Dolphins HC Mike McDaniel hammering home 24-year playoff-win drought: 'You get what you emphasize'

Walking away from the bitter-cold sting of an AFC Wild Card loss last season to the Kansas City Chiefs, Mike McDaniel and the Miami Dolphins extended a dubious run of postseason futility for the franchise.

The Dolphins have not won a playoff game since the first season of this century.

McDaniel is emphasizing the historical fact for any coaches or players who might not know that Miami has been waiting for a postseason victory to celebrate for a lengthy and unproductive 24 years.

“Focus on what you want to achieve,” McDaniel stated on Thursday, as per the team’s transcript. “Why not emphasize completing every task you undertake? Be passionate about it. How about conducting staff meetings at varied times throughout the offseason? I scheduled all my staff meetings at times like 7:24, 3:24, or 5:24 — the number 24. This may not mean anything to you, but it’s been 24 years since this organization has won a playoff game. This will be a talking point come playoff time, don’t you think? In my view, emphasizing this helps the team anticipate what lies ahead, comprehend it, and not shy away from it.”

McDaniel’s arrival in Miami before the 2022 season has brought a vibrant offense that accumulated significant yards and points, leading the Dolphins to consecutive playoff appearances. The 2022 participation marked the end of a five-year streak of missing the playoffs. However, despite these achievements, the Dolphins have suffered opening-round defeats in both of the past two seasons. Moreover, the franchise hasn’t seen any success in its last five playoff appearances. This highlights not only the struggle to reach the postseason but also the inability to progress once they qualify.

With a starry roster that includes talents such as Tua Tagovailoa, Tyreek Hill, Jalen Ramsey and many more, there’s no guessing on what the onus is. Getting back to the playoffs isn’t enough, it’s time to make a run.

McDaniel is not avoiding that reality.

As the 2024 season draws near, he plans to prompt his team about the crucial time it is – a time to break another run of failure. He is aware that the media and fans will inevitably remind his players, so he might as well take the lead.

“Narratives are constructed from past events and future uncertainties,” McDaniel stated. “I believe it’s crucial to anticipate these narratives and understand what our players, who will directly experience them, may face. It’s amusing when people say, ‘Now you’re under pressure,’ as if you’re oblivious to the challenges in this business. It’s a case of perform now or face the consequences. This is also true when addressing past events. For instance, our last two seasons ended in a particular way, with about 30 to 40 percent of the team involved, while the rest weren’t. But what lessons can we glean from these experiences and how can we adapt our current strategies to safeguard our future? Whether it’s a single game or an entire season, we need to improve our performance.”

The Dolphins, often criticized for underperforming in significant games, posted an 11-6 record in 2023, their best since 2008, before being defeated 26-7 by the Chiefs. They had been knocked out in a closely contested 34-31 match against their rivals, the Buffalo Bills, under similar frigid road conditions in the previous season.

McDaniel won’t wait until another chilly December to bring up the topic. He’s addressing it this spring.

“Let’s confront it and strive for a common goal,” said McDaniel. “I mention this because I understand that despite advising people to ignore it, it’s inevitable to not hear the impending noise. There will always be disruptions. So, let’s just face it head-on and perform our duties today with intention and mindfulness that we can utilize in the future.”

Naturally, the Fins’ playoff struggles had been ongoing long before McDaniel arrived in South Beach.

When the Dolphins last won a playoff game, Dave Wannstedt was the head coach. He was also the coach on the sidelines when their unsuccessful postseason run started.

Wannstedt’s 2001 Dolphins team was eliminated early, as were Tony Sparano’s 2008 Dolphins and Adam Gase’s 2016 squad. The same has now happened with McDaniel’s first two teams.

Despite the longstanding issue troubling the franchise, McDaniel is not avoiding a personal focus as he enters Year 3.

“During my initial team meeting after being hired, I mentioned my 22 years of experience,” said McDaniel. “The aim of hiring someone is not for mediocre success or failure, but for winning, and I’m fully aware of this expectation. Nothing’s changed in this regard. I don’t feel any additional pressure, considering the job itself is already quite demanding.”

There’s no need for anything else – there’s nothing more to it. You were hired with a specific purpose in mind, which you understand. Your goal is to contribute, facilitate, and be an integral part of a team that can overcome the failures of the past 22 or 24 seasons. I was fully aware of what this job entailed when I signed up for it.