Mike McDaniel is widely expected to be fired as the head coach of the Miami Dolphins if the team cannot turn its season around, and there has been one troubling trend that could wind up defining the end of his tenure.
The Dolphins are 1-5 entering their Week 7 game against the Cleveland Browns. Though the record does not reflect it, Miami has been competitive in all but one game. Some would view that as a positive for McDaniel, but the way the Dolphins have lost games is a major issue.
In four of their five losses, the Dolphins have either held the lead or been tied in the fourth quarter. They were blown out by the Indianapolis Colts in Week 1, but several of their losses since then have been the result of inexcusable fourth-quarter mistakes.
Last week, the Dolphins scored a touchdown with just 46 seconds remaining to take a 27-26 lead over the Los Angeles Chargers. A missed tackle and a defensive lapse allowed the Chargers to immediately get into field goal range on their ensuing possession. L.A. won the game 29-27.
In Week 5 against the Carolina Panthers, Miami scored a touchdown to take a 24-20 lead with 4:42 remaining. The Panthers went 83 yards for the go-ahead touchdown on the next drive and held on to win.
The Dolphins were outmatched for most of their Week 3 game against the Buffalo Bills, but they still managed to tie the game early in the fourth quarter of their eventual 31-22 loss.
Week 2 was yet another late-game collapse, as Miami took a 27-23 lead with a touchdown midway through the fourth quarter before losing 33-27 to the New England Patriots. Their offense had chances to come back in that game and could not get the job done.
Playing your worst football late in the fourth quarter is a sure-fire way to lose games in the NFL, and the Dolphins have done plenty of that in 2025. That is the type of trend that can also cost a head coach his job.
Tua Tagovailoa created some unnecessary drama for the Dolphins with his postgame remarks last week, and he has since expressed regret. McDaniel also called Tagovailoa out over what the quarterback said.
There has been a lot of talk about culture issues in Miami going back to last year. Losing has magnified all of that, and the way the Dolphins have lost certainly is not going to help McDaniel make his case to ownership.
