As the 2025 NFL season looms, the Miami Dolphins find themselves at a pivotal crossroads. With a talented — yet underperforming — roster and mounting pressure from both fans and critics, the futures of head coach Mike McDaniel and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa appear to be hanging in the balance. And while hopes remain high within Miami Gardens, the national sentiment is far less confident.
If things don’t fall into place for the Dolphins this year, there’s growing speculation that sweeping changes could arrive — potentially making Miami the most attractive destination in the NFL for both coaching and quarterbacking opportunities.
McDaniel and Tagovailoa: The Keys to Success… or Failure?
At the heart of the Dolphins’ high-stakes season are two individuals: McDaniel, the creative and often unconventional head coach entering a critical year, and Tagovailoa, the talented but often polarizing quarterback. Together, they represent both the promise and the fragility of Miami’s current era.
Their pairing has had moments of brilliance, but consistency — especially late in the season — has remained elusive. Injuries have plagued Tagovailoa, and questions continue to swirl around his ability to perform in high-pressure situations, particularly in cold-weather games. Meanwhile, McDaniel’s innovative play-calling has at times clashed with game management concerns, leading many to wonder whether this duo has already reached its ceiling.
CBS Sports’ Tyler Sullivan didn’t hold back in a recent evaluation, writing that “the Miami Dolphins feel like an organization that’s teetering with its current regime.” He points out that McDaniel is one of the coaches most firmly on the hot seat heading into the 2025 season, and that Tua’s week-to-week availability continues to raise doubts about the long-term viability of the offense.
A Rebuild or a Reset in 2026?
Should the Dolphins fail to meet expectations once again this year, the organization could opt for a full reset — but perhaps not immediately. Sullivan suggests a scenario in which the Dolphins “tread water” in 2025 and use it as a transitional year, setting up a potential reboot in 2026.
Enter: the possibility of Arch Manning.
While the young quarterback is currently projected to return to Texas for another season, the allure of selecting a potential franchise QB like Manning in the 2026 NFL Draft could shift Miami’s long-term strategy. With the right draft position and a new coaching regime, the Dolphins could become a top landing spot for a coach wanting to mold a team around a blue-chip quarterback prospect from day one.
“If they decided to move off of McDaniel at that juncture as well, the lure of getting Manning as your quarterback to develop would make the Dolphins arguably the most desirable job that cycle,” Sullivan noted.
The Financial Incentive: Cap Space Flexibility
Beyond the coaching and quarterback implications, the financial realities also support the idea of a clean slate. Tua Tagovailoa’s contract structure offers the Dolphins considerable flexibility. His deal carries no guaranteed money in 2027 or 2028, meaning the team could cut ties with minimal financial repercussions.
According to Over the Cap, moving on from Tua would save the Dolphins a staggering $36.6 million in 2027 and $57.4 million in 2028. That kind of cap relief could allow Miami to invest heavily in surrounding talent, whether that means building through free agency, shoring up the trenches, or targeting skill-position stars to pair with a rookie quarterback.
Could the Dolphins Job Be the Crown Jewel of 2026?
All signs point to a defining year for the Miami Dolphins. If McDaniel and Tagovailoa can finally deliver — especially in the playoffs — their jobs may be secure, and the franchise could push forward with momentum. But if the team once again stumbles, the allure of a total reset becomes hard to ignore.
With a potential top-tier quarterback prospect in Arch Manning, considerable cap space, and a roster foundation that still includes stars like Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, the Dolphins job could quickly transform from a pressure cooker to the NFL’s most coveted opportunity.
As 2025 kicks off, Miami is walking a tightrope. What lies on the other side could be a collapse — or the beginning of a whole new era.