Marcel Louis-JacquesOct 19, 2025, 06:31 PM ETCloseMarcel Louis-Jacques joined ESPN in 2019 as a beat reporter covering the Buffalo Bills, before switching to the Miami Dolphins in 2021. The former Carolina Panthers beat writer for the Charlotte Observer won the APSE award for breaking news and the South Carolina Press Association award for enterprise writing in 2018.Follow on X
Miami Dolphins vs. Cleveland Browns Game Highlights (1:04)Miami Dolphins vs. Cleveland Browns Game Highlights (1:04)
McDaniel said he could tell players’ frustrations from the season boiled over against the Browns and allowed a difficult situation to snowball.
Miami committed 11 penalties for 103 yards in the loss, both team highs since McDaniel was hired in 2022. It also turned over the ball four times, including three interceptions from quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and a fumble by kick returner Dee Eskridge.
“No person, no player or no coach has got their hands clean, and we have to go back to work and — starting with me — do a better job.”
“There’s a lot of guys that will have an important work week,” he said. “I mean, if you are negatively affecting the football team routinely, I don’t have a choice but to assess a different player, and I have to coach a lot better, as well. So, we’re going to find out who and what we’re made of.”
McDaniel said while there were “multiple factors” in Tagovailoa’s three interceptions, two of them were “extremely preventable.” He didn’t suggest a quarterback change, although Tagovailoa was benched in the fourth quarter for rookie Quinn Ewers, who was promoted to backup over Zach Wilson this week.
But he did say Miami will explore all options moving forward, even if that means changing its style of play.
Tagovailoa finished 12-of-23 passing for 100 yards and three interceptions. His 24.1 passer rating was a career low.
He said the Dolphins’ operation on offense was subpar Sunday, noting players lined up incorrectly out of the huddle, which slowed down their pre-snap process and ultimately the plays themselves.
Tagovailoa is tied for the NFL lead with 10 interceptions and is on pace to throw a career-high 24 this season. Sunday marked the third game this season in which he threw multiple picks after only doing so twice in 2024.
The sixth-year quarterback, who signed a four-year, $212.1 million extension in summer 2024, admitted his play has not been up to standard this season.
Before this season, 154 teams in the Super Bowl era started 1-6; only the Cincinnati Bengals in 1970 made the playoffs.
Linebacker Bradley Chubb said Miami’s locker room remains together and believes it’s still possible to turn around the season.
“It’s going to be hard,” he said. “But you have to welcome hard into your life in order to be where you want to be. We’re going to do the things necessary to get to that and look ourselves in the mirror this upcoming week. Things have to get changed around fast — and it will.”
Miami Dolphins vs. Cleveland Browns Game Highlights (1:04)Miami Dolphins vs. Cleveland Browns Game Highlights (1:04)
CloseMarcel Louis-Jacques joined ESPN in 2019 as a beat reporter covering the Buffalo Bills, before switching to the Miami Dolphins in 2021. The former Carolina Panthers beat writer for the Charlotte Observer won the APSE award for breaking news and the South Carolina Press Association award for enterprise writing in 2018.Follow on X
McDaniel did hint at possible personnel changes this week ahead of a Week 8 visit to Atlanta.
Miami Dolphins vs. Cleveland Browns Game Highlights (1:04)