Dolphins' Mike McDaniel Reportedly Focused on Discipline After Being 'Overly Lenient'

Some people around the NFL feel Miami Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel had been "overly lenient" with star players like Tyreek Hill and Jalen Ramsey prior to the 2025 season, The Athletic's Michael Silver reported Wednesday.

According to McDaniel, sources around the league felt McDaniel had been "forgiving poor practice efforts and other behavior perceived by teammates and assistant coaches as selfish."

McDaniel is hoping to change that perception this season, according to Silver.

"Since the end of last season, according to numerous Dolphins sources, McDaniel has been intentional in his attempt to tighten up the operation," Silver wrote.

"However, it's always easier to go from stricter to more permissive in the locker room than to do the opposite, and the Dolphins' choppy start has created the impression that there's a lack of focus."

Hill is still on the team despite publicly expressing frustration with the Dolphins after the 2024 season, although Ramsey was traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers in June.

That move hasn't helped the Dolphins look more cohesive to start the 2025 campaign. The team has been outgained by a total of 182 yards in season-opening losses to the Indianapolis Colts and New England Patriots.

Apparent lack of unity within the locker room was apparent after last Sunday's loss to the Patriots, in which the Dolphins got a shot at a potential game-winning drive that stalled out with a pair of penalties and a sack on quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.

Tagovailoa said after the game that there had been a "mixup of communication" with McDaniel on the final drive.

"It was frustrating with the communication, with the guys inside the huddle... Just the whole operation of that was not up to standard, not up to par," Tagovailoa said.

When asked after the loss if he still was able to get his message through the players, McDaniel told reporters, per NFL.com's Kevin Patra: "I think if there was anything that would lend me to believe that messages weren't being received, then you address those things."

McDaniel continued, "To me, I think I've seen a team that is trying to do everything they can to win and coming up short and pressing forward and trying to change that result."

The fourth-year coach will face his toughest test of the season yet on Thursday, when the Dolphins' struggling defense faces Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills on the road. How Miami handles the challenge could provide a glimpse into McDaniels' relationship with his locker room.