Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said moments after his team lost to the Chiefs on Saturday night that being eliminated in the wild card round was a major disappointment compared to where the Dolphins thought they would be.
“We fell very short of our goals,” McDaniel said. “We have very strong expectations for ourselves. One of the reasons a lot of people don’t put themselves out there and hold those expectations is because when you fall short of them it’s emotional, it’s gut-wrenching.”
McDaniel said the Dolphins believed they were going to win, even though they went into the game depleted by injuries and knew they’d be playing the Chiefs in freezing conditions in Kansas City.
“We lost a game we were 100 percent all-in, fearlessly feeling as though we would win,” McDaniel said.
McDaniel said he does take some solace in believing that the 2023 team was better team than the Dolphins’ 2022 team, and that they can take more steps forward in 2024.