The Miami Dolphins have arguably been the most disappointing team in the NFL through Week 2. The 0-2 Dolphins have been extremely uncompetitive. Hot-seat head coach Mike McDaniel could be coaching for his job versus the Buffalo Bills on TNF in Week 3.
"To win games, you have to win the game, not lose the game"
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) September 15, 2025
Mike McDaniel with an all time quote after losing to the Pats 😅
(via @MiamiDolphins) pic.twitter.com/QTxJbXxcKQ
The Dolphins were embarrassed in Week 1, losing 33-8 to the Indianapolis Colts. They dropped a divisional showdown 33-27 to the New England Patriots in Week 2. McDaniel's -31 point differential is second-worst in the NFL.
The defense is allowing the second-most points per game (33). Often praised for his creativity on offense, McDaniel's unit isn't producing desired results, either. They rank 25th in scoring and 24th in yards. The operation has been sloppy and undisciplined, with pre-snap penalties and communication issues killing critical drives against the Patriots in Week 2.
Dolphins defense is tied for 30th in pressure rate (17.9%) despite blitzing at the league's second-highest clip (46.4%)
— Ian Hartitz (@Ihartitz) September 17, 2025
McDaniel entered the campaign with precious little job security. The franchise has been trending in the wrong direction. The Dolphins' last sniff of the postseason was a 26-7 road postseason defeat to the Kansas City Chiefs, a game in which Miami looked ill-equipped to compete in frigid weather conditions. Since then, McDaniel’s Dolphins haven’t been able to shed the public perception that they are a soft football team, and the early results in 2025 are feeding that narrative.
In 2024, a 32-20 Week 18 defeat to a lifeless New York Jets squad ensured the Dolphins would finish below .500 at 8-9. The Dolphins haven’t won a postseason contest since 2000, with McDaniel sporting an 0-2 playoff record. That's the longest active postseason winless streak in the NFL.
The writing was on the wall. The most recent offseason was a concerning one. The Dolphins seemingly towed the line between a soft rebuild and full-blown tear-up, and you never want to operate in the middle. Aging wide receiver Tyreek Hill was retained (for now) amidst offseason trade rumors, but veteran cornerback Jalen Ramsey was traded, and 2024 touchdown leader Jonnu Smith was included in that deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Terron Armstead retired. Jevon Holland and Calais Campbell were among the departing veterans in free agency. Backup quarterback Zach Wilson earned the team's second-biggest contract in annual dollars via free agency. Most veteran additions were signed to short-term contracts, detailing the behavior of a team that knows a full reset is close.
Change appears inevitable with the team on a clear downward trajectory. An embarrassing showing on Thursday versus the Bills in a nationally televised spot could convince owner Stephen Ross to act immediately. Ross is well-known within NFL circles for his willingness to meddle and act temperamental, though in this case, any potential action is starting to feel justified.
McDaniel was once considered a coaching prodigy, but the results have been consistently trending downward since the end of 2023. His Dolphins are getting worse, and rock bottom appears near. The Dolphins are a sloppy, undisciplined, directionless team. The final straw for McDaniel could arrive versus his arch-nemesis Bills on TNF.
