The Miami Dolphins are in the midst of a three-game winning streak and have now won four out of their last five games. And yet, analysts like Fox Sports’ Colin Cowherd remain critical of head coach Mike McDaniel.
While doing his weekly recap and delivering praise on new Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson, Cowherd chose McDaniel as the guy to illustrate the opposite of what a coach should be doing. Regarding Johnson, Cowherd said “When you get the right head coach, it doesn’t take that long… A common thread with the really good coaches, they’re hard on their players, no pandering.” He then chose to refer to Miami’s Mike McDaniel saying “The friendly guy out in Miami, I think he seems like a great guy. I don’t need hugs and pandering and kisses.”
Mike McDaniel’s Tenure in Miami
In 2022, the Dolphins made the controversial decision of moving on from head coach Brian Flores, even after finishing with their second consecutive winning season. They then made another surprising move, hiring San Francisco 49ers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel as their new head coach, despite being the only team to interview him for a head coaching role.
McDaniel has been described as quirky or odd by some of his former players, which is a reason why traditional football guys like Colin Cowherd are opposed to a coach with his style. And yet, during his first few seasons in Miami, McDaniel had success. He led the Miami Dolphins to two consecutive playoff appearances, all while revolutionizing their offense.
For the first two years, his critics remained quiet. However, in 2024 the Dolphins had their first losing season since the 2019 campaign and critics arrived. After Miami started the 2025 season 1-6, many analysts assumed Mike McDaniel’s time was coming to an end. Since then, the Dolphins are 4-1, but the chatter around Miami’s head coach has not gone away.
There’s been no report indicating Mike McDaniel is in danger of being fired any time soon, but with general manager Chris Grier having been let go earlier in the year it’s safe to assume McDaniel isn’t a lock to remain with the organization.
Colin Cowherd’s Criticism
Cowherd’s comments on his show aren’t the first time he’s had harsh words for Miami’s head coach. Following the Dolphins’ loss against the Ravens on Thursday Night Football, Cowherd suggested bringing in former Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin.
He described the Dolphins’ situation as having no alpha and no culture. Regarding the Dolphins offense, he said “it’s empty calories”. Even before the Dolphins poor season, Cowherd had described McDaniel as “not a guy who holds people accountable.” He cited the Dolphins being top five in penalties as a reason for McDaniel not being the right guy for the job.
The FS1 analyst has clearly made his mind up on the Dolphins’ head coach. So much so that he said “There have been 14 different head coaches that have made the playoffs since he arrived in Miami. He’s not one of them.” That was factually incorrect, as McDaniel has made the playoffs twice as the Miami Dolphins head coach.
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