The Miami Dolphins are now officially winless through three weeks of the NFL season after their Thursday night loss to the Buffalo Bills. Miami gave Buffalo everything it had, but in the end, it was the Bills who came out on top.
“High expectations were put on the Buffalo Bills coming in to yet another divisional matchup. But the Miami Dolphins gave the Bills their best shot and kept the double-digit favorites close most of the way,” ESPN’s Alaina Getzenberg and Marcel Louis-Jaques wrote.
The loss didn’t help the perception of head coach Mike McDaniel, who entered the season already sitting on one of the hottest seats in the league.
“All of those now put a tremendous amount of pressure on McDaniel, who is coming off his first under .500 season with the Dolphins, who were also on the outside looking in on the playoffs. We already listed McDaniel as a head coach with one of the hottest seats in the NFL entering 2025, and the road to save his job just got even more difficult,” CBS Sports’ Tyler Sullivan wrote.
Despite the loss and growing pressure from outside noise, one person wasn’t having it: wide receiver Tyreek Hill, who strongly defended his head coach after the game.
“His pi** was hot.” Tyreek Hill said on McDaniel. “The way he coached and the way he led men today was a beautiful thing.”
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Hill’s words carry serious weight, especially considering what NFL insider Ian Rapoport reported before the game.
“However, there's a caveat. If fans suddenly stop showing up to the stadium or if players stop playing for him, that can alter the situation,” Rapoport said.
Hill’s vocal support makes it clear that McDaniel still has the locker room behind him—for now. That could be key to saving his job. While McDaniel is undeniably a brilliant offensive mind, Miami’s season has been derailed by injuries and a brutal salary cap situation.
While critics are calling for McDaniel's time in Miami to end, it appears the organization isn’t ready to make that move just yet.