The Miami Dolphins find themselves in a precarious position after their Thanksgiving Day loss to the Green Bay Packers, which dropped their record to 5-7. According to Sportskeeda’s playoff predictor, Miami’s postseason hopes have dwindled to a mere 15.33%.
The buzz around the league coming out of Week 13 is the Dolphins’ ongoing struggle in cold weather conditions; they’ve dropped their last 12 games played in 40-degree temperatures or lower. This stat even caught the attention of ESPN’s Stephen A.
Smith on “First Take” and sparked commentary from former NFL All-Pro Reggie Bush, who called for the firing of the coach with a less-than-flattering tweet about his performance.
Under the guidance of head coach Mike McDaniel, who has been at the helm for two seasons, the Dolphins boast a 25-21 regular season record. Despite their aggressive approach to building a strong roster and putting entertaining football on the field, they’ve yet to see postseason success.
With a core lineup featuring talents like Tua Tagovailoa, Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, De’Von Achane, and Raheem Mostert, the team consistently delivers electrifying performances. But the lingering absence of playoff victories during the winter months is keeping the temperature turned up under McDaniel, now 41, who is seen as an offensive strategist in the league.
There’s currently no chatter about McDaniel being on the hot seat. However, if the Dolphins decide to make a change, it’s likely McDaniel will not be out of work for long.
Teams in need of a new head coach are already lining up, with the Chicago Bears, New Orleans Saints, and New York Jets having recently dismissed their respective head coaches, Matt Eberflus, Dennis Allen, and Robert Saleh. Add to that the uncertainty surrounding the New York Giants and head coach Brian Daboll as we look toward the offseason, and it’s not far-fetched to expect a coaching carousel that could see five to seven teams searching for new leadership by 2025.
The Dolphins now face the tough task of overcoming their cold weather woes and potentially redefining their playoff narrative, all while navigating the ongoing speculation surrounding their coaching future.