McDaniel.

As is often the case, it was more than a defeat, it was a prime-time embarrassment. It had Aikman repeatedly ridiculing the Dolphins’ lack of urgency and overall strategy in the fourth quarter.

It had two former Dolphins contributing to their demise. Defensive back Jalen Ramsey had a rare sack. Tight end Jonnu Smith took a handoff out of the backfield and ran 14 yards untouched for Pittsburgh’s final, in-your-face touchdown.

Realistically, the Dolphins season was sunk by the 1-6 start that was as dismal as the numbers indicated.

Give them credit, they didn’t pack it in at that point. They responded admirably, improved in several parts of their game and played themselves into respectability.

But let’s face it, that surge of five wins in six games was a mirage. The only quality win was the rare rout of the Buffalo Bills at home.

All that’s left of 2025 is to look to the future. That should start with giving Ewers a chance to show if might be a viable alternative. The seventh-round draft pick from Texas made some tantalizing throws in a mop-up opportunity against Cleveland.

Certainly, McDaniel and the offensive coaches have seen a lot more of Ewers from months of practice. But only game action can tell the full story.

Tagovailoa’s contract straps Dolphins under cap

Unfortunately, the Dolphins are bound to Tua by a contract that has already cost Chris Grier the general manager’s job. Realistically, they are probably stuck with him at least through 2026.

Improvement by the defense and offensive line as the season progressed suggests that the Dolphins don’t need a total roster blowup. There is talent to work with, and the current rookie class has shown promise.

The Dolphins are in a salary cap bind for 2026, due in large part to Tagovailoa’s contract.

But just because they are on the hook to pay him an ungodly amount doesn’t mean they have to play him if there is a better option on the payroll. The final three games can shed light on that possibility.

No doubt most Dolfans have seen enough of Tua for this sorry season.

I’m totally Tua-ed out.

Question is, will McDaniel and the front office have the good sense to pull the switch for the final three games? Will owner Steve Ross demand it?

All we are saying is give Quinn Ewers a chance.

Craig Davis has covered South Florida sports and teams, including the Dolphins, for more than four decades. Follow him on the site formerly known as Twitter @CraigDavisRuns.

Jaylen Wright had his best game as a pro, rushing for 107 yards against the Jets.

Pressure Point: Run game, defense keep Dolphins in the running

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Kudos are absolutely in order for the Miami Dolphins.

From dead team walking at 1-6, have played themselves into the playoff hunt, at least mathematically, at 6-7.

With Sunday’s 34-10 whooping of the oh-so-woeful New York Jets, the resurgent Fins have won four in a row and five of their past six.

Notably, they rushed for 239 yards, averaging 6.3 yards per carry. Oh, and Tua Tagovailoa can finally say he’s quarterbacked the Dolphins to victory when the temperature is 46 degrees or below on his eighth try — the 41-degree weather at the Jersey Meadowlands was really quite conducive for football, though. But still …

Dolphins avoid bad break on Achane’s injury

The highlight of a dominant win came afterward when coach Mike McDaniel said the rib injury that sidelined star running back in the first half was not a break.

“We got it looked at. He was hurting. He was available to come back in the game in an emergency,” McDaniel said. “I chose not to put him in there.”

Whew! That is a collective sign of relief echoing through Dolphinland.

Let’s face it, however legitimate the hopes of this team to claw its way into the postseason rides with Achane. The newly crowned AFC offensive player of the month for November has fueled the Dolphins’ resurgence.

Achane came into the game with 1,034 yards rushing and was on his way to another dominant performance when he walked off gingerly after a 29-yard run. He left with 92 yards rushing on nine carries, including a touchdown, and a 13-yard reception.

Jaylen Wright has first 100-yard performance

Achane’s absence provided an opportunity for second-year back Jaylen Wright to have his best game as a pro with 107 yards on 24 carries (4.5-yard average) and his first career touchdown. Rookie Ollie Gordon II added a hard-nosed 7-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter.

The three-back attack was reminiscent of the Dolphins’ winning formula from the distant past.

