Can McDaniel and Tua Turn Things Around?

Discussion in 'Miami Dolphins Forum' started by KeyFin, Oct 25, 2025 at 4:12 AM.

  1. KeyFin

    KeyFin Well-Known Member

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    Thinking about this season is not fun for so many reasons, but the main thing on my mind lately is Tua's relationship with McDaniel. When McD arrived, Tua had zero confidence and felt like he didn't belong. McD promised to do all he could to get the most out of Tua and if we're being honest, he likely delivered on that promise 100%. Everything about the offense (besides blocking) benefited Tua's strengths as a QB.

    I remember a few seasons ago when the offense was humming, we started to see "Salty Tua" and all of us loved it. The media took shots, Tua fired back, and the room was a little shocked that he was finding some confidence. It was no coincidence that's when the team was at its best- that's the Tua we all need for this team to work.

    This season though, how does McDaniel turn this around? It feel like the relationship is falling apart and for the first time as a head coach, McD can't be Tua's friend and mentor...he actually has to be the team's leader. And I don't think either one of them know how to work through that together.

    For the record, I don't think Tua did anything seriously wrong about mentioning players skipping team meetings and such. It was a bad answer, sure, but not what the media is making it out to be like he sold out his teammates. No names were called, no bridges burned so to speak, but the fallout is making it tough for McD to gain any confidence from his QB1.

    If he defends Tua, who's playing horrible, then he's a sell-out himself. But if he doesn't defend Tua, does the kid have the emotional maturity to overcome that on his own? I don't think he does, I think he cares too much and can't handle the media bashing. That's why he's giving answers about going home to his family after practice and games...it's true, but it's the worst possible answer for a team that's spiraling.

    Of course, there's also Tua's actual play to consider here- his pinpoint accuracy isn't seen nearly enough this season. He also doesn't have the velocity that we saw only a season ago, and I wonder how much of it is physical versus mental. Is he really just going through the motions waiting to be traded away? It he considering just retiring?

    I don't know and I don't have the answer.

    But at the same time, hopefully you fine folks realize that Tua is basically "untradable" this season or next season. We can scream, "new quarterback" all we want, but the reality is that he'll either be the starter or riding the bench with a massive contract. Benching Tua does absolutely nothing in this scenario since he's a virtual lock, so the relationship between Tua and McD must be repaired. But how?
     
  2. JJ_79

    JJ_79 Well-Known Member

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    If Tua (the O) can‘t stop with turning the ball over we ain‘t going nowhere with this D… But I don’t think we’ll go anywhere this season anyway and I‘m afraid there aren’t going to be any changes after the season…
     
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  3. pumpdogs

    pumpdogs Well-Known Member

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    Ross has to know no changes he will have crickets in the stands
    McDaniel to me 100 percent gone.
    Grier on the other hand?
     
  4. JJ_79

    JJ_79 Well-Known Member

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    I could live with it if it would be the other way around. If Grier is still in charge after this season, I won’t get Game Pass for next season and probably only going to renew it when he’s gone.
     
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  5. RGF

    RGF THE FINSTER Club Member

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    Its clear the opposing defenses figured out how to limit Tua's strong points and force him to hurry his throws. Add to that fact, Tua - for obvious reasons- is no longer allowed to scramble beyond the line of scrimmage unless there's absolutely no other option. And even then hes instructed to give himself up to avoid contact.
    Hill being out certainly doesn't help either.
    Also, a struggling running game adds to the ineptitude.
    Will MM finally design plays to overcome these problems? Who knows.
    I still feel his days as Miami's HC are numbered regardless.
     
  6. pumpdogs

    pumpdogs Well-Known Member

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    I am thinking that Flores lawsuit will keep Grier employed.
    God I hope im wrong
     
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  7. pumpdogs

    pumpdogs Well-Known Member

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    If Ross wants the number 1 pick he would be stupid to fire McDaniel now.
     
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  8. JJ_79

    JJ_79 Well-Known Member

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    Same!
     
  9. The_Dark_Knight

    The_Dark_Knight Defender of the Truth

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    I get that Tua lacks the attributes that some other quarterbacks possess, but I feel it’s more that defenses have cracked the code on McDaniel’s offense more than it is cracking the code on Tua.

    If we had an actual functional offensive line, our running game would be much more effective and not place so much pressure on the quarterback. We rarely…RARELY try to run the ball through the gaps. Nearly all of our rushing attempts are to the outside relying on Achane’s speed and elusiveness to net positive yardage and it’s not panned out well, putting the Dolphins in 2nd & 3rd and long. Defenses have figured out to jam the receivers at the line of scrimmage, taking away the routes and knowing full well the offensive line’s blocking is so putrid, there’ll be no receiver to dump the ball off to before Tua is having to scramble to avoid a loss.

    Not to mention as I’ve previously stated, something is definitely OFF about Tua this season. WHAT that is I’ve not quite figured out yet but McDaniel has got to adjust because his once explosive offense is nothing more than a ladyfinger of a firecracker now.
     
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  10. texanphinatic

    texanphinatic Senior Member

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    I haven't seen enough from either of them. For Tua, there will always be the major injury concerns and physical limitations. Give him an elite OL and running game and he can win you games ... but when going against elite teams, elite defenses in the late season or playoffs I just don't see him putting together a Super Bowl win. He needs everything to go right and even then it can be dicey.

