After 6 years of desperation under HCs Adam Gase and Brian Flores, the Dolphins found one flaw. Remember, the Phins qualified for the playoffs only once between 2016 and 2021. The hard-talking, strict coaching philosophy didn’t work out well for them. In a move that stunned almost everyone, they turned towards Mike McDaniel in 2022. A smiling, easy-talking, Yale-educated coach who made good connections with his players. It also helped them overturn playoff concerns, qualifying for back-to-back postseasons in 2022 and 2023. But as we sit in the 2025 offseason, the concerns are rising again, particularly after they failed to qualify for the playoffs in 2024.

Talking about the coaching culture in the Dolphins, analyst Mike Florio had some sharp observations on June 14 episode of Pro Football Talk Show. While making a big prediction, the analyst noted, “We’ll see who the next coach is, if it gets to that, but that’s all the more reason that there’s pressure on the dolphins this year. Because I think if it doesn’t work this year, there’s a very good chance, they’re going to have a house cleaning come 2026, because this whole, we’re we’re changing, we’re changing. And then the end result is always the same. (It will force them) To say we have to find a different way here.” He highlighted two examples that might be hit hard.

First is their main man, QB Tua Tagovailoa, who struggled under the hard coaching style of Brian Flores. But he has progressed quite smoothly under McDaniel. In 2022, his third year in the league, the signal caller led the league with 8.9 yards per pass and a 105.5 passer rating. But the result? They couldn’t go past the wild card game in any of the playoffs he has played in.

The second is the head coach himself. Through locker room disappointments and at crucial junctures, Mike McDaniel has often protected the roster. After they failed to qualify for the postseason in 2024, WR Tyreek Hill wanted out. However, the coach had lengthy meetings, culminating in Hill’s decision to stay with the franchise. But will these acts pay when it matters? The management wants a trophy.

Florio also elaborated on these hard feelings and added, “The danger is going to be if Mike McDaniel doesn’t make it in Miami, they’re going to overcorrect with the next coach, and that’s going to reintroduce Tua to the days of hard coaching.” Riding on the success of his first two seasons, the coach has gotten one more year than his previous two predecessors. But in the big scheme of things, results can’t be erratic. Consistency matters.

The approach this year will be different. They can’t repeat the failures of last season.

Mike McDaniel’s cool exterior cracks

The jokes have slowed. The hoodie is still there, but the vibe has changed. Mike McDaniel, the coach known for sharing laughs with players, wants a change. Because in Miami, the mood is different now. The Dolphins are coming off an 8-9 season. They weren’t just disappointing; it was forgettable. It forced him to use scathing words against his players.

The main target (if we may label it so) was want-away star Jalen Ramsey. Asked about his absence at minicamp, McDaniel responded, “Personally, I don’t give a s— about what I feel. I don’t even really go down that road of how I feel about it. My job is to react and control my controllables and make sure that people are moving in one direction appropriately. Business is business.” But that wasn’t all.

“The football program has to focus on football,” he said during Wednesday’s minicamp on June 11, voice sharper than usual. “First and foremost, being on time, being accountable to each other, and staying to the rules.” A year ago, this kind of messaging would’ve felt off-brand. McDaniel built his rep as a player-friendly coach. But after a late-season collapse and an offense that was out of place for most parts, the tone needed a reset.

Even his quarterback seems to know it. Tua Tagovailoa, fresh off signing a $212.4 million extension, stood behind the shift. He’s seen what loose culture looks like from the inside. It starts with freedom and ends with confusion. But he wants accountability now. “Feeling very open as a team that, ‘Hey, it’s okay to call someone out when they deserve to be called out,’” Mike McDaniel added. “And for those people, it’s okay to be called out as long as you change your behavior, okay?” That might not sound revolutionary. But for Miami, it kind of is.

Under McDaniel, the Dolphins became known for positivity, rhythm, speed. Now the script is changing. There’s actual pressure here. After years of building around Tua, this version of the Phins isn’t a rebuilding project. They’ve tried vibes. Now, they’re trying standards. The genuine test comes in September. Because if this version doesn’t stick either? That hoodie just might find itself on a new sideline.