Chris Perkins: Grier gone, Tua benched, but McDaniel will get to stay? This makes no sense.

Chris Perkins, South Florida Sun Sentinel on Dec 17, 2025

Published in Football

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MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — I don’t understand how Miami Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel could survive a housecleaning unscathed when former general manager Chris Grier and demoted starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa have paid a price for the underachievement and disappointment of the past three-plus seasons.

Nothing is decided for certain with McDaniel. We don’t know for sure that owner Steve Ross will retain McDaniel for the 2026 season. If the Dolphins (6-8) finish 6-11, McDaniel might not survive.

But right now, McDaniel looks like he’s definitely, 100% returning for 2026.

It makes no sense.

McDaniel got a contract extension after a playoff loss in 2023, and now basically he gets a vote of confidence after missing the playoffs in 2025.

Grier, who deserved to lose his job, gave McDaniel the best talent this franchise has had in two decades, headlined by star wide receiver Tyreek Hill, who is out for the season with a knee injury.

Tua, who deserved to be demoted behind rookie quarterback Quinn Ewers and veteran backup Zach Wilson, gave this franchise the best quarterback play it’s had in years.

McDaniel?

He told Tua to throw the ball to Tyreek.

That’s about it.

I exaggerate for effect, but only slightly.

Tua didn’t do much before Tyreek, and Tua hasn’t done much after Tyreek.

I don’t think you can say McDaniel “developed” Tua because Tua was basically a one-trick pony.

The NFL is a results-based business.

McDaniel is still around because he’s a process-based coach, and Ross likes his approach.

I favor results over process, meaning playoff wins.

McDaniel has compiled a 34-31 (.523) record in three-plus seasons as Dolphins coach. He’s 34-33 (.507) if you include his two playoff losses.

Those aren’t good results.

To his credit, McDaniel has been good for the Dolphins’ in-house morale and operation.

McDaniel has deftly kept everyone in the organization pulling on the same rope. There’s harmony throughout the facility. They don’t have the tattle-telling, back-stabbing front office of previous years.

McDaniel is a creative play-caller. He’s is a caring individual.

Plus, players like and respect McDaniel.

I like and respect him.

He’s a good person.

But is he a good coach?

How can he survive when Grier and Tua go down?

My issues with McDaniel have been well-documented. I’ve written maybe a dozen columns questioning whether he’s a good coach. I’ve questioned his Tyreek-heavy offense. I’ve questioned his player empowerment system.

I’ve pointed out that the Dolphins have had more success with the dink-and-dunk offense of 2024 (they finished 6-3 that season) and the run-based offense of 2025 (they had a stretch of winning five out of six games) than they have with McDaniel’s big-play passing offense that was his calling card.

McDaniel’s teams have run up big numbers and lots of victories on bad teams while getting pummeled by good teams.

McDaniel is 29-13 (.691) vs. non-playoff teams and 5-20 (.200), including playoffs, vs. playoff teams.

On top of all that, when has McDaniel developed a quarterback and/or had success with a backup? Skylar Thompson? Teddy Bridgewater? Mike White? Tim Boyle? Tyler “Snoop” Huntley? Zach Wilson?

This whole episode reminds everyone that the Dolphins are a quarterback-challenged organization.

Tua’s so-called development lasted only two years (2022-23). Their current backup quarterback, Wilson, McDaniel’s “direct, calculated target” was overtaken by a rookie seventh-round pick.

That decision was explained by McDaniel on Wednesday afternoon.

“The decision is complicated but simple,” McDaniel began. “ The simple piece is, I think Quinn gives this team the best chance to win. Our focus is obviously to win the next three games, but in particular, like I tell the players, we are focused on beating the Bengals, so that was the motivation. Zach will be backing him up and Tua will be the emergency third.”

This isn’t anti-McDaniel, this is wondering how McDaniel escapes unscathed, especially if the Dolphins lose their last three games of the season and finish 6-11.

Such as many things with the Dolphins, this makes no sense.

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