Tag: McDaniel

Jan 5, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill (10) on the field before the game against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Dolphins GM says Tyreek Hill did not request trade

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Miami Dolphins general manager Chris Grier said star wide receiver Tyreek Hill has not directly requested a trade.

Both Grier and head coach Mike McDaniel met with Hill on Monday, one day after the wideout hinted that he was ready to leave Miami.

“There’s a lot of things that I need to reassess about my career,” Hill told reporters Sunday. “I just gotta do what’s best for me and my family, whether that’s here or wherever the case may be.

“… I’m out, bro. It was great playing here, but at the end of the day, I gotta do what’s best for my career. I’m too much of a competitor to be just out there.”

Grier said Hill did not retract those comments. “But he never asked for a trade with me,” Grier told reporters at Tuesday’s end-of-season press conference.

“They were (productive) conversations,” Grier said. “I will keep those between us. The one thing I would say is, in a frustrating season, he was very emotional in a game where we had a chance, coming back from 2-6. All of that with him playing through his (wrist) injury just kind of bubbled to a point.”

Hill caught two passes for 20 yards in Sunday’s season-ending loss to the New York Jets before taking himself out of the game in the fourth quarter.

McDaniel said he met with Hill to “clear the air” and told him that kind of behavior was unacceptable.

“I was very direct with him. He was very honest, and it was great terms that we were discussing,” McDaniel said.

“We discussed multiple things, including without wavering, that it’s not acceptable to leave a game and won’t be tolerated in the future, and he embraced accountability. I wouldn’t say there’s necessarily anything to fix, but we had to clear the air in a rough and tumultuous situation.”

Hill, who will turn 31 in March, caught 81 passes for 959 yards in 17 games this season — marking his lowest production in a full season since his rookie year with Kansas City in 2016. The drop came following a pair of 1,700-yard seasons to begin his tenure in Miami and with Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa limited to 11 games due to concussion and hip injuries.

Before the 2024 season, Hill signed a three-year, $90 million extension through the 2026 season that included a $7 million signing bonus and $59 million in guaranteed money. The eight-time Pro Bowl selection is due to count $28.7 million against the 2025 cap and $51.9 million in the final year of the deal in 2026.

–Field Level Media

Miami Dolphins general manager Chris Grier and head coach Mike McDaniel watch training camp at Baptist Health Training Complex, Friday, July 28, 2023 in Miami Gardens.

Dolphins keeping coach Mike McDaniel, GM Chris Grier for 2025

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The Miami Dolphins are keeping coach Mike McDaniel and general manager Chris Grier in their respective positions after a disappointing 8-9 record in 2024.

Hours after Miami lost 32-20 to the New York Jets on Sunday evening, Dolphins owner Stephen Ross made the decision public.

“As we now look towards 2025, our football operation will continue to be led by Chris Grier and Mike McDaniel with my full support,” Ross said in a statement. “Their positive working relationship is an asset to the Dolphins, and I believe in the value of stability.

“However, continuity in leadership is not to be confused with an acceptance that status quo is good enough. We will take a hard look at where we have fallen short and make the necessary changes to deliver our ultimate goal of building and sustaining a winning team that competes for championships.”

The Dolphins missed the playoffs this season for the first time in McDaniel’s three seasons as coach. He has a 28-23 regular-season record.

Grier has been Miami’s general manager since 2016 but has been with the organization since 2000 when he was hired as a scout.

There also was turmoil after the game as star receiver Tyreek Hill expressed his unhappiness with the organization and said he needs to reassess his career.

“I have to do what’s best for me and my family,” Hill told reporters. “If that’s here or wherever that case may be, I’m opening that door for myself. I’m out. It was great playing here but at the end of the day I have to do what’s best for my career.”

Hill wasn’t on the field late in the game and McDaniel said afterward that he was informed Hill wasn’t available.

The Dolphins haven’t won a playoff game since the 2000 season, the longest active drought of any NFL club.

