The 2025 season was a struggle for the Miami Dolphins. It ended with a tough 38–10 loss to the New England Patriots, leaving the team with a disappointing 7–10 record. During his final press conference of the year, head coach Mike McDaniel took all the blame for the team’s poor play. He said:

“I was hired here to not just be the head coach; I was hired here to return a storied franchise to winning regular season games, playoff games, and Super Bowls. And I haven’t done that.” He further elaborated, “To me, you know, the best that I think this season kind of embodied a little bit of how I see myself as in football, you have to respond; your job is to respond to a bad quarter, a bad play, a bad series of plays, a bad series of games and respond with authority to improve. And that’s where I’m at right now.”

The season started poorly with a 1-6 record, which put Mike McDaniel under intense pressure early on. While the team showed some life by winning five of their next six games, they were unable to maintain that energy and lost three of their final four matchups. This slump included a low point against the Pittsburgh Steelers, where quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was benched in favor of rookie Quinn Ewers.

This change signaled a major shift for the franchise, as McDaniel has since announced there will be an open competition for the starting quarterback job next year, and Tagovailoa has even expressed interest in a fresh start elsewhere.

Big changes are also happening behind the scenes in the front office. Earlier in the season, the Dolphins parted ways with long-time general manager Chris Grier after a lopsided loss to the Baltimore Ravens. Mike McDaniel is now set to help the team interview and select a new general manager. 

While McDaniel is expected to be back for the 2026 season, his long-term future will likely depend on how well he works with the new leadership and whether he can lead the team back to a winning record or not.

Tua Tagovailoa on making a fresh start

Tua Tagovailoa’s era in Miami is reaching its end. After the Dolphins benched him following a loss to the Steelers on December 15, his future with the team seemed uncertain. Now that the season has concluded, Tagovailoa has made it clear that he is open to a change.

When asked on Monday by Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald if he was hoping for a fresh start elsewhere, he candidly replied, 

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“That would be dope,” Tagovailoa said. “I would be good with it.”

Up until Monday, many believed the team would move on from Tagovailoa if the coach remained. There is also the possibility that the Dolphins decide to clear the slate and move on from both of them. This decision carries heavy financial weight, as Tagovailoa is owed $54 million in guaranteed money for 2026. 

To manage the massive $99.2 million cap hit that would come from cutting him, the team would likely use a “post-June 1” designation to spread that cost over two years.

The decision on the split comes after a rough 2025 season where Tua’s play went downhill. In the 14 games he played, he completed about 68% of his passes but only threw for 1,660 yards. While he had 20 touchdowns, he also threw 15 interceptions, the most of his career.

Because of these struggles, the Dolphins are already planning a competition for the starting job in 2026. This will likely include rookie Quinn Ewers, who took over for Tua at the end of the year.