"There's a tangible heaviness surrounding the Miami Dolphins as they prepare for Sunday's home opener against the New England Patriots. If you went into the locker room this past week, watched practices or attended press conferences there's no doubt you sensed the proverbial dark cloud hovering over their facility in Miami Gardens. It's against this backdrop that the Dolphins (0-1) host the Patriots (0-1) at 1 p.m. Sunday at Hard Rock Stadium."
"Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel, who used to personify bounciness and quick wit, wasn't as energetic as usual. He spoke in subdued, muted tones. At times you could detect a quiver in his voice. McDaniel didn't smile much. He didn't make eye contact as much. He still maintained his sense of humor. He'll always have that. But he wasn't as funny as he used to be back in 2023, when he was the NFL's next young genius."
"There's not a sense of doom around the team, but for the first time in the three-plus-year McDaniel era doom seems a very real possibility. In the past three weeks the Dolphins had outside linebackers coach Ryan Crow arrested for battery, learned the NFL would investigate domestic abuse allegations against wide receiver Tyreek Hill, faced the reality that tight end Darren Waller (hip strain) won't likely be ready anytime soon, and got pounded by Indianapolis, a game in which they lo"
A tangible heaviness surrounds the Miami Dolphins as they prepare for their home opener against the Patriots. Fans reacted angrily to a 33-8 loss at Indianapolis, prompting a players-only meeting urging focus. Coach Mike McDaniel appeared subdued, speaking in muted tones and showing less energy and humor than during the 2023 season. The organization faced recent turmoil: an assistant coach arrested, ongoing NFL scrutiny of Tyreek Hill, and Darren Waller likely sidelined with a hip strain. The cumulative effect raises real concerns about the team's trajectory under McDaniel. Players emphasized staying locked in despite the negativity.
Read at Sun Sentinel
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]