Dolphins preseason schedule offers Mike McDaniel a golden opportunity

Follow me on this. One of the reasons that I find the 2025 Miami Dolphins so fascinating is that their season could really go in any direction. The odds may be stacked up against them, with the likes of head coach Mike McDaniel and general manager Chris Grier on the hot seat to varying degrees. However, just when we expect for the Dolphins to keel over and die, they always seem to live to fight another day.

One interesting wrinkle has presented itself for Miami ahead of a make-or-break season. Have you seen their preseason schedule yet? They will be on the road at the Chicago Bears and at the Detroit Lions before they host the Jacksonville Jaguars in the preseason finale. All three of those teams either boast a new head coach at the helm (Chicago and Jacksonville) or must replace both coordinators (Detroit).

McDaniel will be afforded up to three opportunities to flex on his head-coaching counterparts. I would expect things will be clunky for Ben Johnson in his first preseason game coaching the Bears. Liam Coen may have the hang of it by the time the Jacksonville game gets there, but do not expect starters to play in this one. The one game I am eyeing the most is Detroit: How will Dan Campbell look now that Johnson leads Chicago and Aaron Glenn is off to the New York Jets?

If McDaniel can give off the same wunderkind vibes he did only a few years ago, I think he will be safe.

Mike McDaniel can reclaim his coaching reputation during the preseason

No matter what happens this year, I would not fire McDaniel in Miami. I think he possesses the unique trait of tactical football brilliance, while also being incredibly relatable. Apparently, being a former Denver Broncos ball boy and a wide receiver at Yale has its benefits. McDaniel maybe be a raging football nerd, but he is also a guy who can relate to everyone on the Miami roster.

Not since Dave Wannstedt was their head coach have I felt the Dolphins have employed a head coach who could relate to everyone in the building. Wannstedt may have been mustachioed former lineman from the Jimmy Johnson coaching tree, but he always connected with people. They loved him for that. McDaniel goes about it differently, but the results are eerily similar.

By asserting his dominance over fellow offensive gurus like Coen and Johnson, McDaniel could help reclaim some precious job security. Looking sharp against Detroit will signify to Miami that maybe McDaniel is still one of the best coaches in the game. Campbell has proven to be a great culture builder with the Lions, but his meathead nature is why he was only the interim in Miami before.

McDaniel should recognize the real opportunity in front of him, as wasting it may lead to his downfall.