Miami was hurt this season by quarterback instability as standout Tua Tagovailoa was limited to 11 games due to multiple injuries. Tyler Huntley, who joined the team in mid-September, started five games and Skylar Thompson made one start. Tim Boyle also made two appearances.

–Field Level Media

Sep 30, 2024; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa stands on the sidelines during the second half against the Tennessee Titans at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images

Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa returns from latest concussion

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Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is set to return from his latest concussion, ushered back from injured reserve after clearing NFL protocol for head injuries.

Neurologists and head injury experts were sounding boards for Tagovailoa to “effortlessly make this decision,” Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said Monday.

McDaniel said he will ensure Tagovailoa is “properly protected” but also admitted all parties know he cannot control all aspects of the game.

“Anytime you have a teammate that you grow together with, it feels a little off when he’s not in the mix as much. He’s not — we’re not calling plays for him. It’s meaningful for the whole team considering he’s been captain every year since we’ve been here. He’s been captain every year since I’ve been here. I can’t remember the number but he continues to grow his vote total every year.

“What I just finished talking to the team about: He’s not the savior either. There’s a lot that has been to looked at in an individual’s game. It’s not, ‘Tua’s here. He’s going to fix the issues.’”

The Dolphins (2-4) went 1-3 without Tagovailoa, including Sunday’s loss at Indianapolis. McDaniel said he showed maturity and growth as a leader by pouring support into teammates while unable to get on the field himself.

“He’s taught a lot of his teammates about himself and how much he’s along for the ride with them,” McDaniel said.

McDaniel emphasized medical professionals took the lead on the decision to bring back the 26-year-old for Week 8 against the Arizona Cardinals. He missed five games in 2022 because of a pair of concussions.

Tagovailoa was placed on injured reserve in September because medical experts advised he needed “time” to heal, McDaniel said. Now that he has the green light to return, the coaching staff will not make many noticeable changes from the last time he was on the field Sept. 12.

“I wouldn’t say from a schematic standpoint things would change that much,” McDaniel said. “Him being smart. Using his football IQ and acumen as the quarterback of the team, being able to protect himself with his skills as the team needs him to.”

The Dolphins are not permitted to mandate Tagovailoa wear a guardian cap, the cushioned helmet overlay permitted this season, but McDaniel said the team has worked to make “all available options” known to the quarterback. He reiterated no coaches or staff impacted Tagovailoa’s decision to return to the active roster.

“The reason why he’s coming back now is medical experts deemed it safe for him to come back,” McDaniel said.

Tyler Huntley (shoulder) is still being evaluated, according to McDaniel, who said the overall play wasn’t good enough at the position without Tagovailoa.

–Field Level Media

Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel looks on from the field before the game against the Buffalo Bills at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

‘Changes coming’ for flagging Dolphins

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Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel plans to make changes as Miami limps back to work with a 1-3 record and a trip to New England dead ahead.

The Dolphins rank last, one spot below the Patriots, in points per game this season. Miami lost 31-12 on Monday night to the previously winless Titans, a third consecutive defeat. During the skid the Dolphins have scored a total of 25 points. Miami was No. 2 in scoring in the NFL last season at 29.2 points per game.

“On the field that’s not even close to good enough,” McDaniel said Monday night.

“Everything’s on the table. To me, in a situation like this, I haven’t really been in one where we haven’t had production. You really have to have an open mind to all things.”

Starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa hasn’t played since a concussion in Week 2 and his return is uncertain. Last week, Skylar Thompson started at quarterback but was injured and unable to get in a full practice.

The Dolphins started recently signed Tyler Huntley against the Titans and McDaniel said the game plan was built around “all things he was comfortable with” using elements of his previous offenses with the Ravens and Browns.

Huntley scored Miami’s first touchdown since Week 2 on a fourth-quarter keeper but fell short of 100 passing yards on Monday night.

McDaniel felt an early turnover on a lateral pass flipped momentum.

“Ultimately there’s nothing good about this situation right now in terms of where our team wants to be,” McDaniel said. “We need to do enough to win a football game against any opponent. Right now, that’s not the case. We need to fix that fast.”

