The Miami Dolphins are what the kids would call a “hot mess.” That’s not exactly true because most adults would echo that sentiment as well. At 1-5 and with a locker room spiraling into the oblivion, it’s not out of the question that side eyes will be handed out, especially towards head coach Mike McDaniel.
Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa raised some eyebrows on top of those side eyes following the team’s loss to the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday.
“The only place we can go is next week,” Tagovailoa said among other things. “We talk about figuring this out, we talk about getting it together collectively. What are the problems? What are the issues? Are they getting fixed? Are they not getting fixed? Why are they not getting fixed? Or if they’re fixed, how are we not allowing to have it happen again.”
McDaniel must be thrilled that he has to deal with this kind of nonsense. He’s trying to win football games while managing a bunch of children in the locker room; it’s a situation he had a huge hand in creating.
CBS Sports has Mike McDaniel as the No. 1 hot-seat coach in the NFL
Jeff Kerr of CBS Sports made a list of NFL coaches who are firmly on the hot seat. After the Tennessee Titans fired head coach Brian Callahan on Monday for the debacle that has taken place in Nashville, it’s not surprising that McDaniel climbed to the top spot (we’re number one!) on the list.
“Surprising McDaniel wasn’t the first head coach to be relieved of his duties in 2025, but that demonstrates how bad Callahan was,” Kerr writes. “The Dolphins lost a heartbreaker to the Chargers on Sunday to fall to 1-5, with the lone victory this season being against the Jets. The Dolphins fought hard, which was a tip in McDaniel’s cap.”
It should also be noted that Aaron Glenn is on this list for the winless New York Jets. I mean it makes sense, but sheesh…six games in? Dolphins fans can maybe take a little solace in the fact that there is a division rival that’s an even bigger mess.
“Then Tua Tagovailoa stood at the podium saying Dolphins players were late for players-only meeting, calling them out in a public press conference,” Kerr continued. “That’s a very bad look for the quarterback of the Dolphins and his head coach, who is fighting for his job every week.
“Miami has winnable games against Cleveland and Atlanta coming up, but does it matter? McDaniel seems to be a loss away from a change in leadership.”
Stephen A. Smith thinks McDaniel should be fired too
No one escapes the wrath of ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, and McDaniel is no different. On Monday’s First Take, Smith didn’t mince words.
“The coach of the Miami Dolphins needs to go,” Smith said. “He needs to be gone as the head coach of this franchise. He’s not a leader of men. That’s what this comes down to.”
He might be right, and we’re seeing it from McDaniel as he tries desperately to move on from the locker room strife.
“The bottom line is no one’s going to be happy and [people] always are looking for reasons for failure to succeed,” McDaniel said in response to Tua’s comments. “So you’re trying to look for reasons that you can attribute to losses, and heavy is the crown of being a franchise quarterback.
“I’ve got a lot of things to worry about, and one of them is not those comments and where our team is lying after that.”
Miami Dolphins’ Coach Leaps to the Top Spot in the NFL