Dolphins’ Mike McDaniel Wanted Penalties for Snowballs in Buffalo

The Miami head coach was concerned for his players’ safety in the moment.

Bills fans provided a true home-field advantage Saturday night against the Dolphins by throwing snowballs onto the field at Miami players. It happened so frequently that officials had to threaten fans with a 15-yard penalty if they continued to do so.

As it turns out, it was the Dolphins’ head coach who requested that officials penalize the Bills because of the fans’ behavior. Mike McDaniel said he was worried about the safety of his players, which prompted him to say something in the moment.

“I was just more concerned with safety when there are ice balls flying at people’s heads,” McDaniel said, via the Miami Herald’s Jordan McPherson. ”I think that’s what [the officials] were concerned with as well. There were several people that got hit. It’s whatever.”

Miami entered the game with a chance to gain a game on the Bills in the AFC East standings and also clinch the tiebreaker against Buffalo. However, the conditions were tough—made even more difficult by Bills fans hurling projectiles. Luckily for Miami, no Dolphins player was injured amid the chaos.

The loss was Miami’s third in a row, effectively ending the team’s shot at winning the AFC East. At 8-6, the Dolphins remain in the thick of the playoff chase for a wild-card berth.