CLEVELAND — As it only feels more and more likely a move could be made on Miami Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel after he fell to 1-6 with an embarrassing 31-6 loss to the lowly Cleveland Browns, players in the locker room still say they back him.
“I think we all believe in him as coach, and we have to execute as players,” left tackle Patrick Paul said in the visitors’ locker room at Huntington Bank Field after the jarring outcome Sunday.
The question comes into focus as the Dolphins only grow more undisciplined with four turnovers and 10 penalties for 98 yards Sunday to aid the Browns to 31 points despite only gaining 206 yards.
There is no coach that allows that to be acceptable. But are players remaining receptive to the voice of McDaniel?
“Absolutely. We’re not going to stop listening to our coaches because we’re 1-6,” cornerback Jack Jones said. “It’s a pecking order and it trickles down. We’re going to listen to our coaches, and the coaches are going to listen to whoever’s above them.
“We’re not going to come in the building and disrespect anybody. We’re going to come in the building and actually work harder because we want to win. It’s not like we’re happy with losing.”
Added outside linebacker Jaelan Phillips: “We’re not turning against him. We’re not turning against each other.”
What is the messaging players need to hear this week after what is a new low for the team under McDaniel?
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“It’s hard truths,” fullback Alec Ingold said. “They’re hard to hear, but you got to hear them. They’re said. They’re listened to. They’re heard. And you need to apply them. At the end of the day, that’s accountability and that’s growth and that’s character. We need to get better fast.”
The Dolphins travel to Atlanta to face the Falcons next.
“We’ll see this week, with the response,” Paul said.
Said quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who had three costly interceptions Sunday: “We just got to stick together. That’s how we move forward from this.”
As for McDaniel, answering about his job security after the demoralizing defeat, he said: “The way I look at this job is I find it very offensive to all parties involved if I’m thinking about having the job. I need to be doing my job.
“For as long as I coach for the Miami Dolphins and this organization, they’ll get everything from me, and I refuse to spend my time thinking about something that — you have a job, you do your job and you do it to the best of your ability.”
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