After a blowout defeat to Indianapolis in Week 1, followed by another loss at home, Miami Dolphins’ head coach Mike McDaniel will enter Orchard Park with his job on the line. While a defeat against a high-flying Bills is almost on the cards, the Dolphins’ owners may not rush into their decision and fire McDaniel.

Ari Meirov, a renowned NFL analyst, believes that the owners trust their head coach and his long-term vision. “The owner actually has had a lot of support for Mike McDaniel and Chris Greer. Like I said, McDaniel signed the contract extension last August,” Meirov explained. And while players are gutted by the poor start, they are not quitting on their HC just yet.

“No one expressed panic and no one said they’ve quit on their head coach,” Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network reported, saying that the move to fire Mike would “simply be too soon” before the Thursday Night Football. Yes, the Dolphins’ HC has the backing of his players, owner, and GM Chris Grier, who hired him, but the sentiment outside the locker room is not that kind.

During Sunday’s loss at Hard Rock Stadium, Dolphins fans voiced their frustration by flying an aircraft with a crowdsourced banner that read, “FIRE GRIER. FIRE McDANIEL” over the venue. So, is McDaniel still the best option for the Dolphins? Meirov believes the owners will not fire someone they extended on a long-term contract just 13 months back.

The timing of the HC’s extension tells everything you need to know about ownership’s confidence. “So we’re 13, you know, 13 months away from the owner saying, hey, we’re going to give you more money, tie your contract through 2028 because we believe in you,” Meirov pointed out.

Sure, the playoff win drought since 1999 remains a massive elephant in the room. The 0-2 start this season, with injuries piling up, adds pressure. But ownership isn’t making knee-jerk reactions after investing heavily in McDaniel’s long-term plan. Meirov’s take reveals the business reality: you don’t extend a coach through 2028, then fire him 13 months later unless something disastrous happens. McDaniel’s track record of playoff berths and offensive innovation provides too much evidence of progress.

Tua Tagovailoa is caught between safety and success

The Dolphins face Josh Allen’s Bills on Thursday Night Football, where a 0-3 start feels almost inevitable, followed by Monday Night Football against the Jets eleven days later. These nationally televised beatdowns (if any) will only amplify the heat on Mike McDaniel and Chris Grier.

The NFL analyst shed light on a deeper issue plaguing Miami’s offense: Tua Tagovailoa’s injury concerns are handcuffing the entire system. McDaniel acknowledged this creates a “yin and yang” situation where they want Tua to fully express his skills beyond quick 2.5-second decisions, but can’t risk another devastating injury. The quarterback’s injury history reads like a medical textbook—multiple concussions since 2019, a fractured pelvis, dislocated hip, broken nose, and countless sprains.

His most recent concussion in Week 2 of 2024 landed him on injured reserve after a dangerous hit during a scramble. That incident perfectly illustrates Miami’s impossible dilemma. Tua thrives when extending plays and using his mobility, but those same instincts put him in harm’s way. Against the Colts, Tagovailoa went 26-of-32 for 315 yards and two touchdowns, but procedural mistakes on the final drive led to his fourth turnover.

Despite solid numbers, the offense looks constrained when Tua can’t fully utilize his natural playmaking ability. The next two weeks will determine whether McDaniel’s system can function with a quarterback playing in a safety bubble. If Tua continues looking hesitant and the Dolphins keep losing, those contract extensions won’t matter much to frustrated fans watching their team crumble on national television.