    Trading, you'd have to hope he stays pretty healthy and has more games like this week than he did last week. You might be able to offload him for a 7th and some kind of salary/cap split with the trading team.

    McDaniel just hasn't shown evolution to his game. He also doesn't seem to have a good grasp on culture, and our teams struggle a lot with details and the small things. That stuff doesn't always matter against bad to middling teams, but it shows when we go 0-1000 against Buffalo and despite playing close games we cannot get over the hump. Constant special teams errors, bad penalties, dumb plays, team incoherence, general unpreparedness.

    My biggest concern with letting both of them back to try again next year however is that it means we probably have to deal with Grier for at least another year as well. If we want to move forward, with or without Tua and/or McDaniel, we have to dump Grier. He is arrogantly mediocre and grossly incompetent.
     
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  11. JJ_79

    JJ_79 Well-Known Member

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    Tua is almost impossible to trade at least for next season because of his contract anyways. That’s why I fear everything is going to stay the same in the end. This team is probably not going to get a high enough draft pick anyways. I‘d be ecstatic if only Grier would be gone after the season, not going to happen cause of the lawsuit…:drink:
     
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  12. ExplosionsInDaSky

    ExplosionsInDaSky Well-Known Member

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    Well....If there was ever a draft where it didn't matter about necessarily getting a top 3 pick, this is it. That being said, the Jets just won today so the crowd that's wanting us to tank can breathe easy. It's hard for me to root for losses. Only in the NBA do I usually stomach doing it and that's if I know my team is gonna be *** that season. Even then, it's hard not to get hype when your team wins.
     
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  13. texanphinatic

    texanphinatic Senior Member

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    Yeah I don't think you need the #1 overall. It's very common for the best Qb to not be the first overall. Daniels and Maye look better than Caleb. Stroud over Young. None of Mahomes, Allen, Lamar were top picks.

    It's about having a competent GM who can properly evaluate and select the right guy and surround them with a competent team and bring in a good coaching staff to lead and establish a culture. We simply do not. At this point, it feels like any success Grier has is more due to luck and a broken clock being right twice a day than in actually being a competent GM.
     
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  14. M1NDCRlME

    M1NDCRlME Fear The Spear

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    I almost bought it this season. I get a discount so its only $119 for the season and I'd would pay that if they were decent. Luckily the first few games were on local TV and Prime, and it was obvious this team is a dumpster fire. Until this team makes changes to become something more than mediocre on a regular basis, until this team gets rid of Grier, until they show that they are going to stop being stupid with damaged FA signings and bad draft picks, they get no more of my money (shirts, hats, gamepass, going to games, etc). Unfortunately, until Ross feels it in his pocketbook nothing will change, and I'm not convinced that even that would change his mind about Grier. I suspect that he's not able to detect the sarcasm when the other Owner's are telling him what a great job Grier is doing and to keep him as long as possible. His feeble mind is telling him that they are giving him honest advice.
     
    Last edited: Oct 26, 2025 at 10:52 PM
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  15. KeyFin

    KeyFin Well-Known Member

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    Explain this line of thinking because I don't see the connection.
     
  16. JJ_79

    JJ_79 Well-Known Member

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    He‘s a goof that’s for sure, but he definitely wants to win and is willing to pay. He’s just not good at selecting football personal.
     
  17. pumpdogs

    pumpdogs Well-Known Member

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    Grier is apparently the middle man in this case.Ross offered to pay Flores 100g per loss and Grier relayed this info for him.
    My guess is he fires Grier he will start singing.
     
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  18. TheHighExhaulted

    TheHighExhaulted Well-Known Member

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    Its not where you pick its who you pick.
     
  19. The_Dark_Knight

    The_Dark_Knight Defender of the Truth

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    Yea, what pump said. Now it’s just speculation, but if Grier has all of the dirty laundry and knows where the proverbial bodies are buried, Grier could decide to sing like a stool pigeon and depending on the severity of it, the league COULD force a sale of the Dolphins and post Ross like they did Dan Snyder

    Again, all speculation.
     
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  20. M1NDCRlME

    M1NDCRlME Fear The Spear

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    That would be the best most-dolphins **** ever.
     
  21. KeyFin

    KeyFin Well-Known Member

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    Aah, okay. I can see where you're coming from. Wouldn't the same happen if McDaniel was fired though? He could do the same thing Grier did.

    Maybe not though, because that's generally career suicide for either one of them. Flores definitely took the road less traveled when he filed a complaint and a lawsuit.
     
  22. KeyFin

    KeyFin Well-Known Member

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    Honestly, I wouldn't mind that at all...I'd actually like that since it's the only way Ross will be escorted out of Miami.

    To me, an owner should be active in the daily operations of a franchise. I can understand why some don't, and people like Ross see it more of a business investment than an actual job. I get it. I'd rather have a hands-on person who actually is involved with the staff, the operations, the roster, etc. Ross asking friends to give him an opinion drives me completely insane.
     
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  23. pumpdogs

    pumpdogs Well-Known Member

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    McDaniel wasn't involved in this so they can fire him at will
     
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