Dolphins’ McDaniel addresses QB situation, odd strategy, other issues after loss
The Dolphins will miss the playoffs for a second consecutive season, a reality which is now official after a 28-15 loss to the Steelers on Monday night in Pittsburgh.
“I’m supremely disappointed we couldn’t come out with a win,” Mike McDaniel said, with his future now hinging on whether owner Stephen Ross decides to give him a fifth season.
He didn’t want to discuss whether there could be a quarterback change, saying “it would be very rash and short-sighted if I even tried to tackle that option. I have to look at the tape and move on from there.”
ESPN’s Troy Aikman said the fourth quarter was “ridiculous” because Miami played at a leisurely pace while trailing, but then tried an onside kick and called a timeout late in the game.
Why didn’t McDaniel go to a fast tempo in the fourth quarter with the Dolphins down big?
“I knew we would have to convert at least one onside kick,” he said. “The major focus to me was getting the ball in the end zone.”
After bludgeoning teams on the ground for a month — including 41 rushes for 239 yards against the Jets — the Dolphins ran 16 times for 63 yards (a 3.9 average) against a Steelers defense that had allowed more than 200 yards rushing each of the previous two weeks.
“The plan was to run the ball as many times as we did last week, but it didn’t work out,” McDaniel said. “It’s tough when you’re not getting first downs to keep that rhythm and work the line of scrimmage like we wanted to.
“They had a good plan. We wanted to be the more physical team. There was some good physical play. You make sure defenses have to defend the field, and you’re trying to balance it. When you don’t get first downs on first and second down, like we did last game, you have to convert on third downs. It’s hard to get in a rhythm running the ball [when you don’t get first downs].”
McDaniel also lamented that “we fell short again coming out of halftime. I need to get the team better at coming out of halftime.”
McDaniel didn’t want to pin the blame on Tua Tagovailoa but acknowledged that more generally is needed from the passing game, which he said “hasn’t been good enough. That hurt us tonight.”
“Multiple things were at play” with the passing game, McDaniel said. “Everybody has to do better. I have to coach better. A lot of times, people squarely put all the focus on the quarterback. Several times tonight, he was about to make the right read, and we had our eligible [receiver] fall over.
“It has to be better for us to be able to win games when you’re not owning time of possession or controlling the game on the ground. That limits you a ton. It’s not up to standard. The Steelers had a good plan early. They knew where we were trying to attack.”
On his early interception, “Tua didn’t see the hanging corner, saw [Jaylen] Waddle out of the break,” McDaniel said. “It’s not the ideal play. Matters were made worse by the throw to the opponent.”
McDaniel said several plays early in the third quarter — including a Jalen Ramsey sack — were “a gigantic momentum swing. Had a couple opportunities to make plays, and we didn’t make the plays.”
Darren Waller caught two touchdowns in the fourth quarter and “I should have gotten him involved earlier,” McDaniel said.
The temperature was in the teens in the second half but McDaniel said: “I don’t think the weather was a factor. I think their team outperformed us in critical situations.”
Miami has lost 14 games in a row when the temperature is 40 or lower at kickoffs.
With his team 6-8 and officially out of playoff contention, McDaniel said: “My expectation is we are going to bounce back no matter how much [this loss] hurts.”
One injury note: Safety Minkah Fitzpatrick has a calf injury and will get more tests on Tuesday, McDaniel said.
Here’s my column on what the Dolphins should now do at quarterback.
This story was originally published December 15, 2025 at 11:48 PM.
