Mike McDaniel had some fun postgame after his team’s surprising win over Buffalo Rich Storry/Getty Images

The Miami Dolphins pulled off a shocking 30-13 upset win over the Buffalo Bills on Sunday. It was just Miami’s third victory of the season, but that didn’t stop Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel from celebrating a successful afternoon against the franchise that has won the AFC East five years in a row.

Bills fans made their presence felt in Miami this weekend. Gathering at the Elbo Room bar in Fort Lauderdale, a popular spot for Bills fans, the fans produced a sign that read “Bills Mafia Takeover.” A video on social media showed dozens of Buffalo supporters hanging out at the establishment on Saturday.

You know the drill.#BillsMafia 🤝🏼 Elbo Room pic.twitter.com/KdfxriB6D7

— Jon Scott (@JonScottTV) November 8, 2025

Sunday didn’t exactly go according to plan for Bills Mafia. After the game, McDaniel apparently decided to stop by Elbo Room on his way home Sunday night to gloat about the victory. A post on X from content creator Josh Martin appeared to capture McDaniel driving by in his car.

“Just spoke with Dolphins Head Coach Mike McDaniel outside of Elbo Room,” Martin wrote in the post. I did congratulate him on the win, but I also let it be known my distaste for his football team. He CLEARLY came by to rub it in. Ultimately, we parted ways amicably.”

Just spoke with Dolphins Head Coach Mike McDaniel outside of Elbo Room.

I did congratulate him on the win, but I also let it be known my distaste for his football team. He CLEARLY came by to rub it in.

Ultimately, we parted ways amicably.

As always, Go Bills! #BillsMafia pic.twitter.com/OX7Ji0vobY

— Josh Martin (@JoshMartinTweet) November 9, 2025

The 42-year-old coach had the chance to respond to the reported sightings of him in his Monday news conference. And well, he didn’t clear up much. Or maybe he did?

“The good old days, the throwbacks of yore, where you could trust the Internet and the images,” McDaniel said. “Cause it is pretty detailed and I do live in that area, but I mean, AI, right?”

Dolphins reporters prodded McDaniel, pointing out he hadn’t answered the question.

“I live in that area,” McDaniel said. “AI is real. That’s what I got for you,” as he shrugged.

#Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel addressed, or didn’t address whether he was trolling Bills fans outside the Elbo Room after Miami’s dominant win. pic.twitter.com/GHaK0GSgOw

— Omar Kelly (@OmarKelly) November 10, 2025

McDaniel has become known for his goofy personality since being hired by Miami in 2022. Some of his funniest moments have been captured on NFL “Mic’d Up” segments, including his trolling of Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Max Crosby during a game last season.

During a news conference in August, after McDaniel was greeted with “Good morning”, he responded, “False. Great morning.”

Why?

“Because we’re another day closer to death,” McDaniel said.

The Elbo Room didn’t respond to a phone call from The Athletic asking to confirm the McDaniel sighting, so we just may never know for sure whether McDaniel visited to troll Bills fans. However, he certainly didn’t deny it when given the opportunity.

Nov 10, 2025

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Jordy Fee-Platt is a Trending Writer for The Athletic. Before joining The Athletic, Fee-Platt was the Broadcasting and PR Associate for the Hudson Valley Renegades, High-A affiliate of the New York Yankees. He has also been a writer and editor for Hoops HQ, a college basketball website. Jordy is a graduate of Arizona State University’s Cronkite School, where he covered Phoenix pro sports, including the 2023 World Series. He hails from San Francisco, CA. Follow Jordy on Twitter @jfeep