Struggles for the Dolphins Amid Season Woes
Richie Incognito, a former offensive lineman for the Miami Dolphins, has expressed his frustrations with head coach Mike McDaniel and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa during what’s been a rough start to the 2025 season. The Dolphins recently suffered a loss to the Cleveland Browns, where Tagovailoa’s performance was far from stellar—he managed only 100 yards on 23 throws, throwing three interceptions. Currently, he shares the league’s lead in interceptions with a total of 10.
With this loss, the Dolphins fell to a disappointing 1-6 record, and McDaniel seems to be struggling to figure out how to address the team’s ongoing issues. Incognito didn’t hold back in his criticism, stating, “I hate the whole situation they’re creating there. This is a dumpster fire, and McDaniel and Tua are throwing bags of gasoline into the dumpster fire.” He added that when he watches McDaniel on television, he doesn’t see the qualities of a strong leader, stating he wouldn’t feel inspired by McDaniel’s pregame speech when he’s in the heat of battle.
Incognito also pointed out that while Tagovailoa spoke about leadership and players being late, it really falls squarely on him as the franchise quarterback. He expressed concern about what consistent tardiness in a professional team signifies, suggesting it reveals deeper issues, like fractures within the team dynamic. He remarked, “To me, that’s the biggest flaw in this whole operation.”
Having spent four years with the Dolphins, where he even made a Pro Bowl appearance, Incognito is no stranger to controversy. He was previously embroiled in a bullying scandal back in 2013. Recently, he placed blame on owner Stephen Ross, calling him an “absentee owner” who is “trusting the wrong people” and criticized general manager Chris Grier for bringing in players that don’t mesh well with the team’s needs.
As the organization stands by Grier and McDaniel for now, the Dolphins are hoping to turn things around with their upcoming game against the Atlanta Falcons this Sunday.
