One mantra Miami Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel started his tenure with was “I wish it were hotter.”
It was used to motivate players training in the heat and humidity of South Florida ahead of his first season at Miami’s helm in 2022.
Would he dare say the same of his already-hot seat entering his fourth season in 2025?
The 2024 season offered a hard dose of reality to him and general manager Chris Grier, both who must be feeling the pressure to deliver as the team went 8-9 and failed to reach the postseason last season.
The Dolphins were frugal in their spending in the offseason, a byproduct of the big contracts dished out in offseasons past. So the overall talent level of the roster may be operating at a net loss.
Cornerback Jalen Ramsey and tight end Jonnu Smith were traded as Miami was backed into a corner with both players. Left tackle Terron Armstead retired. Defensive tackle Calais Campbell and safety Jevon Holland were among players to depart in free agency.
But where Miami can make up the ground from last year is if quarterback Tua Tagovailoa can stay healthy all season. He did in 2023 and was in the MVP conversation for much of the year as he led the NFL in passing yards. Then, he missed six games in 2024 — four because of concussion and two due to a hip injury. His availability keeps the offense humming, getting the ball to wide receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle.
If he has to miss time this season, the Dolphins’ answer for their all-important backup quarterback question is Zach Wilson, the former New York Jets No. 2 pick of the 2021 draft.
But the Dolphins are also planning on emphasizing the run game, led by speedy running back De’Von Achane, and physicality in the trenches on both sides of the ball. The latter was exhibited by using their top two draft picks on defensive tackle Kenneth Grant and guard Jonah Savaiinaea, while dishing out their highest-priced free agent contract on veteran guard James Daniels.
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The return from the Ramsey-Smith trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers was a return of safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, Miami’s 2018 first-round pick.
Beyond Tagovailoa playing more games, the Dolphins can also hope for the same from the outside linebacker combination of Jaelan Phillips and Bradley Chubb, as both make lengthy returns from knee injuries to complement burgeoning second-year edge defender Chop Robinson on the pass rush.
McDaniel’s answer to the hot-seat question this offseason was a clever one. He compared his position to that of Philadelphia Eagles coach Nick Sirianni, who faced similar pressure. Sirianni, of course, ultimately won the Super Bowl last season.
Three keys for success
Keep Tua upright
This first key is two-fold. For one, pass protection for Tagovailoa will help keep him untouched and healthy, as long as he limits how much he takes matters into his own hands. Additionally, it would bring obvious benefits to the pass game if Tagovailoa has more time to find Hill and Waddle and doesn’t have to again be the fastest quarterback in getting the ball out from the pocket. A healthy Austin Jackson should help on the blind side. Then, Miami needs second-year left tackle Patrick Paul to grow up in a hurry, replacing the retired Armstead there. Plus, the upgrades at both guard positions could pay dividends.
Run the football
Here’s the other thing that can open up the deep passing game again for Hill and Waddle. Miami needs to run the football effectively in order to keep defenses honest from the way they keep their safeties in the two-high shell. Achane provides the home run threat in the backfield, along with the physicality of rookie Ollie Gordon. Have them run behind fullback Alec Ingold and new guards in James Daniels and Savaiinaea for an overall uptick in physical presence.
Mask questionable secondary
The biggest question mark surrounding the team comes in the defensive backfield. At least the Dolphins were able to net Fitzpatrick back in the Ramsey trade. He and fellow safety Ifeatu Melifonwu can bring versatility in the secondary. The Dolphins need young corners like Storm Duck to develop in a hurry, but the pass rush of Robinson, Phillips and Chubb off the edge, plus Zach Sieler and Grant in the interior, could decrease how long that secondary has to cover.
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Three crucial games
Week 18 at New England Patriots, Jan. 3 or 4
A playoff spot could be on the line in the regular-season finale, and the Patriots figure to be on the rise again, now under the direction of Mike Vrabel and after spending big in the offseason. This pairing at Gillette Stadium could foreseeably determine second place in the AFC East for a wild-card spot in the postseason. Miami would like for such a scenario, in some potentially cold weather, to go better than it did last year when it needed outside help before an embarrassing loss to the New York Jets to finish the season.
Week 10 vs. Buffalo Bills, Nov. 9
If the Dolphins can make the rise to again being a threat to the Bills, like they were in 2023, they must at least achieve a season split. The easiest path to doing that is the home game in the middle of the season. The early Week 3 meeting against the Bills involves travel for a Thursday night game, always a challenge on a short week for an NFL team. For this one, they’re coming off a mini-bye, facing the Baltimore Ravens at home the previous week on a Thursday night. This is their chance. It’s also the middle game between the Ravens and Washington Commanders in Madrid, a tough three-game stretch before the bye.
Week 15 at Pittsburgh Steelers, Dec. 15
A Monday night against some old pals in Ramsey and Smith after the offseason trade between the two teams. This figures to have late-season wild-card implications, especially when you combine it with the following game, back home against the Cincinnati Bengals in another prime-time game that Sunday night. Miami’s results in those two will go a long way in determining its playoff fate in 2025.