–Field Level Media

Aug 2, 2022; Miami Gardens, Florida, US; Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) and quarterback Skylar Thompson (19) stretch during training camp at Baptist Health Training Complex. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images

Dolphins ‘confident’ in Skylar Thompson as QB1

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Quarterback Skylar Thompson will be the starter for the Miami Dolphins as Tua Tagovailoa deals with his latest concussion, coach Mike McDaniel said Friday.

The Dolphins plan to bring in another quarterback for depth following the injury sustained by Tagovailoa during their 31-10 home loss to the Buffalo Bills on Thursday night. There are only two QBs on the current 53-man roster and none on the practice squad.

“The team and the organization are very confident in Skylar,” McDaniel said.

Tagovailoa exited in the third quarter after a collision with Bills defensive back Damar Hamlin. Thompson entered and completed 8 of 14 passes for 80 yards with no touchdowns, no interceptions and one sack.

Thompson, 27, was a seventh-round pick by Miami in 2022 and was making his first appearance since a wild-card playoff loss at Buffalo on Jan. 15, 2023.

As a rookie in 2022, Thompson made two starts for an injured Tagovailoa and completed 57.1 percent of his pass attempts for 534 yards with one TD and three picks.

“What’s going to lie ahead, who knows, but man, I’m confident, though,” Thompson said after Thursday’s game. “I feel like I’m ready for whatever’s to come. I’m going to prepare and work hard and do everything I can to lead this team and do my job.”

Tagovailoa, 26, entered concussion protocol as the Dolphins (1-1) began preparations for their Week 3 game at Seattle on Sept. 22.

McDaniel said Friday it is too early to speculate on the availability of Tagovailoa, who suffered at least his third concussion as an NFL player when his head bounced off the turf.

“I have no idea and I’m not going to all of a sudden start making decisions that I don’t even see myself involved in the most important parts of,” McDaniel added. “All I’m telling Tua is everyone is counting on you to be a dad and be a dad this weekend. And then we’ll move from there. There won’t be any talk about where we’re going in that regard … none of that will happen without doctors’ expertise and the actual player.”

McDaniel said Tagovailoa will be evaluated Friday at the team facility.

“We just have to operate in the unknown and be prepared for every situation,” McDaniel said.

“The best thing I can do is not try to assess what this even means from a football standpoint,” he added.

Tagovailoa, who started all 17 games and led the NFL with 4,624 passing yards last season, was intercepted three times before leaving Thursday’s game.

–Field Level Media

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) participates at training camp at Baptist Health Training Complex, Sunday, July 30, 2023 in Miami Gardens.

Dolphins stress communication with absent QB Tua Tagovailoa

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Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel can deal with an occasional absence from quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, even during negotiations toward a long-term contract extension.

Tagovailoa was excused from Tuesday’s team workout after attending Monday. He played in former Alabama head coach Nick Saban’s annual charity golf tournament, a date previously cleared by the Dolphins.

“I think what’s important in the player-coach relationship is communication,” McDaniel said after noting Tagovailoa doesn’t have perfect attendance and has “been here and not been here,” during OTAs.

“I think however things play out, as long as we’re communicating and we’re on our P’s and Q’s in what we need to get accomplished, then we have a fighting chance. It’s been a good exercise in our relationship this offseason.”

This is the final season on the rookie deal Tagovailoa signed, a fifth-year team option worth $23.1 million. But the going rate for plus starters in the NFL is more than double that rate annually.

McDaniel said Tuesday he wouldn’t speak for Tagovailoa regarding specific reasons or rationale behind other absences.

The Dolphins drafted Tagovailoa fifth overall in 2020 and he led the NFL with 4,624 passing yards in 2023. He also tallied 29 touchdown passes and largely stayed healthy. For the first time in his pro career, he played all 17 games in the regular season after concussions impacted his 2022 season.

Last summer, Tagovailoa dedicated himself to martial arts in an effort to promote safer landings — thus avoiding head injuries from helmet-to-turf contact. This offseason is all about getting cut, improving agility and being more of a threat outside of the pocket.

