Mike McDaniel suddenly sounds unsure about the Miami Dolphins’ long-term direction, and Tua Tagovailoa isn’t hiding his frustration anymore. The season’s struggles have piled up, and McDaniel’s confidence isn’t the same. Together, they paint a picture of a team drifting away from its promise, and the tension feels impossible to ignore.

“I’ve mentioned to the team in the New Orleans Saints. I think the one thing that I do know is that you can do the math, and you do it off the losses,” Mike McDaniel said, according to journalist Omar Kelly. “With this much season to go, you could do a little research. The report of the seatings six weeks before the season’s over is vastly different.”

McDaniel has made it clear that it is not about the long-term future anymore. For now, he is aiming for the upcoming game against the New Orleans Saints, treating it as a must-win. The Miami Dolphins, 4-7, host the 2-9 Saints this Sunday, and McDaniel knows time is running out. With six games left, the Dolphins need near-perfection just to stay “in the hunt.” 

“The most important thing is that we play our style of football, continue to progress,” McDaniel further stated in the conference. “We’re gonna absolutely want our ball ready, and none of it matters. All of it doesn’t matter beyond the New Orleans Saints game here on Sunday. So that’s what I focus on. I think the veterans in the locker room can do the math for the young guys.” 

The Saints clash offers a glimmer of hope. New Orleans has struggled all season. That being said, the playoff hopes remain very thin for the Dolphins as well. The NFL gives them a 2% probability of making it to the playoffs if they win. The Dolphins are on a two-game win streak, but the season has been rocky. 

McDaniel knows a slip could end playoff hopes altogether, and his focus remains on the next fixture rather than the long haul. The next game is less about the long view and more about proving the Dolphins can still fight for relevance. With pressure rising inside the building and frustration mounting outside it, this week carries the weight of a turning point, with Tua Tagovailoa having been forced to confront a rough season.

Tua Tagovailoa reflects on a rough season

The 2025 season has tested Tagovailoa in ways few expected. He entered the year hoping to build on recent success. Instead, inconsistency and turnovers defined his campaign.

“When things aren’t going the way you’ve expected them to, when you have goals for yourself that help try to accomplish the goals for the team, and they’re not aligning. So there are a lot of things I can learn from there that I’ve been able to look back at,” Tagovailoa said. “Just glad we get to get back at it and, hopefully, we can continue our win streak and sort of the mantra that we’ve had these past couple weeks.”

Tua’s heavy words were not just for the team but for himself as well. His recent form has been on the rise, but for a while, he struggled to hit his stride. Through mid‑season, he has already been sacked 21 times and thrown 13 interceptions. He has admitted publicly that he is struggling to reach the standard he set for himself in past years. Under pressure, the Dolphins’ offense has repeatedly faltered.

The Dolphins now turn their attention to the New Orleans Saints, a team sitting at the bottom of their division. With Miami climbing to a 4‑win mark and heading into a home matchup, Tua Tagovailoa and Mike McDaniel will be keen to capitalize, aiming to extend the win streak and reinforce momentum in front of their fans.