Mike McDaniel reacts to Dolphins fans booing after lackluster loss to the Titans.
As the Miami Dolphins prepare for Week 5 with Tyler Huntley under center, they are trying to turn their season around after a rough start. The Dolphins are coming off a brutal loss to the Tennessee Titans last Monday night where at Hard Rock Stadium, fans were vividly displeased with their performance, a topic that head coach Mike McDaniel spoke about to the media Tuesday.
There is no doubt that Miami is going through major adversity, especially as they look to keep the ship afloat without star quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. When asked to give the fans a message about the performance of the team and his reaction to the boos, he was not shocked by the reaction per the team’s transcripts and video from Adam Beasley.
“I guess it didn’t hit me with surprise,” McDaniel said. “I think people invest and have to go and believe in a team that has bottom-line, the droughts that this organization has incurred, I don’t take that lightly. So I would be dishonest if I told you that I didn’t expect that. The worst part about all of that is you have people that I can relate where weeks are ruined with losses and the worst part about it is you don’t have any control. So that’s not a fun place to be in. I know sporting events where I’m rooting for a team and I’m not coaching in it, I get much more angry when there’s failure than when I’m coaching and I can actually problem solve something. It’s to be expected. This is the big leagues.”
Tagovailoa’s concussion in Week 2 really put a damper on the season as it’s led to major inefficiency of the offense led by quarterbacks Skylar Thompson and eventually Huntley who got his first start Monday.
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They expect Tagovailoa to be ready by Week 8 against the Arizona Cardinals in the hope he can be a part of turning the season around.
The Dolphins coach would even receive advice from Erik Spoelstra, the head coach for the Miami Heat as he’s one who has experienced hurdles and overcame them resulting in major success. McDaniel would continue about the fan reaction saying that the team has not given them a reason to cheer so he understands the boos.
“To feel entitled to blind support; that’s not my cup to tea,” McDaniel said. “I think you have to go to work, problem solve and try to fix things as best you can and I don’t think we’re necessarily owed anything I think people believe when you give them reason to believe and if people jump off the bandwagon – I’m not really villainizing the people who are jumping off the bandwagon; it’s more we gave them reason to. So that’s to be expected. I don’t think people pay what they pay to go to Hard Rock Stadium to watch us lose, so whatever results incurred by our game day failure, we deserve.”
Before Tagovailoa can come back, the Dolphins at 1-3 will look to not experience any more hardship as they travel on the road to take on the New England Patriots Sunday in a AFC East Showdown.