Mike McDaniel details ‘callous process’ Miami Dolphins will have to go through this season

Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel explained the biggest difference between the 2023 season and upcoming 2024 season for Miami.

“There’s a process that occurs in organizations – for winning organizations – that you have to go through, kind of a callous process,” McDaniel said. “And every team is different, but with a good amount of players that lived through that season, there’s a badge of honor to really have high expectations, fall short and then still get the opportunity to make things right. So, I think the overall mental fortitude and understanding what it takes to accomplish all the goals that we all share in the springtime, that wisdom and life experience I think will pay dividends for us in the tough times where we’ll need to be our best.”

McDaniel has been the Dolphins’ head coach for the past two seasons, leading the team to the playoffs in each campaign. However, the Dolphins have yet to win a playoff game, coming up short in the 2023 season against the Kansas City Chiefs in the first round.

Despite the team’s shortcomings in the last two postseasons, McDaniel clearly believes that it will help his team in times of adversity going forward.

Miami has faced a ton of challenges under McDaniel, starting with quarterback injuries in the 2022 season. With Tua Tagovailoa suffering multiple concussions that season and Teddy Bridgewater also going down with an injury, the team was forced to start rookie seventh-round pick Skylar Thompson in the playoffs against the Buffalo Bills.

While the team ended up losing that game, it was impressive that the Dolphins were able to withstand Tagovailoa’s injury at the end of the season to still make the playoffs.

With the star lefty quarterback healthy in 2023, Miami had one of the best offenses in the NFL, leading the league in total yards and finishing second in points scored and yards per play during the regular season. Only the Dallas Cowboys scored more points than the Dolphins in the 2023 campaign.

However, the Dolphins came up short late in the season, losing games to the Baltimore Ravens and Bills, costing them the AFC East title. That forced Miami to go on the road to face the Chiefs in the playoffs, and the team struggled in a freezing environment at Arrowhead Stadium, losing 26-7.

Even though Miami came up short, McDaniel seems confident in his team’s ability to “make things right” in the 2024 season.

The Dolphins will have a bit of a different look after losing defenders such as Christian Wilkins, Brandon Jones and Andrew Van Ginkel in free agency. The team also released veterans Jerome Baker and Xavien Howard.

Still, the team brought in a two-time Super Bowl champion in Shaquil Barrett on the defensive side of the ball and added a pass-catching weapon in tight end Jonnu Smith.

Dolphins fans are certainly hoping that McDaniel and his team are ready to get over the hump and make a playoff run in the 2024 season.