The Dolphins fall to 0-2, and bad might soon become worse for embattled coach and GM

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Miami quarterback Tua Tagovailoa didn't see the banner plane that was flying over his team's stadium on Sunday morning, the one a group of fans hired to call for the firings of embattled Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel and general manager Chris Grier.

That said, he did hear plenty of booing from the crowd.

And after the Dolphins lost 33-27 to New England on Sunday, Tagovailoa almost sounded like he would have booed as well if he were one of those fans.

For the first time since 2020, the Dolphins are 0-2 — and bad might soon become worse. Sunday's final score wasn't as one-sided as Week 1's 33-8 loss at Indianapolis, but that was no consolation. The Dolphins found plenty of ways to botch a chance of winning — from giving up a kickoff-return touchdown 12 seconds after a punt return midway through the fourth quarter gave them a lead, to not even being able to get plays and personnel in from the sideline properly with the game on the line in the final moments.

“I wouldn't say there's alerts going on right now saying, ‘Man, the season’s over,'” Tagovailoa said. “I think the alerts are more on, ‘Dude, what are we doing that we’ve done all these other years to start fast and help us get to where we want to go?’”

Tagovailoa was on the Dolphins team that started 0-2 in 2020; he was a rookie who hadn't played yet. Wide receiver Tyreek Hill was starring for Kansas City at that time. McDaniel was San Francisco's run game coordinator. Together in Miami, they were supposed to be the offensive triumvirate that finally found a way to make the Dolphins contenders.

There have been moments in recent years. Hints of hope. They seem long forgotten now.

“Ultimately, I look at absolutely everything falling on me,” McDaniel said. “That's the responsibility of the head coach. You go into (this) knowing that. That being said, I’m very frustrated. There’re some coaches and players that did not execute communication in a very dire period of the game, with the game on the line. Our communication and our substitution was not up to par. And ultimately, I hold all responsibility for all things."

McDaniel pointed out that all hope is not gone. At least one team that started 0-2 has made the playoffs in each of the last three seasons; three teams did it last season alone.

That also said, only six teams — and one since 1998 — have gotten to the playoffs after starting 0-3. The Dolphins play at Buffalo on Thursday night, and oddsmakers will surely expect Miami to be 0-3 after that one.

“Pressure is an opportunity,” Hill said. “We've got the right guys in the building. We’re coming every day with the right mindset. We’re just looking to attack every day and get better, so that’s how we’re going to approach it.”

Tickets for the Dolphins' home opener were being sold on the secondary market for the stunningly low price of around $30 before the game. The Dolphins were booed by fans after their first possession. They gave up the kickoff return touchdown to lose the lead late, then saw De’Von Achane step out of bounds on what nearly was a go-ahead score with about a minute left.

And then first-and-10 became first-and-20, the Dolphins seemed to lose all momentum in an instant, and 0-2 became reality. The crossroads of a season, even with 15 games left, might have arrived.

“Fans pay money, their hard-earned money, to come and see their team play,” Tagovailoa said. “We go out there and we don't look the part as we have in previous years. It's all understandable and it comes with the game. You get the boos, you get the cheers.

“For us, mentally as players, we're going to stay even-keeled. We've got to stay together. We've got to continue to trust one another and build off of whatever this game was.”

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Miami Dolphins' Bradley Chubb reacts after teammate Chop Robinson is hurt during the second half of an NFL football game against the New England Patriots Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Fans cheer during the second half of an NFL football game between the Miami Dolphins and the New England Patriots Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Miami Dolphins' Tua Tagovailoa throws during the second half of an NFL football game against the New England Patriots Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel runs to the locker room after the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

DALLAS (AP) — Cooper Flagg didn't get a call, and his coach and a teammate got kicked out of the game trying to stick up for the rookie No. 1 pick of the Dallas Mavericks.

Less than a quarter later, Flagg was the first teenager to score 51 points in an NBA game in Dallas' 138-127 loss to the Orlando Magic on Friday night.

