Mike McDaniel addresses Super Bowl claim from Dolphins owner

As Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk pointed out, Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross boldly declared during a broadcast of the club's preseason game versus the Washington Commanders this past Saturday that he believes "we’re certainly a contender for the Super Bowl" heading into the upcoming season.

Miami head coach Mike McDaniel is embracing such expectations regardless of what outsiders may think about his team's chances.

"I think from a team perspective, a lot of times people hesitate to talk about goals in case you don’t achieve them," McDaniel said over the weekend. "I don’t really operate that way."

McDaniel guided the Dolphins to the playoffs across his first two campaigns in charge , and Miami quarterback Tua Tagovailoa somewhat silenced chatter about his concerning injury history when he made 18 starts (postseason included) for the first time in his career last season. Earlier this summer, the Dolphins locked Tagovailoa down via a four-year, $212.4M contract extension.

With all that said, Tagovailoa has no playoff victories on his career resume, and the fact that he went 1-6 against teams with a winning record last season has some questioning if he can take the 2024 Dolphins where they hope to go.

As much as McDaniel wants Tagovailoa and others inside the locker room focusing on weekly tasks from now through January, the coach seemingly has no issue with Ross openly speaking about Miami possibly making a journey to Super Bowl LIX.

"...I like the building and, including the owner, having the mindset of let’s be bold, don’t be afraid of anything," McDaniel added during his comments. "We’re going to compete. I think that brings out the best in people. I’m excited that he — I think that means he believes in the program, right?"

It remains to be seen if Tagovailoa can stay healthy for a second consecutive season and also routinely produce elite performances against top-tier clubs.

As of Monday morning, DraftKings Sportsbook had Miami tied for sixth among the betting favorites at +1100 odds to represent the AFC in Super Bowl LIX.

The Dolphins will look to make a statement when they open the regular season on Sept. 8 with a home game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, who are attempting to bounce back from a rough ending to their 2023 campaign.