It’s been a rough start to the season for the Miami Dolphins. This was a critical season for Dolphins HC Mike McDaniel and GM Chris Grier, entering the year on the hot seat after falling short of expectations last year.
Miami started the season with a blowout loss to the Colts and are 1-4 on the season, blowing a 17-point lead against the Panthers last week. WR Tyreek Hill, the team’s best player, is out for the year with a multi-ligament knee injury. Things have gone from bad to worse for the Dolphins.
On Thursday, rookie first-round pick DT Kenneth Grant spoke to the media about how the defense is responding to adversity. The Dolphins rank last in the NFL in run defense.
“What we’re focused on is just the run game,” Grant said. “You know, teams are running the ball against us and we have to fix that. So until we fix that nothing in the pass [game] really matters, and that’s what we gotta do, fix the run game first.”
When asked how they were going about fixing their run defense, Grant said something really interesting. “Right, well we take more time out of the day to meet. You know, player-led meetings,” Grant said. “Some of the player-led meetings the coaches are in now, so just finding extra meeting time and getting on the same page with our teammates and things like that.”
Players-only meetings aren’t uncommon for struggling NFL teams, but they aren’t players-only meetings if coaches are involved. Grant chose his words carefully, calling them “player-led” meetings, ones that the coaches are at least sitting in on. An interesting and unusual approach, for sure.
Miami Dolphins HC Mike McDaniel Clarifies Coaches’ Involvement in Player-Led Meetings
Carmen Mandato/GettyMIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA – SEPTEMBER 14: Head coach Mike McDaniel of the Miami Dolphins looks on during the first half against the New England Patriots in the game at Hard Rock Stadium on September 14, 2025 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
“That’s by player request, only,” McDaniel said emphatically. In his press conference on Friday, McDaniel was asked about Grant’s comments on coaches sitting in on player-led meetings.
“I can’t say with full certainty across the board in every room,” McDaniel said on how many meetings coaches were involved with. “I know it’s occurred on the [defensive] line a couple times, but I think they’re building upon what they kinda started last year, which is traditional later in the week. Not rally meetings, more opponent-study and communication meetings. And I think some of the guys requested that some of the coaches go to it for various reasons. I told them, ‘what else would you do better than Coach, coach?’ So that’s all it was.”
“I think you’re going down a good direction,” said McDaniel to a reporter who asked him if coaches were helping the players learn to prepare for opponents. “Yeah, follow your internet sleuth nature right there. I think you’re right on it.”
The Miami Dolphins Don’t Get a Schedule Break
The Dolphins have only beaten the Jets on the season — and the Jets are currently winless on the year. While the Colts and Bills might be the two best teams in the AFC, the Dolphins have also lost to the Panthers and Patriots.
And Miami’s schedule doesn’t get much easier from here. They play the Chargers on Sunday, followed by the Browns, Falcons, and Ravens before a rematch with the Bills. This staff needs to start winning to save their jobs, but it’s hard to find the wins on their schedule right now.
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