Mike McDaniel’s seat just went from warm to scorching. After the Miami Dolphins’ humiliating 31-6 loss to the Cleveland Browns dropped the Dolphins to 1-6, CBS analyst Jonathan Jones suggested the third-year head coach might have already coached his final game in South Florida.
Is Mike McDaniel on the Hot Seat After Week 7?
Jones floated the possibility during CBS’s postgame coverage following the 31-6 loss.
“It is possible that Mike McDaniel has coached his last game with the Miami Dolphins because of just how bad this game went, right? I mean 31 to 6. You’re in the rain.”
Jones acknowledged he wasn’t predicting a firing but called the performance concerning enough to put McDaniel’s job security in question. The loss dropped Miami to 1-6 and represented a new low for a team that made the playoffs in McDaniel’s first two seasons before missing out in 2024.
“It is possible that Mike McDaniel has coached his last game with the Miami Dolphins.”
– @jjones9 pic.twitter.com/QTNEeqarcY
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) October 19, 2025
The Dolphins managed just two field goals while committing four turnovers against a Cleveland defense that ranks fifth in PFSN’s Defense Impact metric with an 83.4 score and a B grade. Tua Tagovailoa threw three interceptions and posted a career-low 24.1 passer rating before Quinn Ewers took over.
Jones pointed to Miami’s offensive struggles as particularly damaging. The unit had shown improvement after a 0-2 start, but Sunday’s output against rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel and a 2-5 Browns team raised deeper questions about the program’s direction.
“If I had to say who has the hottest seat in the NFL certainly since Brian Callahan’s firing in Nashville, no doubt Mike McDaniels is the hottest.”
How Bad Are Miami’s Numbers in 2025?
The Dolphins rank 22nd in PFSN’s Offense Impact metric with a 70.7 score and a C- grade through seven weeks. Miami has attempted just 140 rushes this season despite averaging a solid 4.6 yards per carry, while the passing attack has produced 1,406 yards but lacks consistency in critical moments.
The defensive numbers tell an even grimmer story. Miami ranks 29th in PFSN’s Defense Impact metric with a 61.9 score and a D- grade after allowing 205 points and 2,542 yards through seven games. The run defense has been particularly vulnerable, surrendering 1,115 yards on the ground.
Those numbers represent a steep decline for a coach who received a contract extension through 2028 before last season. McDaniel guided Miami to an 11-6 record and their second straight playoff berth in 2023, but the Dolphins went 8-9 in 2024 and now sit at 1-6 with a brutal stretch ahead.
Miami faces road trips to Atlanta and home games against Baltimore and Buffalo in the coming weeks. The Dolphins trail the AFC East leaders by multiple games and need a dramatic turnaround over the next 10 weeks to save McDaniel’s job and salvage any hope of postseason football.
