After a humiliating loss to the Carolina Panthers last week, Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel said he was concerned. This loss has compounded what has been a very difficult start to the season for the team. Hired in 2022, McDaniel was able to have a sit-down with Dolphins owner Stephen Ross following the 27-24 loss. Each tweeted their displeasure with the team’s dismal performance.
After starting the season with a dispiriting 1-4 record, the Dolphins were in danger of posting their worst start since 2019. Miami jumped out to a 17-0 lead early in the second quarter during their recent contest with the Panthers. They permitted Carolina to come back and rattle off 27 straight points. Yet this loss is particularly ominous for McDaniel. Never in his career as head coach had his team lost when leading by three scores.
In his post-game remarks, McDaniel took responsibility for Ross’s frustration and expressed disappointment in the team’s performance. He emphasized that worrying about job security would distract him from focusing on improving the team’s output on the field. He recalled the times in the past when Ross had run off coaches in similar settings. In fact, he’s fired Joe Philbin after starting 1-3 in 2015 and Tony Sparano after a 4-9 start in 2011.
“It’s frustrating because there’s a lot of talking, and we need to major in doing,” – Mike McDaniel
McDaniel’s history of meeting with Ross after each game underscores the importance of communication between the head coach and ownership. After the defeat at Carolina, there was disappointment on both sides with the team’s trajectory. Despite the growing pressure, McDaniel continued to double down on his belief that he could help the team achieve a better focus.
I don’t think anybody wants to hear me talk about it as much as I don’t feel like saying it, but it doesn’t change the steadfast reality that is: You have to get better at things or you’ll continue having the same results, McDaniel stated.
As Miami moves forward, the focus is still on correcting their errors and saving their season from an otherwise lost cause. McDaniel is wading into a brutal schedule. He’s well aware that talk about improvement will only go so far until they start winning games on the grass. The Dolphins are determined to break free from their current struggles and regain their competitive edge.
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