Miami Dolphins home opener interrupted by banner slamming Chris Grier and Mike McDaniel

On September 14, 2025, Miami Dolphins fans showed their dissatisfaction by circling Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, before their squad's home opening against the New England Patriots.

Intended by general manager Chris Grier and head coach Mike McDaniel, the plane bore a banner stating, "Fire Grier, Fire McDaniel". The protest came just a week after Miami’s poor start to the season, where quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and the Dolphins struggled badly in a 33-8 loss to the Indianapolis Colts.

Chris Grier and Mike McDaniel targeted with banner before Patriots game

Chris Grier has served as the Dolphins general manager since 2016. Mike McDaniel was appointed head coach in 2022. The banner swung around Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens during pregame exercises.

Having started Week 1 badly, the Dolphins approached the match. At Lucas Oil Stadium on Sunday, September 7, they lost 33–8 to the Indianapolis Colts. Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa had three turnovers in that game. Until the fourth quarter, the Miami attack did not score a touchdown. At 1 p.m. ET, the Week 2 game versus the Patriots began. The banner hung just minutes before the players entered the field.

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Tua Tagovailoa’s turnovers add to Dolphins’ rough start

Tua Tagovailoa is now in his fifth season with Miami. His three turnovers in Indianapolis put the team in an early hole.

The Dolphins’ only touchdown came late, long after the Colts had secured control of the game.The 2025 season marks another test for both Chris Grier and Mike McDaniel. Miami has not advanced deep into the playoffs in recent years. Frustration around the front office and coaching staff was visible in Sunday’s protest.It was not the first time a plane carried a critical message toward the Dolphins’ leadership. According to The New York Times, a banner flew above Joe Robbie Stadium in 1995 during a game against the Atlanta Falcons. That message referenced a Jimi Hendrix lyric and called for a coaching change. Sunday’s banner over Hard Rock Stadium echoed that same form of protest nearly three decades later.