Why Miami Dolphins moved on from Mike McDaniel | Schad

Mike McDaniel wanted desperately to put everyone around him in the best position to succeed.

But in the end, the fired Miami Dolphins head coach did not succeed enough.

McDaniel is out as Miami coach because he didn't win enough, with no playoff wins in four seasons and losing marks in the last two.

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It would have been easier for owner Stephen Ross, who personally, like most people, like McDaniel very much, to overlook some of the flags that were present, if the coach had just surpassed "status quo" in 2025. Ross said after 2024 "status quo" was not acceptable.

• The Dolphins too often beat good teams but struggled against the top ones.

• The Dolphins struggled in prime time and on the road and in poor weather.

• The Dolphins had too many self-inflicted wounds, including penalties.

• The Dolphins had a player-led leadership approach that led to mixed results.

McDaniel was honest and so he would acknowledge and embrace any and all of these things.

Too many players were late in 2024?

Well, some of those players were jettisoned and from all accounts, it was not a problem in 2025.

McDaniel was willing to address issues. But the lateness storyline impacted perception.

Will Miami Dolphins hire disciplinarian next?

There are generally two types of coaches in this league: those who preach toughness, structure and discipline and those two believe in scheme and tactics and the value of emotional intelligence, personal connection and trust.

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The Dolphins had the former in Brian Flores. They had the latter in McDaniel.

These things usually swing in pendulums.

Will Ross pursue former Ravens coach John Harbaugh now?

Well, yeah. Why wouldn't they?

Harbaugh has a Super Bowl win, 13 playoff wins and a reputation as a culture-builder.

This is not to suggest Miami's culture was a mess under McDaniel. But he did trust the players to come through for him and they didn't always honor that trust.

Dolphins roster did not reach potential

The Dolphins, it can be fairly argued, underachieved, when they had a group rolling with some of these players performing at top-peak level: Tua Tagovailoa, Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, Terron Armstead, Zach Sieler, Jalen Ramsey... etc., etc.

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Former Dolphins general manager Chris Grier went all in and it all fell short.

McDaniel was praised for his creative ingenuity. He is, unquestionably, a very smart coach and person. At times his plays may have, unfortunately, confused the offense as well as the defense.

McDaniel, like many offensive play-callers in today's game, too often strayed from the run, even when it was clearly out-performing the passing game.

McDaniel had a good sense of humor, at times it led to jokes about him from outsiders, but he genuinely cared about everyone he encountered, which is more rare than should be in pro sports.

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He'll finish his career with a record of 35-33, 35-35 including playoffs.

McDaniel's approach was a breath of fresh air, in the wake of Flores' dictator-like (Ryan Fitzpatrick's words) approach in the previous regime.

When it all turned for Mike McDaniel

On September 24, 2023, the Dolphins beat the Broncos 70-20 at Hard Rock Stadium.

There were memorable celebrations in the weeks to come. Who will ever forget Tyreek Hill, Robert Hunt, Jaylen Waddle, River Cracraft and Raheem Mostert pretending to go on a roller-coaster ride in an end zone after yet another touchdown?

On December 11, 2023, the Dolphins blew a 27-13 late fourth-quarter lead, at home, to the lowly Tennessee Titans, 28-27.

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From there, the roller-coaster ride would be tumultuous, finally now coming to a jarring end.

Including that Titans loss, Miami would lose three of five, lose a playoff game at the Chiefs and never again recapture the magic that seemed to be associated with McDaniels' arrival.

McDaniel wanted desperately to win a Super Bowl, but he didn't win a playoff game.

He's not alone. The previous six full-time Dolphins head coaches didn't either.

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Joe Schad is a journalist covering the Miami Dolphins and the NFL at The Palm Beach Post. You can reach him at jschad@pbpost.com and follow him on Instagram and on X @schadjoe. Sign up for Joe's free weekly Dolphins Pulse Newsletter. Help support our work by subscribing today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Mike McDaniel just last Dolphins coach unable to deliver | Schad