On Thursday, the Miami Dolphins made the not-so-shocking decision to part ways with head coach Mike McDaniel, just a year after he was seen as their savior, signing a five-year, $52.5 million contract extension.

Despite the expectation that the team would contend this season, the Dolphins concluded their 7-10 campaign – which marked the second consecutive year they failed to make the playoffs – by firing McDaniel, who had been with the team for four seasons.

Miami’s season opener marked the third time in his four-year coaching career that McDaniel’s team would start 0-1. As of now, the Dolphins are 35-33 in the regular season and 0-2 in the playoffs under McDaniel, having failed to secure a postseason win.

No Payoff for the Dolphins

Miami Dolphins’ owner Stephen Ross pointed to his team’s lack of playoff success as the main reason for McDaniel’s firing. McDaniel had signed a five-year deal in 2023 to lead the Dolphins and put the franchise over the playoff hump, but the franchise came up empty.

Despite showing great success in the regular season, including back-to-back playoff appearances in 2022 and 2023, McDaniel struggled to win games in the postseason.

Cold-Weather Conundrum: McDaniel’s Achilles Heel

McDaniel’s coaching struggles were on full display in cold-weather games, which became his biggest weakness. Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa, who McDaniel took under his wing, had an abysmal record of 1-7 in games with temperatures of 46 degrees Fahrenheit or lower. This playoff failure, combined with Tagovailoa’s own playoff struggles, cast doubt on McDaniel’s ability to effectively use Tua in high-stakes games and keep the team in playoff contention.

McDaniel will have a mixed legacy as head coach after failing to show success in cold-weather conditions.

The Dolphins now find themselves in a position where they need to find a coach who can lead the franchise to its first Super Bowl victory. With McDaniel out of the picture, the Dolphins will have numerous options to find their new coach following the release of their current head coach. A likely landing spot for McDaniel is as an offensive coordinator with other teams, as McDaniel showed brilliance as an offensive play-caller.