Flagg scored 24 points in the fourth quarter after coach Jason Kidd and forward Naji Marshall were ejected complaining about what they thought was a no-call when Desmond Bane fouled Flagg.

Kidd was tossed even though he was assessed just one technical foul, while Marshall had gotten another tech at the end of the first half. His second came just moments after Kidd was thrown out.

“It’s great to see,” Flagg said after going 19 of 30 from the field and making all seven of his free throws and topping his previous career high of 49 in a 123-121 loss to Charlotte on Jan. 29.

“I already know that coach has my back and Naji ... I know he has my back for sure out there,” Flagg said. “Just seeing their emotion, seeing them fight for me and fight for the calls. Definitely some emotion, and motivated me even further.”

Flagg exited the game with 45 points, but assistant coach Frank Vogel, filling in for Kidd, told the 19-year-old he was just resting him during a defensive possession.

Vogel called a timeout to get Flagg back in with 3:22 remaining, and Flagg made history a little more than a minute later. He missed a 3-pointer the first time down, then missed a follow attempt on Brandon Williams' miss, got the rebound again and made a corner 3.

On the next Dallas possession, he hit an off-balance shot in the lane while getting fouled to clinch 50, made the free throw and left to a standing ovation.

The Mavericks were down 30 when Flagg started his fourth-quarter scoring barrage in what ended up being their 14th consecutive home loss. It's the longest home losing streak since Dallas lost the first 19 games at since-demolished Reunion Arena in 1993-94.

“It’s always fun getting into that type of mode,” Flagg said. “The basket feels big. My teammates are looking out for you, helping you out. But I like to win. That was my main focus. It’s hard for me to fully enjoy myself out there when we’re down 20, down 10, down 15, for the majority of the game.”

Flagg said he thought it was obvious Bane had fouled him in the opening two minutes of the fourth.

“I think it was warranted,” Flagg said about Kidd's reaction. “I’m not going to lie. I talked to Bane after the play, and he told me he was intentionally trying to foul me. I honestly don’t know how they didn’t see that. Obviously, they must not have had the right view, or they weren’t paying attention. But they missed it.”

Kidd said there was “a lot of excitement in the back” as he watched Flagg with a TV delay, hearing the crowd reaction before the buckets as the former Duke standout was 8 of 12 from the field and 4 of 6 from deep in the fourth.

Flagg's previous career high came against former Duke teammate Kon Knueppel, the fourth overall pick and fellow contender for rookie of the year.

Kidd continues to stump for Flagg to win the same award Kidd won with the Mavs 31 years ago, and dropped a Michael Jordan reference after Flagg's latest milestone. Yes, Jordan was the 1985 Rookie of the Year.

“He’s the rookie of the year,” Kidd said. “It’s unbelievable. The country’s now watching the same thing we get to watch on a daily basis. He’s in rare air. He’s with the GOAT when you talk about MJ and what he did in his rookie year. And as a teenager, to see what Cooper’s doing, just the excitement, the joy, playing the game, win or lose, his spirit, is about winning. Right now we’re not.”

For at least one night, the rookie overshadowed the long home losing streak, even though he couldn't end it.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (32) is fouled by Orlando Magic's Jamal Cain, rear, as Flagg sinks a basket for his 50th point of the game late in the second half of an NBA basketball game Friday, April 3, 2026, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (32) reacts to play as referee Sean Corbin, right, jogs upcourt in the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Orlando Magic Friday, April 3, 2026, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg, right, is greeted at the bench by assistant coach Frank Vogel, center left, as Orlando Magic's Jase Richardson, left, stands by in the second half of an NBA basketball game Friday, April 3, 2026, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd, center, left, talks to Eric Lewis (42) after Kidd was ejected in the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Orlando Magic Friday, April 3, 2026, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (32) and Dwight Powell, right, celebrate a basket by Flagg in the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Orlando Magic Friday, April 3, 2026, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)