Ben Johnson’s Strong Advice for Miami Dolphins After Mike McDaniel Predicted to Be Fired

The Miami Dolphins played their starters against the Bears on Sunday. And Mike McDaniel isn’t ruling out doing it again. Preseason reps matter to him, even if it’s just one series. “I don’t undervalue the process of getting ready for a game,” he said after the 24-24 tie, stressing how crucial those live snaps are for his squad. But while McDaniel tinkers with his lineup, nursing minor injuries to key guys like Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, something bigger looms in the background.

Because, for all his meticulous planning, the ‘mad scientist’ approach that even rivals like Bears‘ Ben Johnson openly admire, McDaniel’s seat might be warming up faster than anyone expected. The Bears may have just tied the Dolphins in Sunday’s preseason opener. But Chicago’s new HC, Ben Johnson, walked away with more than just game tape. He dropped a not-so-subtle message for Miami’s front office about Mike McDaniel. “So I’ve got, I mean, I’ve always respected him from afar,” Johnson said post-game. “When he was in San Francisco to now in Miami, some of the stuff, in particular, the run game is, it’s next level. There’s no one else that does it quite like he does.”

The respect runs deep. Johnson, himself an offensive guru, called McDaniel a “mad scientist” for how he schemes open running lanes. “He finds a way to find space…can gas teams that way.” But here’s where it gets interesting: Johnson didn’t just compliment McDaniel’s playbook. He spotlighted the real reason Miami’s offense hums when healthy. “Shoot, when two have been healthy, they’ve been rolling and they’ve been a playoff team really for all three years.”

Translation? McDaniel’s system works when his guys are on the field. And Johnson knows it better than anyone. This isn’t just coachspeak. Look at what McDaniel did with Tua Tagovailoa, turning a QB once labeled fragile into a Pro Bowler with the NFL’s best completion percentage.

Yet despite the proof, the playoff runs, the scheming genius, even rivals’ envy, rumors still swirl about McDaniel’s job security. Johnson’s words feel less like praise and more like a warning: “I know they’ve got a good one there.” The Dolphins might not realize what they have. But the guy who just faced them? He sees it clear as day.

Mike McDaniel walks the tightrope

Even as Ben Johnson praises Mike McDaniel’s “mad scientist” offense, a storm brews in Miami. The whispers about McDaniel’s job security aren’t just offseason noise anymore; they’re turning into shouts. Back in June, Bleacher Report’s Ray G Que sounded ominous: “The instability of the quarterback position, and some other drama with the Miami Dolphins… has Mike McDaniel’s future very much up in the air.” Fast-forward to August, and those warning signs haven’t faded.

The Dolphins’ problems run deeper than preseason reps. Jalen Ramsey and Jonnu Smith are gone. Tyreek Hill keeps flirting with trade rumors. Meanwhile, Tua Tagovailoa, despite his growth under McDaniel, still faces questions about whether he’s the guy to carry this team past playoff disappointments. The pressure isn’t just about wins; it’s about proving this whole experiment wasn’t built on shaky ground.

McDaniel’s offense dazzles when healthy, but Miami’s front office seems restless. Ownership gave him Tua, Hill, and a stacked roster. Now, with key pieces possibly walking and no deep playoff runs to show for it, patience is thinning. As Johnson put it, “They’ve been a playoff team… when healthy.” But “when healthy” is doing a lot of heavy lifting here.

The truth? McDaniel’s seat isn’t just warm, it’s simmering. Another early playoff exit, or worse, a step back in 2025, and the Dolphins might decide his genius isn’t worth the chaos. Because in the NFL, even mad scientists get fired if the formula stops short.