The Mike McDaniel Honeymoon Phase Is Nearing Its End
Syndication: Palm Beach Post
Whether it’s a Hall of Famer like Andy Reid or a new voice like Mike MacDonald, every NFL head coach is judged by how much success they bring their franchise. However, success is a relative term and no two situations are exactly the same. If the Dallas Cowboys finished the season with a 7-10 record and missed the playoffs, odds are Mike McCarthy would be fired by Black Monday. Now, if Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales finished the 2024 season with that same exact record, it would be viewed in a more positive light.
That being said, wins and losses are the single-most important stat in the NFL. It doesn’t matter if your team is led by a longtime head coach like Bill Belichick who was the embodiment of the old guard, or someone who was once viewed as one of the brightest young minds like Mike Vrabel. If progress stagnates and playoff success becomes a rarity, then coaches end up on the hot seat regardless of their past accomplishments.
Meanwhile, Mike McDaniel has been enjoying the honeymoon phase of his tenure as Miami Dolphins head coach. What do I mean by that? In short, it feels like McDaniel can do no wrong in the eyes of the public. When Mike calls a good game, everyone acts like he’s the best thing since sliced bread. However, when the Dolphins get their asses whooped by the Kansas City Chiefs in the Wild Card round, McDaniel gets coddled by the fanbase while Tua Tagovailoa gets blamed for everything. This won’t be the case for much longer, as the Mike McDaniel honeymoon phase is nearing its end.
Let me give you all some background on how this all works. Unless there’s a mutiny being staged in the locker room or David Tepper owns the team, recent hires don’t typically have to worry about their job security. Competent owners generally give their head coaches a two year grace period before they truly consider firing them, regardless of their win-loss record. In essence, it wouldn’t have mattered how successful or unsuccessful the Dolphins were in terms of wins and losses, because McDaniel would still have a job.
McDaniel’s nonchalant and charming personality has certainly played a part in keeping his public image and reputation squeaky clean, but Mike can only rely on his cult of personality for so long. The fanbase won’t have the same level of sympathy for McDaniel as they did these past two years if Miami loses a must-win game for the #1 seed against the Buffalo Bills late in the season. Should the Dolphins play down to their competition again like they did in the Monday Night Football loss against the Tennessee Titans, over time people will start to question Mike’s competency as head coach.
The point is, now that Mike McDaniel is entering his third year, the Phins faithful want to see results now. These past two years have been equal parts promising and disappointing. On one hand, Miami found themselves an elite offensive play caller with an infectious personality and the vibes have been near immaculate in the locker room. On the other hand, the Dolphins have continually come up short against quality opponents in meaningful games, and Mike McDaniel has yet to win one playoff game as head coach. It’s a classic case of a team being good but not great.
So what happens next? Mike McDaniel and all the other third year head coaches will soon be judged more on wins and losses, particularly in the postseason. That two year grace period will end, and fans will start expecting this team to show signs of progression. If Miami loses in the Wild Card round or fails to make the playoffs in a competitive as ever AFC East, then the futures of Mike McDaniel and Tua Tagovailoa in Miami will be hotly debated. However, if the Dolphins take that next step like everyone hopes, then McDaniel will further solidify himself as one of the league’s best coaches and he won’t have to worry about his job security anytime soon.
Regardless of what happens in the future, Mike McDaniel’s job security and reputation amongst the fan base will now be dictated by his own merit and what he actually accomplishes as the head coach of the Miami Dolphins.
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