Since 2000, the last season the Miami Dolphins won a playoff game, the franchise has reached the postseason five times but never advanced past the Wild Card round. That two-decade pattern of frustration has left fans weary, and after yet another disappointing start to the 2025 campaign, the scrutiny has only intensified. Head coach Mike McDaniel, who also came under pressure after last season’s disappointments, was forced to concede he had not prepared his team well, calling the loss an “embarrassing” one. And for Dolphins fans? The sense of collapse has become all too familiar. Still, the latest disappointment has generated anger against a front office that they believe has disappointed them for far too long.

One of the fans, Kyle Sullivan, had had enough. He started a campaign on GoFundMe to hoist a banner at Hard Rock Stadium during this Sunday’s home opener against the New England Patriots. The message was brief but forceful: “FIRE GRIER FIRE MCDANIEL.” As of publication time, one day after going live, the fundraiser had brought in over $1,225 in commitments. It’s a testament to how upset the fan community is over the issue.

For Sullivan, the banner is more than a stunt; it’s a statement. He wrote his brother, who is expecting his first child this year, highlighting the generational frustration of supporting a team that has not won a playoff game in over two decades. He continued that his brother had wondered whether it would be right to raise his son a Dolphins fan, based on the decades of disappointment that have defined the franchise’s path. Sullivan highlighted the frustration with a front office that has avoided accountability for years.

That’s why the demands for firings have been growing louder. General manager Chris Grier has come under intense criticism for years for not constructing an enduring, stalwart offensive line that protects quarterbacks from risks. McDaniel, once celebrated as an offense savant, is now considered incapable of instilling toughness or discipline in his players. The banner campaign, though dramatic, is the attitude that the company is out of time to demonstrate that it has what it takes to compete.

The Dolphins’ loss against Indianapolis only made things worse. For a team that invested heavily in offense and made Tua Tagovailoa its franchise quarterback, the lack of production was stunning. Miami had fewer than 250 yards of total offense. In fact, their 211 yards of offense were their fewest since McDaniel was hired in 2022. And even Tagovailoa himself threw for a modest 114 yards with one score and two interceptions. For a player who was once complimented on his precision, Tagovailoa’s performance raised real concerns in people’s minds about his future.

In addition, the defense did not resist very hard, and Miami was outgunned from the first whistle. The Colts, still attempting to sort out their quarterback between Anthony Richardson and Daniel Jones, had little trouble picking apart the Dolphins’ strategy. The Colts were dominant across all aspects of the game, taking an early 30-0 lead before the Dolphins could even get points onto the scoreboard. Miami went on to lose 8-33.

Mike McDaniel takes the blame

While fans have chosen to protest symbolically, Mike McDaniel himself did not hesitate to claim responsibility for his part in the Week 1 failure. During his post-game speech to the media, the head coach acknowledged responsibility for not keeping his team grounded and focused. “I think there was a lot of preparation for Week 1, and I don’t think it looked like it,” McDaniel responded, as per ESPN. “What does that mean? That means that guys let Week 1 and the bells and whistles of the season starting get the best of them. My job is to prevent that. I did my best—not good enough.” 

He even accepted the failure by saying, “The positive is that it was a miserable experience. It was embarrassing. Flat out.” We all know the Dolphins were already called out in the offseason as soft, and Sunday’s outing cemented that image. The former NFL coach Rex Ryan taunted McDaniel on ESPN’s Get Up. He called Miami “soft” and addressed McDaniel as “nerd boy.” He even said, “Their team has no respect for their coach. They play like that.” Such comments only indicate that the Dolphins lack leadership and respect in their own locker room.

With a season-defining divisional game against the Patriots up next, the pressure is increasing. If Miami is going to lay flat again, then McDaniel won’t be around much longer. With an already wallet-open fan base ready for visible protest, there is no patience left. The Dolphins’ season and possibly even their leadership hierarchy are on the line after week one.