The Miami Dolphins entered the 2025 season with little to no optimism. Sunday’s Week 1 loss to the Indianapolis Colts, 33-8, did absolutely nothing to alleviate that. In fact, it only made head coach Mike McDaniel’s seat scorching hot.
McDaniel was already under heavy criticism coming into his fourth season. After improving from 9-8 in his first year to 11-6 in Year 2, last season was more or less a disaster. The Dolphins finished 8-9, missed the playoffs and, perhaps most concerning, appeared fractured in the locker room.
The “hipster head coach,” as some have called him, faced scrutiny for reportedly losing the locker room. Former players and analysts went on record last offseason suggesting there was a blatant lack of respect for McDaniel. Veteran defender Bradley Chubb even hinted at the issue in July, offering a candid reflection on the team’s culture.
“I’m going to say last year we were lying, honestly. Point blank. Period. We felt it, you know what I mean?” Chubb said, according to an article fron the Palm Beach Post. “We put our toe in the water, but we didn’t dive all the way in. We didn’t go all the way there with each other. We weren’t making the extra effort to go the extra mile. I would say this year we’re doing that. I’m not sure how it’s going to turn out for us, but we are putting forth that foot to change it. … If it works out, it works out. If not, we’re going to get back to the drawing board.”
If Sunday was any indication, it doesn’t look like much has changed. In fact, it may have gotten worse.
Tua Tagovailoa no longer a saving grace for Mike McDaniel
One of the excuses for last season’s collapse was the absence of starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who missed six games due to injuries. Tagovailoa went 6-5 as a starter in 2024, but his time on the sideline left McDaniel scrambling for answers.
The hope in Miami was that a healthy Tagovailoa could stabilize the offense in 2025. Instead, he looked like a major liability against the Colts.
The Dolphins’ first five possessions were a nightmare: interception, fumble, punt, another interception and a turnover on downs after Tagovailoa overthrew a checkdown. By then, the Colts had control of the game.
Tagovailoa’s stat line painted an ugly picture. He went 14-of-23 for 114 yards with one touchdown, two interceptions and a lost fumble while being sacked three times. His passer rating was an abysmal 2.7.
While the quarterback’s struggles stood out, McDaniel was quick to point out that Tagovailoa wasn’t the only problem.
“When you lose the turnover game (minus-3), you turn the ball over on downs, you run into the kicker, you have 12 guys in the huddle, and you only have 20 minutes with the ball in your possession, that’s a formula for failure and nothing else,” McDaniel said after the loss. “We have one direction to go from here — and it’s the opposite direction of what this effort produced.”
Could Mike McDaniel be gone with another loss?
It’s always tough to evaluate a team after just one week, especially with 16 games left to play. But when the foundation already feels shaky, every setback feels amplified. The Dolphins weren’t just beaten by the Colts — they were embarrassed.
ESPN’s Bill Barnwell pointed out that Miami’s schedule may provide a temporary lifeline.
“While they have games against the Bills and Chargers, they also host the Patriots and Jets and travel to play the Panthers, Browns and Falcons over the next two months. It’s not wild to imagine them coming out of that stretch with a presentable record before the schedule gets much more difficult at midseason,” Barnwell wrote.
But what qualifies as “presentable” for general manager Chris Grier or owner Stephen Ross? That’s the real question.
The Dolphins’ immediate future doesn’t get much easier. They return home to face the Patriots in Week 2 before heading to Buffalo. Miami hasn’t beaten the Bills in six straight meetings and has just one win in the last 14 matchups. Their lone victory came in Buffalo in 2022, but history doesn’t offer much hope.
If Josh Allen continues to torment the Dolphins as he has throughout his career, Miami could be staring at another ugly blowout. Should that happen, McDaniel may not even make it back to Miami Gardens before his desk is packed up.
The Dolphins don’t need a miracle in the short term, but they do need to show life — and soon. A close loss to the Patriots might be excusable. Another lopsided defeat like the one against Indianapolis, however, would make McDaniel’s seat unbearable. In that scenario, it’s not just the players being evaluated. McDaniel could be cooked before October.
