Any NFL head coach presiding over a a team with a record of 1-5 is going to feel pressure to turn things around. Dolphins head man Mike McDaniel is no exception. And unfortunately for McDaniel, he is also suffering from the words of his starting quarterback.
Tua Tagovailoa chose to take to the media with his disappointment in his teammates after Miami's narrow 29-27 loss to the Chargers on Sunday. In particular, he called out members of the roster who were late to team meetings. The clear message from Tagovailoa is that not he does not believe all of his teammates are as committed to winning as he is.
The former first-round pick tried to walk his comments back on Wednesday. He characterized his postgame comments as a "mistake." Tagovailoa expressed regret for adding to the "noise" around the team as they try to get their season back on track.
Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa apologizes for his comments after Sunday’s game:
— Marcel Louis-Jacques (@Marcel_LJ) October 15, 2025
“I made a mistake … We talk a lot about ‘we gotta get this going,’ come in excited for work and forget about the noise — and I feel like I just added on to that for our guys.” pic.twitter.com/lmQsZY0vFU
The southpaw signal-caller's words might have improved some of his relationships inside the locker room, but they certainly didn't do his head coach any favors. Tagovailoa publicly making up with his teammates puts the focus back on McDaniel to find a way to turn the roster into a winner. Making the playoffs seemed like a minimum for him to retain his job heading into the season, and the odds are stacked against the Dolphins after dropping five of their first six games.
Mike McDaniel is officially out of excuses as he coaches for his job
There is a cogent argument to be made that Tagovailoa may be more at fault for the team's struggles during McDaniel's tenure than any decision the head coach has made. But the unfortunate truth is that NFL owners almost always choose starting quarterbacks over head coaches. It's much easier to make a change on the sidelines than to make a sea change at the game's most important position.
Tagovailoa's contract status also makes it virtually impossible for Dolphins ownership to choose McDaniel over his quarterback. The earliest possible date Miami could cut their passer loose would be after the 2026 season. It's impossible to envision a scenario where McDaniel survives that long without a massive turnaround in the team's on-field performance.
McDaniel could get the axe as soon as next weekend if the Dolphins fail to knock off the Browns. Winning in Cleveland won't be a straight-forward proposition for a team in crisis like Miami. Ironically, McDaniel's best hope to keep his job is for Tagovailoa to finally start playing like a franchise quarterback. If Tagoailoa doesn't pull that off on Sunday, his recent media mess could be the last straw to McDaniel's tenure in South Beach.