That was noted by one of the men most responsible for that success, Hall of Fame fullback Larry Csonka, who tweeted, “Opening drive today brings back memories — ball control, down the field w/first possession. More of that please.”

More of that sort of production running the ball will be vital over the final four weeks of the season. It has been made possible by significant improvement by the offensive line. That includes much-maligned rookie left guard Jonah Savaiinaea, who had some key blocks that led to significant gains.

While they can lean on a three-back attack, Achane is the difference maker. He has shown to be a remarkable talent while putting together an All-Pro worthy season.

After scoring touchdowns with Achane on their first three possessions, they didn’t get into the end zone again until they ran it down the Jets’ throat in the fourth quarter —Wright and Gordon accounted for 61 of 69 yards on the drive.

Dolphins’ O-line shows major improvement

“Going into the season, we felt like we have a strength in the offensive line unit. Just to be able to manufacture that type of success on the ground, that’s December football, and that’s how you win,” McDaniel said.

Keep in mind, this December win on the road came against a Jets team that has now been eliminated from the playoffs for the 15th consecutive season. And of Miami’s five recent wins, the only one against a playoff-caliber opponent was the rout at home against the Bills.

The home stretch will be more challenging, and the Dolphins will probably need to win all four to have a chance at a wild card. That begins with a Monday Night date (Dec. 15) at Pittsburgh against the Steelers, who are also in the hunt at 7-6.

Then it’s home against the Bengals, who have Joe Burrow back at quarterback, followed by the 7-6 Buccaneers, and finishing at the AFC East-leading Patriots.

Dolphins’ defense fuels hope for late-season run

The Dolphins too often have gotten to this crossroads, only to lose their way. So I must abstain from labeling them legitimate contenders.

But the factors that could make the outcome different this time is the running attack and Anthony Weaver’s defense, which has become an absolute beast.

Granted, the Jets were forced to use rookie quarterback Brady Cook, who had never appeared in an NFL game, after veteran Tyrod Taylor went out early with a leg injury. They intercepted Cook three times and sacked him six times while holding the Jets to 207 net yards and 1-for-12 in third down conversions. The only New York touchdown came on a punt return.

However it plays out from here, it must be acknowledged the way these Dolphins have pulled together since the dreadful performance in Cleveland that prompted the firing of general manager Chris Grier and left McDaniel’s future dangling.

The players rallied around their coach, and McDaniel has done a better job with the offense since then.

Can they keep it rolling at Pittsburgh in prime time against a Steelers team also desperate to keep their season alive?

It’s a trap door the Dolphins have fallen through countless times, so we’ll see. Still, they have our attention.

Craig Davis has covered South Florida sports and teams, including the Dolphins, for more than four decades. Follow him on the site formerly known as Twitter @CraigDavisRuns.

Tua Tagovailia's poor play is holding the Dolphins back.

Pressure Point: Dolphins keep hopes alive despite Tagovailoa’s baffling decline

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The Miami Dolphins may wear aqua-and-orange, but they are fool’s gold to their fans.

Here they go again making a show of late-season contention. They’ve won three in a row and four of their past five to reach the fringe of the wild-card race.

The network keeps showing them in the graphic of playoff hopefuls, and I can’t help but laugh.

Did that look like a playoff team that had everyone biting fingernails to the quick in fending off (barely) a young, rebuilding 2-9 Saints team 21-17 Sunday at Hard Rock Stadium?
Not when the quarterback is your biggest liability.

The regression of Tua Tagovailoa has been nothing short of baffling, and he’s gotten worse as the season has progressed. This latest head-scratching performance was up there among his most inept.

Tagovailoa outplayed by Saints rookie

That was underscored late in the fourth quarter when Fox color analyst Mark Schlereth suggested the Dolphins completely remove all passing plays from the offense and just hand the ball to De’Von Achane for the remainder of the game.

He wasn’t being facetious. His point was well founded.

Tagovailoa not only threw his league-leading 14th interception of the season, he was off target nearly all day.

There was a crisp throw to Jaylen Waddle on a crossing pattern for a 22-yard gain and a strike down the middle to tight end Greg Dulcich for 21 yards. That was about it for well-thrown balls.

