Report: Sources believe next 6-7 games could decide fates of McDaniel, Grier

After the Miami Dolphins had an underwhelming 2024 season during which they won only eight games, maybe some people thought the team would play with a chip on its shoulder to start the new season. But Miami ended up floundering on the road against the Indianapolis Colts and lost its Week 1 contest over the weekend by 25 points.

In light of the Dolphins looking like a discombobulated mess on both sides of the ball to open the season, sources reportedly believe that how the team fares across its next six to seven games could decide the fate of both general manager Chris Grier and head coach Mike McDaniel.

“Sources close to the situation tell me that if the Dolphins are not competitive over the next 6 to 7 games, they believe owner Stephen Ross will pull the trigger and fire both before the season ends,” NFL insider Tony Pauline wrote. “These same sources tell me McDaniel rubs some people in the organization the wrong way, which does not mix well with a losing record.”

Both McDaniel and Grier have been working in their current positions with the Dolphins for a while now. McDaniel is in his fourth season functioning as Miami’s leader from the sidelines, and Grier was named general manager of the team all the way back in 2016 after he first came to the franchise in 2000.

The Dolphins have zero playoff success to show for their time together in Miami, however. Miami has made the playoffs multiple times under McDaniel and Grier but is still seeking its first playoff victory since 2000.

If the team’s Week 1 performance is a harbinger of things to come for Miami, the team could be in danger of missing the playoffs once again this season. The Dolphins remain talented yet have roster holes and don’t seem to be getting the most out of the pieces that they do have.

Hence, folks shouldn’t be surprised if major changes come at the top of the organization if it looks as if the team won’t qualify for the playoffs for a second straight season.

It would perhaps be a stretch to call any Week 2 contest a must-win game, but the Dolphins’ upcoming contest against the New England Patriots might just be that. If Miami were to lose that game, it would be 0-2 on the season with a matchup against a strong Buffalo Bills squad looming. Historically, teams that start 0-3 rarely make the playoffs.

All in all, it should be worth keeping tabs on how the Dolphins fare in their upcoming games amid whispers that it may impact the futures of McDaniel and Grier.