The Miami Dolphins fell to 1-4 in their crushing defeat to the Carolina Panthers on Sunday. After the game, Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel didn’t hold back on how both he and Dolphins owner Stephen Ross are quickly growing frustrated with the lack of results from the team.
The nature of Sunday’s loss was as devastating as the end result for McDaniel, blowing a 17-0 lead they held early in the second quarter en route to a 27-24 loss. Especially when you consider that prior to Sunday’s game, McDaniel had a 10-0 record in games where his team held a three-score lead at any point.
Instead of coming away with a win that could spark the first winning streak of the season for Miami and potentially get the team’s season back on track with a 2-3 record, the Dolphins are now continuing to look for answers. Stephen Ross may not be all that patient to let McDaniel figure things out on his own.
Speaking to the media on Monday, McDaniel explained how he had a conversation with Ross after the game, who was “really frustrated” with how the game went.
“He was really frustrated, just like I was,” McDaniel said, via Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. “We talked about the challenge ahead to get ready for the Chargers and that was really the extent of it.”
McDaniel may very well find himself in the hottest seat that he has had since becoming the Dolphins’ coach in 2022. Especially when you consider how Ross hasn’t been shy to part ways with struggling coaches in the past.
Notably, Ross made the decision to part ways with former head coach Joe Philbin after a 1-3 start in 2015. And in 2011, Tony Sparano saw his time as the head coach end after a 4-9 start.
This kind of track record from Ross, along with the poor play from the Dolphins on the field, certainly puts plenty of pressure on McDaniel to come away with what would be a statement win over the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 6.
While this task does seem daunting on paper, there is a silver lining in this matchup for Miami when you consider the recent stretch of play from the Chargers.
After starting the season 3-0 and looking like one of the most fierce contenders in the AFC, the Chargers have lost back-to-back games in Week 4 and Week 5. So maybe McDaniel can find a way to potentially save his job by coming away with a home victory over the Chargers in Week 6.
For more on the Miami Dolphins and all things NFL, head over to Newsweek Sports.
2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.