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There may have been warning signs, but few could have predicted the Miami Dolphins would be headed into Week 12 with just a 4-7 record. If you’d ask the Dolphins, most would say they fully expected Miami to be competing for a playoff spot after winning eight games a season ago.
Nevertheless, Mike McDaniel is headed toward his second consecutive year of missing the playoffs after starting his Dolphins tenure with back-to-back postseason appearances. Only, unlike last season, 2025 has been an all-out disaster.
Some are surprised that coach McDaniel is still employed by the Dolphins, especially after Miami let general manager Chris Grier go earlier in the season. Though, just because the Dolphins haven’t fired McDaniel, it doesn’t mean his job is safe for next season.
However, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, the futures of McDaniel and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa are “tied together,” and it’s hard to see how the player with a $90 million cap hit won’t return to Miami next season.
Rapoport added that Dolphins owner Stephen Ross wants to hold onto McDaniel heading into 2026. Add that to Tagovailoa’s contract being untradeable, and it looks like the Dolphins could be primed to run this thing back again next season.
From @NFLGameDay Kickoff: A look at the futures of #Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel and QB Tua Tagovailoa. pic.twitter.com/fJytNuceJO
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) November 16, 2025
How the fanbase responds to that plan remains to be seen, but it’s not like they have a say in the matter.
Related: NFL Power Rankings 2025: Week-by-Week NFL Evaluations of All 32 Teams
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