The key to success for the Dolphins this season was supposed to be Tagovailoa staying healthy. He’s done that, making every start, and it’s been to their detriment.

Sunday he was outplayed by Saints rookie Tyler Shough, and it wasn’t particularly close. Shough, making his fourth career start, is a work in progress, but he showed athleticism that Tagovailoa doesn’t possess and threw two second-half touchdown passes in rallying the Saints from a 19-0 deficit to within a two-point conversion in the final minutes.

Tagovailoa loses his accurate touch

In years past, Tua’s ability to throw accurately helped offset his shortcomings of middling arm strength and mediocre mobility.

This season, he’s lost his touch, and that was evident throughout Sunday’s game. He started by overthrowing Cedrick Wilson Jr., who had a step advantage on a deep route. Then he botched a short toss on an inside screen near the Saints’ goal to Achane, who could have waltzed into the endzone. Instead the Dolphins had to settle for one of four Riley Patterson field goals.

In the second half Tua threw behind Julian Hill on a third-down play when the Dolphins were trying to answer the first Saints touchdown. Later, he floated a pass in the endzone to Darren Waller, who ran out of room.

It wasn’t merely that his passes were off the mark, so was his judgment. Most glaring was the long pass into double coverage for Waddle that was intercepted. He overlooked Achane who was open.

Tagovailoa finished the day 12 of 23 for 157 yards, with a paltry passer rating of 55.9.

Tua’s subpar stats don’t lie

He was sacked four times, which often happens when his first read is covered and protection breaks down. Shough, like almost every quarterback the Dolphins face, has the ability to scramble out of trouble and make a play. Tagovailoa, lacking elusiveness, tends to panic and take drive-killing sacks.

Schlereth wasn’t the only viewer preferring to see the ball in the hands of Achane, who rushed for 134 yards against the Saints to become the 11th Dolphins back to surpass 1,000 yards in a season, the first since Jay Ajayi in 2016.

Achane scooted 29 yards around the right side to cap an impressive opening touchdown drive. Tagovailoa’s subpar play, particularly in the red zone, had a lot to do with the Dolphins settling for field goals the rest of the day.

“Definitely starts with me, with my performance, with how I distribute the ball,” Tagovailoa said in his postgame interview.

Tagovailoa is currently 23rd in the NFL in passer rating, but first in interceptions. The Dolphins needed a lot more from their $53.1 million (per year) quarterback in a make-or-break season for the Mike McDaniel regime.

McDaniel didn’t exactly bestow a vote of confidence on Tua when he had him let the clock run down to end the first half with a field goal rather than take a shot at the end zone.

Are Dolphins setting up another late-season flop?

Nonetheless, this midseason surge following a dreadful opening month has lifted the 5-7 Dolphins to the edge of hope.

It’s a familiar Build Me Up Buttercup scenario that has led to too many final month letdowns by this franchise.

Are you going to fall for the fool’s gold again, Dolfans?

The Dolphins travel next Sunday to face the 3-9 Jets, fresh off a walk-off field goal win over the Falcons. Then they’re on the road again at the Steelers, home against the Bengals and Buccaneers, and finish at the Patriots.

It’s not totally implausible, when you have one of the league’s premier offensive performers in Achane. Blocking up front has improved, right tackle Austin Jackson added to that in his first game off injured reserve. Waller’s return adds another weapon with game-changing ability.

Meanwhile, Anthony Weaver’ defense, led by Jordyn Brooks playing at an All-Pro level, has elevated its play. Against the Saints, the defense had four sacks, a fumble recovery and an interception by Rasul Douglas, plus Minkah Fitzpatrick’s pick and 98-yard return for two points on the Saints’ last conversion attempt.

The main stumbling block is at quarterback. Unless Tagovailoa dramatically reverses course and elevates his play over the remaining five games, this team isn’t going anywhere.

Craig Davis has covered South Florida sports and teams, including the Dolphins, for more than four decades. Follow him on the site formerly known as Twitter @CraigDavisRuns.