When Mike McDaniel was hired as the head coach of the Miami Dolphins, fans expected his background as the San Francisco 49ers’ run game coordinator to bring a ground-heavy, balanced attack to South Beach. With the 49ers, McDaniel helped engineer a punishing, creative rushing system that was central to their offensive identity.
Yet, since arriving in Miami, that identity has taken a backseat to a pass-heavy approach driven by stars like Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. While explosive, this pass-first mentality has often left the Dolphins one-dimensional, something good defenses can exploit.
Too often, McDaniel appears to shy away from the run game at the first sign of resistance. If a defense lines up to stop the run, he pivots quickly to the pass, abandoning balance and predictability in the name of adaptation. But in doing so, he’s failing to establish the kind of consistent, physical identity that could take Miami’s offense to the next level.
If he’s truly serious about “taking what the defense gives,” then sometimes the answer is to take it three straight times on the ground — even when it’s not glamorous.
That doesn’t mean ignoring Tyreek Hill. But feeding him 10–15 targets every game forces the issue, particularly when defenses are keying in on him. A steady run game can keep linebackers honest, force safeties into the box, and open up the exact kind of deep shots Hill and Waddle thrive on. The big plays don’t come from forcing the ball — they come from making defenses pay for overcommitting.
Fortunately, McDaniel now has the personnel to build a true ground identity. Alexander Mattison, Jaylen Wright, and, more recently, Ollie Gordon II give the Dolphins a trio of physical backs capable of punishing defenders and extending drives. Wright brings home-run speed, Gordon has the size and vision to be a bell-cow, and Mattison provides a veteran presence with physicality in short-yardage situations. This group isn’t just depth — it’s a signal that Miami can and should impose its will on the ground.
It’s time for McDaniel to stop treating the run game like a contingency plan and start building the offense around it. He has the talent in the backfield, the blocking schemes, especially with the new tight end additions, and the explosive weapons outside to make defenses pay once they overcommit. A more run-focused approach doesn’t mean playing conservatively — it means playing smart, dictating tempo, and finally making the Dolphins’ offense as dangerous as it was alway
s meant to be.
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