Quinn Ewers First Start Actually Put Spotlight On Owner Stephen Ross And Coach Mike McDaniel's Job Status

This day was supposed to be about the Miami Dolphins having their best chance to win, as coach Mike McDaniel insisted. We were supposed to see if rookie Quinn Ewers could give the team a lift and show himself as a spark for the future. But it turned into something much different. 

Much more malignant.

MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA - DECEMBER 21: Quinn Ewers #14 of the Miami Dolphins looks to pass against the Cincinnati Bengals in the first quarter of a game at Hard Rock Stadium on December 21, 2025 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

Quinn Ewers Good And Bad

Ewers had good moments and bad in Sunday's 45-21 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. But he proved nothing longterm, because that cannot be decided after just one game. So, he wasn't the focus this day anyway.

The focus was on Dolphins owner Stephen Ross. And McDaniel. 

The focus was on what Ross is going to do with his coach and what possibly both will do with salary cap dark cloud Tua Tagovailoa in the future.

And let me cut to the chase: This franchise is in major trouble.

Because we're getting a peek into what's coming on all those fronts. And it includes a lot of questionable answers.

MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA - DECEMBER 21: Joe Burrow #9 of the Cincinnati Bengals looks to pass while pressured by Zach Sieler #92 and Tyrel Dodson #25 of the Miami Dolphins in the second quarter of a game at Hard Rock Stadium on December 21, 2025 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

Stephen Ross Keeping McDaniel?

Let's understand that the Dolphins under Ross are leaning toward keeping McDaniel as their coach beyond this season. The NFL Network went further on that statement by reporting Sunday that is the expectation.

The reason Insider Ian Rapoport said McDaniel is expected back next season is that Ross supports him, the two are close, and the Dolphins organization believes McDaniel will succeed.

And this is not to cast doubt on Rapsheet's report but rather to cast serious doubt on the parties involved – Ross and McDaniel. 

Because there is nothing they have done lately that suggests we should trust either of them or that success is coming.

Ross Ownership Has Been A Failure

Ross has owned the team 17 seasons since 2009. But the Dolphins on Sunday clinched their 10th losing season under his ownership.

The Dolphins have had more losing seasons under Ross than they did from their founding in 1966 to 2000 when they suffered only six such seasons – with four of those coming immediately after their founding.

And this is the guy we should trust when his club source leaks he believes in McDaniel? That's like trusting a blindfolded batter when he says he can hit a knuckleball.

My experience with Ross is he falls in professional love with people. He did it with Joe Philbin, Jeff Ireland, Mike Tannenbaum, Adam Gase, Chris Grier, Brian Flores and now McDaniel. And that love often endures despite continued failures.

But only for a time. Ross, who doesn't have a philosophical anchor about what succeeds and what doesn't in the NFL, has often fallen out of love with his people. It can be quite sudden and perhaps even unexpected when it happens.

Like on a Monday after a 45-21 loss.

The love Ross inexplicably allows to endure amid failure just as easily unexpectedly disappears at the weirdest times. I see that happening to McDaniel if he's not careful.

MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA - DECEMBER 21: Tua Tagovailoa #1 of the Miami Dolphins looks on from the sideline in the first quarter of a game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Hard Rock Stadium on December 21, 2025 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)

McDaniel List Of Failures Includes Tua

Ross is for him because he's an interesting guy to talk to, he's accessible to Ross, he's witty, all that. But unless the coach changes course, Ross will lose interest. 

So, even if McDaniel survives the losing of 2025, he had better not carry that over to the early part of the 2026 season because that is definitely the outermost boundary of Ross's love.

No biggie, right? McDaniel will fix it.

Well, this is where we apply the same standard to the coach as to the owner. We look at the history. 

• Did McDaniel fix Tua Tagovailoa to the degree the club is winning?
• Did he address last year's slow start by starting fast this year?
• Has McDaniel proved himself as a quarterback whisperer to the extent he's taken someone else's trash and turned him into a treasure? The answer with Tagovailoa, Skyler Thompson, Tyler Huntley, Mike White, Teddy Bridgewater, or Zach Wilson is all the same so far.

Indeed, every one of those questions is answered with a resounding no.

MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA - DECEMBER 21: Head coach Mike McDaniel of the Miami Dolphins looks on prior to a game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Hard Rock Stadium on December 21, 2025 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images)

Dolphins Poor Team After Halftime

One measure of a coach is how well he adjusts within the game and especially at halftime. Last year, the Dolphins were minus-7 in third quarter scoring against their opponents.

This year it is worse. The Dolphins entered this game having been outscored 92-27 in the third quarter this season. The Bengals on Sunday outscored Miami 21-0 in the third quarter.

This isn't an accident or coincidence. 

This is the Dolphins consistently coming out of their halftime locker room with whatever adjustments the coaching staff inserted into the game plan. And then getting destroyed with those new plans.

And, yes, that is definitely on the players.

But that is also definitely on the coaching. On McDaniel. Because he's simply not a good second-half coach, proven by the fact he has a 4-23 record in games he trails at halftime. 

All of that has failed McDaniel. And while the leak suggests that isn't a problem for Steve Ross, that doesn't make it more palatable to fans. 

It actually makes it insulting.