Mike McDaniel can’t catch a break right now. The Dolphins HC is already facing heat after back-to-back late-season collapses. And the national media isn’t letting up. Three straight years of playoff disappointment have turned up the pressure; another miss this season, and Miami might finally pull the plug on someone. Maybe Tua Tagovailoa. Maybe Chris Grier or McDaniel himself.
Because here’s the hard truth: explosive regular-season stats don’t mean much when January keeps ending in disaster. McDaniel’s offensive genius hasn’t fixed the Dolphins’ biggest problem, folding when it matters most. And if Wednesday’s joint practice with the Detroit Lions was any indication? That problem isn’t going away quietly. One player in particular made sure of that. And the way he dominated Miami’s defense? McDaniel might want to burn the tape. That ‘tape‘ the Dolphins HC might want to burn? It features Amon-Ra St. Brown treating Miami’s secondary like his personal highlight reel.
From the very first rep, St. Brown made it clear this was his day. He roasted Dolphins CB Jack Jones down the sideline for an easy TD, setting the tone for what would become a brutal afternoon for Miami’s secondary. The 25-year-old Lions star didn’t just win his matchups; he embarrassed them. Four 1-on-1 reps, four victories, two TDs. And when drills shifted to 7-on-7 and full-team work? Nothing changed. St. Brown kept cooking, hauling in double-digit catches while making contested grabs look routine. His best play? A ridiculous toe-tapping TD where he pinned the ball against a defender’s helmet.
Minnesota Vikings vs. Detroit Lions DETROIT,MICHIGAN-JANUARY 5: Wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown 14 of the Detroit Lions walks off of the field at the conclusion of a game between the Detroit Lions and the Minnesota Vikings in Detroit, Michigan USA, on Sunday, January 5, 2025. Detroit Michigan United States PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxFRA Copyright: xAmyxLemusx originalFilename:lemus-minnesot250105_npq14.jpg
Jared Goff, meanwhile, looked like he was playing pitch-and-catch with his favorite target. Every route, every timing throw, they were in perfect sync. Short, deep, intermediate, it didn’t matter. St. Brown created space as well, leaving Miami’s defensive backs grasping at air. Yes, the Dolphins were missing Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle for most of team drills, but that doesn’t excuse the defense’s struggles. Detroit’s offense moved the ball at will, both through the air and on the ground, while its defense outmuscled Miami at every turn. The Lions played with a physical edge that the Dolphins simply couldn’t match.
For McDaniel, that’s the real concern. His team already faces questions about fading in big moments. Now, after getting bullied in a practice setting, those doubts only grow louder.
Mike McDaniel faces tough practice truths
The Dolphins HC wanted his team to feel Detroit’s brand of football, the kind that leaves bruises and tests wills. By Wednesday afternoon, he might have regretted that wish. The Lions didn’t just show up to practice; they brought a sledgehammer. From the opening snaps, Detroit’s offensive line mauled Miami’s front, carving running lanes so wide you could drive a truck through them. Taylor Decker and his crew kept Jared Goff’s jersey cleaner than a showroom car, while the backup units mirrored that dominance.
Then came the situational drills, the moments Mike McDaniel needed to evaluate most. His offense crumbled in the end-of-half scenario, managing just two dink-and-dunk completions before Amik Robertson swatted away their hopes. Meanwhile, Goff and St. Brown sliced through Miami’s secondary like it was a 7-on-7 walkthrough. A 25-yard dagger over the middle, pinpoint throws to backups, the Lions treated the two-minute drill like target practice.
NFL, American Football Herren, USA Miami Dolphins Minicamp Jun 10, 2025 Miami, FL, USA Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel talks to reporters before practice during mandatory minicamp at Hard Rock Stadium. Miami Hard Rock Stadium FL USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xSamxNavarrox 20250610_SN_na2_0001
Even Detroit’s young guns twisted the knife. When Zach Wilson took reps against the Lions’ second-team defense, he threw three straight picks to unknowns like Nick Whiteside and Ian Kennelly. Each interception felt like another log on the fire burning McDaniel’s patience. And then there was Aidan Hutchinson, a one-man wrecking crew who treated Miami’s right tackle like a turnstile. Speed rush? Spin move? Poor Larry Borom never stood a chance. Every Hutchinson rep screamed the same message: This is the physicality McDaniel wanted his team to learn from.
For McDaniel, these practice struggles sting, but they might be the wake-up call Miami needs. The Dolphins can’t keep pretending their late-season fades are flukes, not when opponents like Detroit expose the same weaknesses year after year. Either this team learns to fight back with the same physicality they faced on Wednesday, or the pressure will keep mounting.
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