Why Analysts Are Piling On Mike McDaniel

Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel is the subject of harsh criticism in the aftermath of the team's painful outing in Week 1

Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel during the first half against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium. | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

That Mike McDaniel would be the subject of criticism from NFL national talking heads had to be expected, but it's been two days of verbal shots fired at the Miami Dolphins head coach.

And some of it, quite frankly, has been over the top.

There is no question that McDaniel does deserve criticism in the aftermath of what was the poorest performance by any team around the NFL in Week 1, with no close second in sight.

CHOICE WORDS FOR McDANIEL

One of the first national comments attacking McDaniel after the 33-8 loss against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium came from NBC Football Night In America analyst Jason Garrett.

The former Dallas Cowboys head coach, it should be pointed out, ended up his playing career as a member of the Dolphins in 2004 and then spent two years as an assistant coach on Nick Saban's staff.

This is what he had to say before the classic Baltimore-Buffalo Sunday night game: “No part of their team had any confidence, had any swag to them, and I think (head coach Mike McDaniel) reflected that. In those moments as a head coach, you have to stand up and you have to be the beacon for them going forward. It just felt a little blah, and his interview afterwards felt like how they played today.”

Also on Sunday, Pete Prisco of CBS also took aim at McDaniel but also included GM Chris Grier in his criticism.

That criticism included a shot at the team's tradition of having a player wear an orange jersey and select the music at practice as a reward for a job well done the previous practice.

"They play cool music, the coach wears cool shoes, they have no discipline, and it shows," Prisco said. "They are a sloppy football team, and they play like it. And I think it starts with the head coach. It starts with the general manager. The roster isn't great. It's going to be a long season in Miami. And if the coach makes it, if Mike McDaniel makes it through the season, it will be a miracle. In my eyes.

"I think he's in the hot water right now, and you can have big changes on that roster. It's a terrible showing to open the season. You got guys feuding with each other. It's just not a good situation. So changes coming in Miami."

The last example, though not the only other one, came courtesy of former New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan.

It's this one that felt a little too personal and out of bounds.

"Maybe he's on a different level, McGenius guy, whatever the hell he is, nerd boy, but anyway, their team has no respect for the coach," Ryan said on ESPN's 'Get Up.' "They play like that. They're like, come on, man, get us a dang guy in here. Where's the physicality of this team? What did you say? They're soft? With you on that, and every part of their football team. They have tons of talent on this team ... They don't play with any passion or any smoke."

WHAT TO MAKE OF ALL THIS

To be clear, it's pretty unusual to see these kinds of verbal shots after the first game of the season, but it's no doubt a reflection of the team's struggles of 2024.

But this is where someone could point out that the struggles of 2024 had more to do with Tua Tagovailoa missing six starts than anything else, and the question then becomes how to share the blame between McDaniel not doing a better job of getting the offense to function with the backup quarterbacks and Grier for not procuring a better backup in the first place.

Of course, it didn't help a lot of the same issues that plagued the Dolphins in 2024 — with and without Tua — surfaced again in the Indy game on Sunday.

Fair or not, McDaniel was viewed in many circles as being on the hot seat heading into the 2025 season, and the team's spectacularly poor performance on opening day didn't cool it one bit.

On the contrary.

Wherever you find odds for the first coach to be fired, chances are you'll see McDaniel's name at or near the top.

For his part, McDaniel took responsibility for the team's poor showing Sunday.

“There was a lot of preparation for Week 1, and I don't think it looked it," McDaniel said after the game. "What does that mean? That means that guys let Week 1 and the bells and whistles of the season starting to get the best of them. My job is to prevent that. I did my best — not good enough.”

McDaniel also said after the game he understands the realities of his job.

“Yeah, like I said before, I don't see this job void of pressure," he said. "I don't see entitlement in this job. I think the most important thing that I worry about is doing my job. So, I think that's what the team will get from me for sure.”

Whether that will be good enough to get the Dolphins back on the right track and on the path to a successful season remains to be seen.

And rest assured there'll be more criticism coming McDaniel's way if the Dolphins wind up losing against the New England Patriots at home Sunday.