Miami Dolphins Committed to HC Mike McDaniel Despite Wildcard Loss

The Miami Dolphins' 2022 season officially came to an end with their 34-31 loss to the Buffalo Bills on Wildcard Weekend, but the team is still confident it's heading in the right direction. According to ESPN's Jeff Darlington, the team remains committed to franchise pillars head coach Mike McDaniel, general manager Chris Grier, and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.

I’m not one to consider “no news” as news, but one tweet on it seems reasonable: Dolphins haven’t had any conversations about moving onto next season without Mike McDaniel, Chris Grier or Tua Tagovailoa (assuming he’s healthy), per sources. All three remain in the team’s plans.
— Jeff Darlington (@JeffDarlington) January 15, 2023

The Dolphins over-delivered by keeping Sunday's game against the Bills close; they entered as colossal 14-point underdogs. If not for an underwhelming performance from third-string rookie quarterback Skylar Thompson (189 net passing yards, 3.86 net yards per passing attempt, two interceptions), the Dolphins could have pulled a massive upset. The Dolphins were a healthy Tagovailoa away from potentially being a real contender this year.

The Dolphins were penalized earlier this offseason for tampering revolving around a potential future collaboration between quarterback Tom Brady and head coach Sean Payton. With Brady set to hit free agency and Sean Payton available for trade, it was reasonable to wonder if the Dolphins' master plan was still in place. McDaniel delivered a strong debut season as a head coach, so it appears the Dolphins are content with their future.