Mike McDaniel’s body language on Sunday afternoon said it all.
After a 27–24 loss to the Panthers at Bank of America Stadium, the Dolphins’ coach walked to the postgame podium. He leaned on the lectern and talked about thinking his team was prepared, only to see it lose a 17–0 lead to a previously one-win Carolina team. He spoke with a look of bewilderment and resignation.
Bewilderment at how this team fell so hard, so fast. Resignation about where Miami goes from here.
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At 1–4, the season isn’t technically over for the Dolphins, but it sure feels like it. After being blown out 33–8 in the season opener by the Colts, Miami allowed another 33 points in a home loss to the Patriots in its home opener. After splitting with the Bills and Jets over the next two games, Miami took a three-score lead over the moribund Panthers and then gave it away. Over their last seven drives, the Dolphins managed 42 yards on 23 plays, save for a 46-yard touchdown pass to Jaylen Waddle.
Meanwhile, the 17-point comeback is tied for the biggest in Carolina’s franchise history. In the Bryce Young era, the Panthers had never overcome more than a touchdown deficit.
For owner Stephen Ross, the time is rapidly approaching to move on from McDaniel and general manager Chris Grier—and eventually to unload Tua Tagovailoa, who made his frustration clear after Sunday’s loss in his postgame press conference.
“We’ve got to figure this out—and we’ve got to figure this out now. This feeling sucks,” the quarterback said.
While Tagovailoa isn’t the main problem for a defense ranking 30th in yards per play and 26th in yards per game, he’s not making enough of a difference to justify his four-year, $212 million deal. In five games, Tagovailoa has thrown for just 1,008 yards despite the Dolphins trailing for the majority of their action.
In his six seasons with Miami, Tagovailoa has twice thrown 25-plus touchdown passes. He led the league with 4,624 yards in 2023, his lone Pro Bowl campaign. However, Tagovailoa has dealt with three concussions in the NFL, a factor contributing to his playing at least 14 games in a season only once. He’s also failing to throw downfield as he once did. In 2022, Tagovailoa was second in intended air yards per pass attempt at 9.5. In 2023, he dropped to 16th (7.7) before finishing 36th of 36 qualifiers at 5.7 IAY/PA in 2024.
It’s also well-documented how Tagovailoa and the Dolphins have played against top-tier competition. In 2023 and 2024, Tagovailoa started 12 games against eventual playoff teams (including postseason games). In those matchups, Miami was 2–10 while Tagovailoa completed 68.4% of his attempts, but for a paltry 6.6 yards per attempt with 15 touchdowns and 14 interceptions.
Tagovailoa is signed through 2028, with cap hits of $56.4 million, $53.4 million and $65.8 million, respectively, in the next three years. However, a team acquiring him via trade would only inherit his base salaries at $39 million, $31 million and $41.4 million, with no guaranteed money tied to the deal. Releasing Tagovailoa next offseason is impossible, as the Dolphins would eat $99.2 million in dead money. However, doing so after the 2026 campaign is much easier, with a post–June 1 release saving Miami $40 million in cap space.
The Dolphins could also trade Tagovailoa as soon as the upcoming offseason. However, it might be more prudent to keep him, draft a replacement in what’s expected to be a good quarterback draft, and then move on from Tagovailoa a year later while acquiring draft capital.
In the meantime, Grier should start unloading a combination of older players and big-money mistakes to jumpstart the reset.
The Dolphins should be trying to move edge rusher Bradley Chubb. After missing all of last season with a torn ACL, Chubb has four sacks across the first five games and is signed through 2027. Only 29 years old, he’s a worthwhile gamble for a team needing pass-rush help at base salaries of $1.2 million, $19.4 million and $18.8 million, including this year. As always with the acquiring team, those numbers are nonguaranteed.
Finally, defensive tackle Zach Sieler is another movable piece. Sieler, 30, was signed to a three-year, $67.75 million extension in August. While Sieler is an excellent inside presence who notched 20 sacks over the past two years, his age doesn’t make him a timeline fit for the Dolphins. Once again, Miami should be thinking about hoarding picks and cap space while getting significantly younger.
Ultimately, this calamity falls on Grier, who has been the Dolphins’ GM since 2016. Only Duke Tobin (Bengals: 1999), Mickey Loomis (Saints: 2002), Howie Roseman (Eagles: 2010), John Schneider (Seahawks: 2010) and Les Snead (Rams: 2012) have been in their chairs longer. All have reached Super Bowls, and all have at least one championship, save for Tobin.
McDaniel is in his fourth season and has a 29–28 regular-season record, with two playoff losses. However, the Dolphins are regressing after winning 11 games in 2023 and eight games last year. His team had the dreaded players-only meeting after just one game this season.
Ross isn’t likely to make sweeping changes yet, but he has to be thinking about them. For starters, Grier’s replacement. There are many qualified candidates, including first-timers such as Kansas City’s Mike Bradway, Detroit’s Ray Agnew and Cleveland’s Glenn Cook, among others. If Ross wants to go with an experienced hand, former Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff would be a terrific choice, having guided Atlanta to the Super Bowl in 2016.
As for a new coach, there are veterans such as Mike McCarthy, Doug Pederson and Jon Gruden, all of whom have won Super Bowls. If Ross seeks new blood, Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley, and Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady are among a few names expected to be top choices in 2026. Ross is willing to aim high and pay for a top candidate, given the botched pursuit of Sean Payton (and Tom Brady) in 2022.
The season promises 12 more games for the Dolphins, which sounds more like a threat than an opportunity. McDaniel and Grier may not see all of them.
On Sunday afternoon, McDaniel’s face said everything.
It’s over in Miami.
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