McDaniel Not Running Away from Narrative ... On the Contrary

Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel isn't afraid to talk about the team's long playoff drought

Mike McDaniel / Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports

On the final day of the 2024 Miami Dolphins offseason program, Mike McDaniel was talking about the playoffs.

And, yes, this was about the “narrative.”

Forget about the Dolphins not finishing well, this is about more specifically the team’s inability to win a playoff game.

And in case you’ve missed it, the Dolphins’ streak of 24 consecutive seasons without a playoff win is now the longest active streak in the NFL after the Detroit Lions defeated the Los Angeles Rams and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to advance to the NFC Championship Game.

McDANIEL NOT AFRAID TO DISCUSS THE DROUGHT

McDaniel know that topic is coming late in the 2024 season when the playoffs approach, and he’s most definitely not about to run away from it.

"Well, I think it's important to understand, like we're talking about narratives to a degree, and to understand narratives aren't a bad thing,” McDaniel said. “Narratives are based upon past and opinions moving forward. And so like, I think it's important to get in front of that and know what's coming for players that are going to experience it directly and then leaning into that.

“What can we learn from all of this? And how do we adjust what we do now to hedge our bet then? And little things you take, whether it's a game or we need to finish the season better, so you get what you emphasize. Well, why not find ways to emphasize finishing in everything you do obsess about? Why not have you know, for half the offseason, you know you're trying to have staff meetings at different times during the day. And I had every staff meeting, I put like 724, or 324, or 524, like the number 24.”

And then McDaniel proceeded to explain the meaning behind that.

“OK, to you guys, it means nothing. That's how many years it's been since a playoff (win). We're going to hear about that come playoff time. To me, you do that to empower guys to know what's coming, to understand it, to not run from it. Because if you're going to achieve success where people are predicting failure, you're going to have to go above and beyond.”

“You know what's going to be said to you by your friends or maybe some media numbers come next December. That's not what you want said about your team. ‘OK, you can't finish or you can't do that’. You don't want to hear that. (But) let's go attack it. Let's go achieve something together. That's the reason why I bring it up, just because I know, no matter how much I tell people to not listen, it's impossible not to hear the noise coming.”

McDANIEL NOT FEELING ADDITIONAL PRESSURE

Since that last playoff victory against the Indianapolis Colts on Dec. 30, 2000, the Dolphins have lost six consecutive playoff games — against the Raiders in the 2000 playoffs, against the Ravens in 2001 and 2008, against the Steelers in 2016, against the Bills in 2022, and against the Chiefs in 2023.

But as he prepares to enter his third season as Dolphins head coach, McDaniel says he doesn’t feel additional pressure to get that elusive playoff win.

“Yeah, I mean that you don't hire someone for moderate success or failure or anything; you hire them to win,” McDaniel said. “And I know we have to do that. So it's the same that nothing's really changed. I don't feel pressure that way. (There’s) enough pressure having the job in general. You're hired for a reason. You understand that, and you're trying to help be a part, facilitate, be a part of a team that can succeed in the failures of the previous 22 or 24 seasons. I knew what I was signing up for with this job. And for me to not think that we need to win would be what? So I'm entitled to the job? You know, doesn't make any sense to myself.

“It's going about business trying to maximize guys day in, day out, get the team as good as they can. And, you know, lean into to your teammates to go try to achieve something that will mean a lot to a lot of people.”