MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel is ready for new opportunities with his team in 2025, aiming to finally end Miami’s playoff win drought.
After his team missed the postseason in 2024 for the first time since he replaced Brian Flores, McDaniel, 42, is hoping the current locker room brings a renewed sense of determination and commitment to winning football games consistently.
In a recent interview with Jeff Howe of The Athletic, McDaniel stated that five players on last season’s roster incurred half of the team’s internal fines for distractions such as being late.
The story did not name those five players.
Former Dolphins cornerback Jalen Ramsey, who was traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers in late June, shared his overall thoughts on the trade during an appearance on The Pivot Podcast, while also throwing some shade at his former coach.
“I do appreciate the Dolphins and them working with me,” Ramsey said. “Not just, ‘Hey, this team called, and, you know, we’re going to send you here…’ Let’s go to a team that’s going to be able to compete. Let’s go to a team where there’s a lot of respect for the head coach.”
McDaniel leaned on his veteran pieces in 2024, including tight end Jonnu Smith, defensive tackle Calais Campbell, and left tackle Terron Armstead.
All three, however, are no longer with the organization – with Armstead announcing his retirement during the spring.
According to The Athletic, “McDaniel also stopped forcing players to run during practice for pre-snap penalties. The purpose was twofold: First, he didn’t want any unnecessary soft-tissue injuries. And second, he wants them to practice at full speed, which won’t always happen if they’re jumping into the play from a gasser.”
It’s no secret that the Dolphins didn’t face many hardships last season – losing quarterback Tua Tagovailoa in Week 2 and starting 2-6, but it was McDaniel who openly admitted to The Athletic that finishing the season 6-2 shouldn’t go unnoticed.
“One of the most difficult things out of all is flipping 2-6 to 6-2,” McDaniel said.
“No one is talking about a 6-2 turnaround because no one talks about teams that don’t make the playoffs or win playoff games. That has been real for our team, and I think they manifest what they want to take control over every day. I’ve seen very diligent work from everyone, but it’s more than that. You say over and over and over, teams are what matter. Teams are how you’re successful in this league,” McDaniel continued.
The Dolphins will begin the 2025 regular season on Sept. 7 against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium.
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