Stuck in the Cycle: Dolphins 0-3 Start Feels All Too Familiar
A 0-3 start, a locker room in dismay, and the media dissecting every move — the Dolphins are entering shallow waters in their 2025 season. Mike McDaniel came into the year with arguably the hottest seat in football, with murmurs suggesting that both he and general manager Chris Grier could be gone by Week Seven if Miami failed to compete. Yet, after Thursday’s heartbreaking loss to the Bills, a legitimate Super Bowl contender, did Miami show enough fight to keep hope alive? They’ll enter Week Four winless, but with an easier stretch ahead, maybe it’s not over yet.
In the modern NFL era, only six teams have made the playoffs after a 0-3 start. The most recent? The 2018 Houston Texans, who finished 11-5 and won the AFC South. Since 1990, just four of 165 teams, 2.4%, that started 0-3 have reached the postseason. The feat has happened only twice in the past 30 years and just once since 2000. The odds aren’t zero for Miami, but history is stacked against them. For now, McDaniel’s job appears “safe,” but should it be?
McDaniel has been Miami’s head coach for four seasons, posting a 28-27 record and going 0-2 in the playoffs. The Dolphins stumbled to their first losing season under him in 2024, raising questions about his long-term future. Instead of a reset, Miami doubled down on continuity, adding little roster help while preaching a “culture” shift that rang hollow, especially when it was discussed more than actual football. After Thursday’s loss, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported that McDaniel’s job was never in jeopardy for Week Three, regardless of the outcome against Buffalo.
However, the Dolphins are drifting toward the end of a familiar five-step cycle. Step One: Hire a head coach with an exciting background. Step Two: Bring in veteran talent to make a push. Step Three: Sneak into the playoffs but fail to make a real run. Step Four: Collapse, with players growing unhappy as losing seasons follow. Step Five: Fire the coach, reset with a short-term rebuild, repeat. This has been Miami’s harsh reality since Grier took over as GM in 2016. The Dolphins don’t need another cycle; they need real change.
