Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel has faced growing scrutiny amid a frustrating 1-5 start to the 2025 NFL season. After yet another late-game loss, this time a 29-27 defeat to the Los Angeles Chargers, McDaniel opened up about conversations with team owner Stephen Ross and the direction of the franchise moving forward.
Speaking to Sports Illustrated’s Alain Poupart, McDaniel described his postgame discussions with Ross as “productive” and focused on solutions rather than blame. “After the game, the main thing is that he's experiencing the loss like all of us,” McDaniel said.
“We’ve had multiple games this season where we were right there late. The focus now is correcting that and moving forward. The best thing you can do is focus on Cleveland.”
McDaniel’s seat has undeniably gotten warmer, but he appears intent on staying calm amid the noise. On Thursday, he addressed another source of speculation — the recent wave of trade rumors involving Dolphins players.
NFL insider Cameron Wolfe reported McDaniel’s firm response to South Florida reporters: “All (trade) rumors about Miami Dolphins players are baseless, currently. And that’s unfortunate. Personally, this time of year bothers me for the sake of individual players having where he’s playing questioned by rumors.”
McDaniel’s remarks were an effort to refocus attention on football rather than on off-field distractions. With trade chatter swirling across the league ahead of the deadline, the Dolphins coach made it clear he intends to shield his players from the noise and keep the locker room unified.
That unity has been questioned in recent weeks. NFL insider Jordan Schultz reported that the Dolphins are battling internal “camaraderie and togetherness” issues following their 1-5 start. Schultz noted that while McDaniel remains respected for his play-calling acumen, multiple players have privately expressed frustration about leadership and accountability inside the building.
Despite those reports, owner Stephen Ross reportedly has no plans to make a coaching change midseason. The Dolphins front office appears committed to giving McDaniel the chance to fix things internally, and his vocal dismissal of trade rumors may be the first step in reestablishing order and focus.
As Miami prepares to face the Cleveland Browns (1-5) this Sunday at Hard Rock Stadium, McDaniel is urging his team to block out distractions and play with urgency. “We’ve been close in every one of these losses,” he said. “Now it’s about finishing.”
