The Miami Dolphins limp into Week 7 with a 1-5 record, mirroring the struggles of their Sunday opponent, the Cleveland Browns. To make things worse, Dolphins star wide receiver Tyreek Hill is out for the season after sustaining a knee injury against the New York Jets. Before going down, Hill totaled 21 receptions for 265 yards and a touchdown on 29 targets. But his absence has been frustrating for the fans and himself.

Hill being off-field is a major blow to Miami’s already struggling offense, which was witnessed in Sunday’s game against the Browns. His disappointment with not being able to perform for his team has been frustrating. To this, he expressed his disappointment through social media when he wrote, “Watching your team play through a TV is hard.”

His message was also directed towards the Dolphins’ head coach, Mike McDaniel, who is facing firing speculations if the team doesn’t perform well. The struggles continue into the halftime against the Browns, with the Dolphins trailing 17-6.

Hill’s dedication and loyalty towards his team were displayed when he posted in support of his team, “let’s go fins let’s turn this thing around in the second half,” on X. As the Dolphins’ eyes to avoiding a 1-6 start, the decision-makers appear to have already been planning for the next season.

As CBS Sports reporter Jonathan Jones writes, “League sources expect the Dolphins to release Hill before the start of the next league year in March 2026.” Following the 2025 season, Miami is also expected to undergo with head coach Mike McDaniel squarely on the hot seat, along with a shakeup involving Hill himself.

Clock ticking on McDaniel?

After a successful run with the San Francisco 49ers, Mike McDaniel was called in to deliver for the Miami Dolphins. He was hired to maximize Tua Tagovailoa‘s strength, win the AFC East division, and push for a potential Super Bowl contender and end their “Lombardi” drought that has been for over 50 years now.

In his first two years, the Dolphins did reach the playoffs but never advanced past the first round. Now with the Dolphins’ lone bright spot coming against the already paralyzed New York Jets, frustartion has been growing among fans. Miami is underway to taking its 1-5 record to 1-6 after already trailing in the first half. Even the front desk seems frustrated with McDaniel.

According to NFL analyst Tony Pauline, “Dolphins’ Ownership is reportedly losing patience with HC Mike McDaniel and the end of his tenure in Miami could be soon.” Other analysts also weighed in. “He was really frustrated, just like I was,” McDaniel said earlier after the Chargers matchup, via ESPN’s Marcel Louis-Jacques. “We talked about the challenge ahead to get ready for the Chargers, and that was really the extent of it.” But this frustartion was not a result of just a couple of setbacks.

Before the loss to the Buffalo Bills, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that owner Stephen Ross would only consider firing Mike McDaniel if fans stopped showing up or he lost the locker room. The Dolphins really seemed to keep their head coaches locked in, as they haven’t fired any since Joe Philbin in 2015 midseason after a 1-3 start.

This led to McDaniel shielding Tua with the best of his ability after his controversial comments that pointed out the leadership and players arriving late to team meetings. But this cannot help McDaniel keep accountability away from himself. The clock is ticking for him, and it would not be surprising if the ownership waives McDaniel.