SOUTHWEST MIAMI-DADE, FLA. (WSVN) – Fins fans across South Florida acknowledged the team needed to shake things up and are optimistic after the Dolphins announced they would be moving on from head coach Mike McDaniel after four seasons.
After finishing the season at 7-10, Fins fans at Duffy’s Tavern in Southwest Miami-Dade were not surprised to see the news that the team fired head coach Mike McDaniel, Thursday.
“It wasn’t the leader that this team needs right now,” said Ryan Garcia, a Fins fan.
“There needs to be a big shake-up, and I think this is the start of it,” said Mauricio Galindo.
In four seasons with the team, McDaniel led the Dolphins to an overall regular-season record of 35-33. The team reached the playoffs in 2022 and 2023 and had first-round exits in each year.
Despite showing some signs of success, including an 11-6 season in 2023, the team stagnated and consistently faced struggles over the last two seasons, including an ugly record against teams above .500 at 4-17 that plagued McDaniel over his full tenure.
“It’s one of two things I don’t bet on in Miami: Them and the weather,” said Terrynce Jones.
Fans had hoped his first two seasons with the team were just a taste of what’s to come, featuring back-to-back playoff appearances and a high-octane offense tailored to Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s talents to run up the score on the opposition.
Two years removed from their last playoff appearance, Fins fans are still desperate to see the team’s first playoff win since 2000.
“A playoff win. We haven’t had one in a while,” said Moises Gomez.
“A playoff win, please, let’s win a playoff game,” said Garcia.
Since the last Dolphins playoff victory, the Miami Marlins won a World Series in 2003, the Miami Heat won their first title in 2006 and then back-to-back NBA Finals in 2012 and 2013, the Florida Panthers raised the Stanley Cup in back-to-back seasons in 2024 and 2025, and Inter Miami won its first MLS Cup title in 2025. The last Dolphins Super Bowl victory was in 1974.
With every other professional sports team in the city getting the taste of glory more recently than the last Dolphins playoff win, fans are hungry for more and expect far more than subpar performances.
“We don’t settle for mediocrity, as you can tell, you know, we’re Miami, we’re trying to go to the national championship,” said Gomez.
“If you look at Miami sports, every single professional team has won its championship, except for the Dolphins,” said Galindo.
Fans believe the McDaniel-era Dolphins failed to capitalize on their early success when he first arrived.
“I think the Dolphins haven’t advanced in the last several years, and I think the record stands for itself. The performance in the playoffs has been nonexistent,” said Galindo.
Others said McDaniel made critical mistakes in several games that would prove costly.
“There was some game management stuff, time management situations that occurred toward the end of games, and having used timeouts too much,” said Garcia.
As the team begins its hunt for a new coach, fans are looking forward to the potential of a brighter future and a shot at ending the 26-year playoff win drought.
“Hopefully, this will allow the team to rebuild and move forward to something better,” said Galindo.
Fans have their hopes high that the team can bring in John Harbaugh after he was let go by the Baltimore Ravens, whose disappointing season ended without a playoff berth.
“I heard good news that [John] Harbaugh might be coming,” said Gomez.
Despite the criticisms over how things turned out, fans who spoke with 7News still had high praise for McDaniel, describing him as a good guy and a creative coach. They just believe he’s not the right leader for the Dolphins at this moment.
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