McDaniel said Tagovailoa, 26, is down “10 to 15 pounds.”

“The results speak for themselves,” McDaniel said. “He’s svelte.”

–Field Level Media

Miami Dolphins guard Connor Williams (58) is check out by staff during the first quarter against the Tennessee Titans at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Fla., Monday, Dec. 11, 2023.

Dolphins C Connor Williams out for year, WR Tyreek Hill day-to-day

Posted on | by Field Level Media

The Miami Dolphins lost starting center Connor Williams for the rest of the season with a torn ACL.

The news was more positive for star wide receiver Tyreek Hill, who is considered day-to-day with an ankle injury.

Both Williams and Hill were hurt Monday night in the first quarter of a 28-27 defeat to the visiting Tennessee Titans.

Williams, 26, is in his second season in Miami and sixth in the NFL. He has made 77 starts across 83 career games with the Dallas Cowboys (2018-21) and Miami.

“You don’t directly replace him, necessarily,” Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said. “I’d love to take the time right now to speak to the regard that this team has for Connor Williams and what he was doing this year, playing some excellent ball … You don’t necessarily replace that directly. However, you also prepare a lot for contingencies for these types of scenarios.”

Liam Eichenberg filled in at center Monday night and is expected to start at the position going forward.

As for Hill, he was injured with 2:50 left in the first quarter while being tackled. Tennessee’s Sean Murphy-Bunting brought down Hill with the latter’s lower left leg getting stuck underneath the left side of the cornerback’s body.

Hill was able to run off the field, from the Titans’ sideline to the Dolphins’, but he stayed out of the game till midway through the third quarter. He finished the night with four catches for 61 yards on just 34 snaps (47 percent of the offense’s plays).

“When it happened, like my first reaction was like, man, my ankle is gone,” Hill said postgame. “My adrenaline kicked in, I ran off the field, then I sat for a while and it got stiff and I was going through a lot of pain. Then I just made up in my mind, I came in at halftime, I texted my wife, I was like, ‘This (expletive) hurt.’ I need an ankle massage tonight, and she’s like, ‘You’d better get your ass back in that game, dawg.’ I was like, ‘All right.’”

Come Tuesday, McDaniel called it too early to be confident about Hill’s status for Sunday’s home game against the New York Jets.

“It was a painful ankle. Until he flat-out tells me there’s no doubt he’s going to play, you always have to plan for everything,” McDaniel said.

Hill is attempting to be the first 2,000-yard receiver in league history. He leads the NFL with 1,542 yards and 12 touchdown catches and ranks second with 97 receptions.

–Field Level Media

Dec 25, 2022; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) looks on from the field during the second quarter against the Green Bay Packers at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports

Dolphins weighing variables with Tua Tagovailoa’s contract option

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Decision day for the fifth-year option facing teams with 2020 first-round picks are due in two months, and Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel knows there are many variables to consider in the case of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.

Tagovailoa’s 2022 season ended on Christmas Eve after his second documented concussion of the season. He was also out Sept. 30-Oct. 22 following a head injury at Cincinnati that caused the NFL to revise the league concussion protocol.

Miami used the fifth pick in the 2020 draft to select Tagovailoa. The fifth-year option for Tagovailoa is worth $23.2 million.

“You know like any other player you factor in every variable,” McDaniel said on Tuesday. “I think one thing that when you’re talking about those type of decisions, I think it’s important to recognize that we have a congruence of interest by the Dolphins and the player Tua, both parties really want him to play at a very high level for the Miami Dolphins.”

Miami has until May 1, one week after the 2023 NFL Draft, to exercise the option for 2024. Tagovailoa turns 25 on March 2, and came into the 2020 NFL Draft with questions about durability because of hip and ankle surgeries during his three seasons at Alabama.

In 2022, his first season with McDaniel, Tagovailoa posted career bests in nearly every category and was 8-5 as a starter. He had 3,548 passing yards, averaged 13.7 yards per completion with 25 touchdowns, eight interceptions and a passer rating of 105.5.

