Mike McDaniel Safe for Now Despite Dolphins’ 1-5 Start; Reggie Bush Rips “Same Old Offense”
MIAMI, FL —Despite a disastrous 1-5 start to the 2025 NFL season, Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel will not be fired at this time, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The news comes as pressure continues to mount on the third-year head coach, whose once high-flying offense has seemingly crashed to Earth, fueling frustration from fans, media, and now former players.
“Mike McDaniel is safe — for now,” Schefter reported early Monday. “The Dolphins’ front office still believes in his long-term vision, even amid this rough start.”
Miami’s underwhelming start has been one of the season’s biggest surprises. After entering 2025 with Super Bowl aspirations and one of the league’s most explosive offensive rosters, the Dolphins have struggled to find consistency on both sides of the ball. Tua Tagovailoa has thrown more interceptions (9) than touchdowns (7), Tyreek Hill has been largely neutralized, and Miami’s vaunted motion-heavy offense has stalled.
The frustrations boiled over Sunday in a 27-10 home loss to the Jets — a game in which Miami managed just 232 total yards and failed to score a touchdown until late in the fourth quarter.
Reggie Bush, a former Dolphins running back and now a Fox Sports analyst, didn’t hold back in his criticism following the loss.
> “This is the same old offense,” Bush said on Sunday night’s broadcast. “Defenses have figured it out, and there’s no Plan B. It’s like watching a rerun every week — same motions, same plays, same results. McDaniel has no answers.”
Bush’s comments echoed a growing sentiment among fans who once praised McDaniel as an offensive innovator. His 2022 arrival from San Francisco was heralded as a new era for Miami, and after an 11-6 finish last season, expectations were sky-high. But now, McDaniel’s genius is being questioned, and his quirky personality — once charming — is starting to wear thin in the face of losing.
Despite the criticism, Dolphins brass reportedly remains committed to McDaniel for the near term. Part of the rationale, sources say, is the belief that injuries — particularly along the offensive line and at running back — have significantly limited Miami’s play-calling flexibility. Additionally, firing McDaniel midseason could create further instability for a locker room already teetering on frustration.
Still, the leash appears short. The Dolphins face a tough upcoming stretch, including matchups with the Bills, Eagles, and Ravens — all playoff-caliber teams.
If the spiral continues, Miami may be forced to reconsider its stance. For now, McDaniel remains at the helm — but the margin for error has all but vanished.
As Reggie Bush put it bluntly:
“This team has too much talent to be this bad. Somebody’sgotta answer for that.”