Dolphins Coach Mike McDaniel Says Zach Wilson Has “Been Through Some S—t”

It’s no secret that the start to Zach Wilson’s NFL career has been tumultuous — marked by struggles on the field, coaching changes, and intense media scrutiny.

Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel acknowledged that reality bluntly this week.

“There are residuals to people that have gone through things that are very beneficial,” McDaniel explained. “But as a football player, I think he’s come close to about as much scrutiny as one could have. Coming in, I’m going to challenge the guy because at the quarterback position, you are supremely challenged on every drive and every quarter. He looks like a guy that has been through some s—t and found his way through it.”

As a top-three draft pick for a struggling franchise in one of the world’s biggest markets, expectations were sky-high for Wilson before he even took a snap.

When he failed to meet the hype in his first few seasons, it didn’t take long for both Jets fans and the national media to turn on him. After taking a backseat with the Broncos in 2024 and now founding a new home in South Beach, a career resurgence could be on the horizon for Wilson.

Now, that doesn’t necessarily mean he will be an All-Pro QB, but a welcoming and winning culture can do wonders for a young player. McDaniel went on to say that Wilson was a “direct, calculated target” for Miami.

The Dolphins believe in Wilson and are betting on themselves to unlock the potential and confidence many thought was there in the 2021 NFL Draft.

Zach Wilson explains for the first time in his life he’s hearing he’s late on some throws pic.twitter.com/dGdfArX3Ru

— Joe Schad (@schadjoe) June 11, 2025

McDaniel specifically pointed out Wilson’s arm talent, but said that it can come back to bite him in certain ways.

He explained that a lot of quarterbacks with strong arms tend to miss easy, short throws because they’re constantly looking to make the bigger play. However, the bigger play isn’t always the better play. For his career, Wilson has 23 passing touchdowns and 25 interceptions.

“It’s cool to watch him grow, particularly in our offense, because guys with arm talent always throw it late,” McDaniel explained. “A guy with arm talent like that to challenge the play, the game of football, the quarterback position, the only reason I would even challenge him in that regard is because he has the power of, ‘Yeah, this game adjustment, or what coach is asking of me is minuscule.’ So he’s exhibited that.”

The Miami Dolphins’ preseason will kick off in Chicago against the Bears on Sunday, August 10. They open their regular season in Indianapolis against the Colts on Sunday, September 7.

About Zach Wilson

Before his time in the NFL, the Corner Canyon High School product had a standout career at BYU. Wilson helped the Cougars to an 11-1 record during his final season in Provo.

Following his college career, the Jets selected Wilson with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.

The Corner Canyon product entered his rookie season as the Jets’ starting quarterback. Wilson experienced multiple knee injuries that caused him to miss significant time during his first two seasons.

He entered the 2023 season as Aaron Rodger’s backup. However, Rodgers went down with a season-ending injury a few plays into New York’s first game. Wilson was thrust back into the starting lineup for a team that showed the same flaws from past seasons.

#BYU great, Denver Broncos QB @ZachWilson is supporting the Cougs!#BYUFootball #GoCougs pic.twitter.com/Ra0APsjkOz

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) September 1, 2024

Late in 2023, Wilson was benched for the third time in his career. He returned to the field a couple of weeks later after the Jets found no success with their other quarterbacks. Wilson suffered a concussion the following week and didn’t play for the remainder of the regular season. The former BYU star missed New York’s final three games and the Jets finished with a 7-10 record, missing the playoffs for a 13th straight year.

In his third season, Wilson threw for 2,271 yards, eight touchdowns, and seven interceptions with a completion percentage of 60.1. He also ran for 211 yards.

After spending the 2024 season as a backup in Denver, the Miami Dolphins signed the former Cougar on March 10, 2025.

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Chandler Holt is a co-host of the Jazz Notes podcast, a Locals In The NFL Insider, and Digital Sports Producer for KSLSports.com. Follow Chandler on X for Utah Jazz and Locals In The NFL updates.

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