Tagovailoa said he’s taking martial arts classes with the goal of learning how to absorb a fall with his body. He entered the NFL with a known injury history at Alabama, including hip and ankle surgeries.

“You factor in everything as best you can,” McDaniel said. “But you know that’s a part of this game that we’re all involved in, there are some unknowns and … you make the best decision for the organization.”

–Field Level Media

Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator Josh Boyer is seen on the sidelines during the football game between the New York Jets and host Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday, January 8, 2023, in Miami Gardens, FL.

Dolphins fire DC Josh Boyer after 3 seasons

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The Miami Dolphins on Thursday parted ways with defensive coordinator Josh Boyer and three other defensive assistants.

Boyer, 45, has been with the Dolphins for the past four seasons, the last three as defensive coordinator, promoted by former head coach Brian Flores in 2020.

“I am grateful for Josh’s contributions this year and throughout his tenure with the Dolphins,” Miami coach Mike McDaniel said in a statement. “The defense made strides through the season, so coming to this decision was not easy, but ultimately I feel it is in the best long-term interests of the Miami Dolphins and the continued growth of our players and team.”

The Dolphins also fired safeties coach Steve Gregory, outside linebackers coach Ty McKenzie and assistant linebackers coach Steve Ferentz.

McDaniel, who just completed his first season as head coach, inherited most of the defensive staff from Flores’ short tenure as head coach.

The Dolphins finished 18th in total defense (337.8 yards per game), 24th in scoring defense (23.5) and 27th in passing defense (234.8 ypg).

–Field Level Media

Dec 25, 2022; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) throws the football during the fourth quarter against the Green Bay Packers at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports

Tua Tagovailoa not a QB option for Dolphins in Week 18

Posted on | by Field Level Media

With a playoff berth on the line, coach Mike McDaniel said the Miami Dolphins will start either Teddy Bridgewater or rookie Skylar Thompson in Week 18 against the New York Jets, with Tua Tagovailoa remaining in the league’s concussion protocol.

Tagovailoa is in the protocol for the third time this season after self-reporting symptoms following a Week 16 loss to the Green Bay Packers. He missed Sunday’s setback to the New England Patriots, the team’s fifth straight loss.

There is no timetable for Tagovailoa’s return, McDaniel told reporters Monday.

“I haven’t even thought about (Tagovailoa’s) playing status. It’s about him getting healthy each and every day,” McDaniel told reporters. “And so I can’t really even factor him into any sort of equation until we’re ready to broach that.

“Specifically as mandated, I haven’t had a discussion with Tua about when he’s playing.”

The Dolphins need to beat the Jets on Sunday and hope the Buffalo Bills beat the Patriots in order to clinch the final spot in the AFC wild-card picture.

McDaniel said it was too soon to know whether Bridgewater, who injured the pinkie finger of his throwing hand Sunday, would be able to play against the Jets. Multiple reports Sunday night said the Dolphins believed the finger was broken.

Tagovailoa had a strong start to the season, with the Dolphins going 8-0 in the first eight games he started and finished. But he threw a season-high three interceptions against the Packers on Christmas Day. He’s thrown for 3,548 yards and 25 touchdowns, both career highs in his third NFL season, along with eight interceptions on 64.8 percent passing.

Prior to exiting the Patriots game, Bridgewater completed 12 of 19 passes for 161 yards with one touchdown and one interception. The journeyman started one other game earlier in the season, also against the Jets — and left in the first quarter with a head injury.

Thompson, a seventh-round pick out of Kansas State, started the game after that against Minnesota and has seen action in six games as a rookie. He has thrown for 382 yards, one touchdown and three picks. The touchdown came Sunday against New England on a 4-yarder to tight end Mike Gesicki with 1:04 to play, cutting the deficit to two points, but it was in vain as Miami did not recover an onside kick.

“It’s just really a situation of, at this point in the week — Monday and Tuesday game prep — I’ll be preparing for both Skylar and Teddy, and then proceed as the week progresses,” McDaniel said.

–Field Level Media