Could the Miami Dolphins be headed to a in-season house cleaning? Pro Football Network predicts it could happen.
As we slowly work our way from the Super Bowl to the start of the 2025 NFL league year, the speculation for next year is starting to build. Which teams are in a position to succeed in the next season? Which teams could see the 2025 regular season fall off the rails? Which teams might make significant moves during the season?
All those questions and more will be asked and answered throughout the offseason. This week, Pro Football Network published its list of 2025 NFL bold predictions. Regarding the Miami Dolphins, the prediction is not exactly one we all want to see.
Dolphins fire coach Mike McDaniel and GM Chris Grier midseason
The Dolphins have been on a repeated cycle ever since the Dan Marino-Jimmy Johnson-Dave Wannstedt era ended in the early 2000s. A new coach comes in, the Dolphins succeed right away with a playoff berth, don’t win in playoffs, and then decline until the coach gets fired.
It happened with Tony Sparano and Adam Gase, basically happened with Brian Flores (minus missing the playoffs at 10-6), and Mike McDaniel is headed along the exact same path.
The Dolphins, who made the postseason in McDaniel’s first two seasons, took a major step back in 2024. Now they face an offseason in which they start over the cap by nearly $12 million, have four key defensive players as free agents, and a disgruntled star WR in Tyreek Hill. Not to mention no faith that Tua Tagovailoa can stay healthy for 17 games.
But the major reason for this bold prediction is the owner may be (a slight “maybe” here) fed up. While surprising no one in keeping the Dolphins front office intact for another season, owner Stephen Ross did lay out major expectations, mainly that this franchise wins its first postseason game in 25 years.
I don’t think he waits that long. If the Dolphins start off slow again like in 2024, we will see a change before the team makes it back from Spain.
Could the Dolphins be headed to an in-season shake-up of the entire franchise?
Everything PFN lays out is accurate, and owner Stephen Ross has never shied away from the in-season firing. Tony Sparano was fired following Week 14 in 2011. Joe Philbin was fired after Week 4 in 2015. Adam Gase and Brian Flores, the next two head coaches, were both fired immediately after the season, but the PFN assessment that a slow start could be the final straw for Ross this year, leading to an in-season change, clearly has precedence.
The Dolphins are a talented roster that under-performed last year. Will they continue to struggle in 2025?
The team’s history under head coach Mike McDaniel makes it seem like a late-season firing is more likely than an early-season move. The Dolphins seem to get off to hot starts, then falter late, including losing in the wild-card round of the playoffs if they qualify for the postseason. With the talent on the roster and the glaring holes that the front office has to see as needed for filling, this team should be in a position to stay competitive for the entire season.
If the Dolphins do not meet Ross’s expectations, there should be and needs to be a change. However, I do not think it will be an in-season change. Unless injuries completely derail the season, this team should be in contention for the playoffs throughout the season. A change will not be made as long as they stay in contention. If the Dolphins fall apart late in the year, a house cleaning is likely an off-season move.
PFN might be right on a change to the front office and coaching staff based on the 2025 season, but it feels like the timing they predict may be off.