There was a time when it looked like Mike McDaniel was turning the Miami Dolphins into the best offensive team in the NFL.
Turning in some incredible performances with otherworldly point differentials, with the Dolphins scoring more points in one game against the Denver Broncos back in 2023 than some teams score in an entire month, Miami looked like the next great NFL dynasty, but since then, the cracks have begun to show. McDaniel’s squad has been increasingly exposed in each subsequent season, and things took a major turn in 2024 when injuries effectively doomed the team before the trade deadline.
Discussing what the Dolphins need to do in order to get back on track on ESPN’s Inside the NFL, Booger McFarland put the blame on the head coach, as it all starts at the top.
“I remember when this offense first started. It was pace and space, and it was it was the ball getting out of Tua’s hands really quick. It was Mike McDaniel. It was his zone running blocking scheme, and it was Waddle. It was Tyreek Hill,” McFarland said.
“This offense is not the same, and we can blame Tua and his availability or lack thereof. We can blame the offensive line, but I’m going to start at the top with Mike McDaniel because we gave him a lot of the credit when this offense hit the scene. Boy genius; he came out and he was new and he was innovative. Well, now the league is starting to catch up to you, Coach McDaniel. What exactly are you going to do? Because this offense hasn’t been the same.”
Fortunately, McFarland didn’t just point out the problems but presented a few solutions too, suggesting ways to put Miami ahead of the game instead of playing catch-up with the teams who have already figured them out.
“I think they got to become more physical. They need a bigger back in the backfield. Nothing against Achane, but I need some horsepower coming out of the backfield,” McFarland noted. “And then when all is said and done, can Tua Tagovailoa stay healthy, and can they get the football to Waddle and to Tyreek Hill and to the weapons on the offense? But make no mistake. It’s not just Tua. Mike McDaniel has to become more innovative as a play-caller and as a head coach.”
Is McFarland on the money? Does McDaniel need to get his team back on track? Or did the team’s injuries prevent them from even showcasing their best stuff in 2024, leaving Miami at 2-6 by the first week of November? The Dolphins finished off 2024 with the 22nd-ranked offense in the NFL, and their point differential of -19 is a major downgrade from their +105 the year prior.
While Dolphins fans do have some hope, as their playoff chances came down to the wire, if McDaniel can’t find some new wrinkles, his explosive offense will go the way of Chip Kelly and other exciting schemes that fizzled out after being exposed.
.@ESPNBooger explains why the issues with the Dolphins’ offense might start with Mike McDaniel
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— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) June 11, 2025
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