The 2025 Miami Dolphins have been a disaster. They are 2-7 and have often looked lifeless in their games. The most recent loss to the Baltimore Ravens resulted in the Dolphins changing the front office, with Chris Grier leaving as the general manager. With a change in the front office, Mike McDaniel might be on borrowed time in Miami as the head coach.
Senior NFL Reporter Albert Breer said that he thinks Dolphins owner Stephen Ross did not let go of Mike McDaniel yet because he wants to hire a new general manager and see what that new general manager feels about the team's situation. That reasoning is because if McDaniel is let go, he will likely be successful elsewhere as an offensive coordinator.
Breer elaborated more and said, “Ross has heard a lot of folks, and I’d be one of them, say McDaniel is likely gone after this year and will probably wind up doing really well when he gets his second shot as a head coach, whenever and wherever that might be. That’s why, I bet, he’d think it makes sense to get a full autopsy on where his team is (and maybe even hire a new football czar and get that czar’s take on McDaniel) before moving on from the coach.”
How the rest of the year plays out is key for McDaniel because the fact that this season's autopsy is starting now could spell bad news for his tenure. He is still the coach and can still prove himself. Breer also clarified that McDaniel could still lose his job mid-season if the locker room slips.
Breer said, “My translation: Nothing is guaranteed for McDaniel at the end of the season, or even over the next few weeks, including a stand-alone game in Madrid followed by a bye. But he has a chance to prove himself, as Ross, team president Tom Garfinkel, and Ross’s advisors try to chart a course. I would guess that leads the Dolphins to a new head of football ops, and that person would make a call on McDaniel—unless McDaniel’s grip on the locker room slips (that’d be the one way McDaniel could still lose his job in-season).”
The Miami Dolphins stayed out of the spotlight with trade rumors up to this point in the year, but trade options are on the table now that Grier is gone. For example, Miami is reportedly open to offers on Jaylen Waddle and Minkah Fitzpatrick. They also dealt Jaelan Phillips to the Eagles. If they make trades, watching how that impacts the rest of 2025 will be interesting.
