Kelly: McDaniel shouldn’t be safe since he’s part of Dolphins’ problem | Opinion
The decision-making South Florida’s NFL franchise had suffered through the past few years — honestly, the past few decades — is the reason the Miami Dolphins are where they are.
Lost!
Rudderless!
Adrift at sea without a paddle.
What we watched on Sunday — a game that didn’t even need a fourth quarter to decide the outcome — was as predictable as the interceptions Quinn Ewers threw in his first ever NFL start.
Especially the first one, where Ewers, a 2025 seventh-round pick who replaced Tua Tagovailoa as the Dolphins’ starter last week because Miami’s coaches needed to see a player throw with “more conviction,” never looked off the defender when this 45-21 loss to a lackluster Cincinnati Bengals team was actually a game early in the third quarter.
Problem is, what we witnessed Sunday — a Bengals team stretching a three-point halftime lead to 24 points — is what happens when a team loses hope.
“We started off 1-6 and built an identity. These last two weeks we started doing the same [stuff] we did when we were 1-6,” cornerback Rasul Douglas said. “We’re not playing how we were before, and I don’t know what’s different, but that’s not our type of ball.
“When you put [bull crap] put there you get those types of results.”
The Dolphins got the snot kicked out of them in the second half — AGAIN — because that’s what this 2025 team does, no matter who is under center since Miami’s been outscored 113-27 in the third quarter.
Miami exited the first half flat, give up a substantive amount of points, and the offense couldn’t close the deficit. Not with Ewers, who played like he was wet behind the ear, or Tagovailoa, who seemingly got benched because he’s the quarterback version of a pitcher who has lost his a fastball.
Tagovailoa’s tenure in Miami is clearly over. The damage has been done. The divorce is all but final. But for once, let’s not make this about the quarterback.
This is about Mike McDaniel, who is 4-23 when trailing at halftime.
McDaniel deserves props for his team not quitting on him after it’s 1-6 start, and for changing the offensive identity of this year’s team midseason.
But McDaniel hasn’t proven he can lead this franchise, or any franchise to anything of substance, which makes the leaks that keep coming out about McDaniel’s job being safe infuriating.
While retaining McDaniel seems like the “That’s So Dolphins” thing to do, and has plenty of merit to it when factoring in how painful, and inconvenient owner Steve Ross’ hiring practices have been since Bill Parcells’ departure, it’s not the responsible thing.
History proves that if Ross could avoid a hiring process he probably will, which explains why the Dolphins have generally stuck with a regime, or coach a season too long under his tenure.
But this isn’t taking into equation the “what could happen” factor?
What happens if the Dolphins lose the final three games, ending this season 6-11, producing a second straight losing season?
What happens if Mike Tomlin is seeking a fresh start, and Pittsburgh makes him available via trade? Will the Dolphins turn their nose up because McDaniel’s was given some meaningless assurances so he could tank the final three games?
All the dysfunction the Browns have endured this season could cost Kevin Stefanski, a two-time NFL Coach of the Year, his job. Maybe Ross would want to kick those tires.
Tampa’s disappointing dismount of the 2025 season could conclude Todd Bowles time with the Buccaneers, making him available for a third head coaching job.
Zac Taylor, who is 47-52-1 in his tenure in Cincinnati, could be searching for a new team, especially if Joe Burrow — who carved up the Dolphins on Sunday, throwing for 309 yards and four touchdowns — let it be known that he wants to pull a Carson Palmer, exiting Cincinnati.
Maybe Andy Reid wants a fresh start and forces his way out of Kansas City.
These are all hypotheticals. But my point is nobody knows what the NFL’s Black Monday will bring.
But here the Dolphins are, doing Dolphins things.
Even though official word hasn’t come from Ross, who ended 2024 telling the fan base that the “status quo,” which likely refers to Miami’s mediocrity, wouldn’t do, for both of the league’s mouthpieces to be repeating the same dribble about McDaniel being safe is disheartening, disappointing, and most importantly, disrespectful to this fan base that has suffered for two-plus decades.
It’s time for this franchise to stop the dumb [expletive], and do the hard stuff, which is to reset this entire franchise finally, especially now that a winning season isn’t possible.
What McDaniel’s delivering isn’t good enough. Hasn’t been, and likely will never be.
So why would Miami waste yet another season running it back with McDaniel and no quarterback?
This story was originally published December 21, 2025 at 4:15 PM.
