The Miami Dolphins finished the regular season with a 38-10 loss to the New England Patriots. Following the game, reports from around the league surfaced that Miami was expected to keep head coach Mike McDaniel for the 2026 season. However, a few days after the season ended the Dolphins cut ties with McDaniel.
McDaniel finished his Dolphins tenure with a 35-33 record in four seasons at the helm. His winning percentage ranks fifth among head coaches in franchise history. Despite making the playoffs in his first two seasons with the team, the team regressed and posted back-to-back losing seasons. Additionally, he failed to snap Miami’s playoff win drought that dates back to the 2000 season.
Following the news of his dismissal, McDaniel released a statement thanking the Dolphins organization for the opportunity. He said, “I am grateful for every coach, player, and staff member who poured themselves into that vision alongside me.”
Celebrity Blasts Miami Dolphins Owner
One person who did not share that grateful sentiment was comedian Dan Soder. Soder, who is a childhood friend of Mike McDaniel, spoke about McDaniel’s firing on his podcast. He said in a profanity filled rant, “I think it’s a [expletive] organization. It’s ran by [expletive] that stabbed Mike in the back after he told him he was going to be alright for another season.”
The news that McDaniel was told he would stick around for another season is not surprising, as Miami Herald writer Barry Jackson said, “McDaniel was informed this morning (of his dismissal). This was a shock to Mike; his camp fully expected him to be retained. Ross decided to make the change after assessing the situation in the aftermath of meeting with McDaniel.”
Despite what he may feel was a betrayal by Dolphins ownership, McDaniel opted not to take shots at Stephen Ross through the media. In his previously mentioned statement, he mentioned Ross and said, “I’m grateful to Stephen Ross for the opportunity he gave me, a little known coach at the time when he hired me.”
Mike McDaniel’s Future
Perhaps the reason McDaniel opted not to air his grievances with Dolphins ownership out publicly is to not harm the possibilities of landing another job. McDaniel has already garnered interest for another head coaching job, as he currently has four interviews scheduled. Additionally, he’s seen leaguewide as one of the potential top candidates for an offensive coordinator role. The Detroit Lions are the lone team to have scheduled an interview with the former Dolphins coach for a potential role as a coordinator.
With the Dolphins, McDaniel’s offenses ranked in the top-11 in points per game his first two seasons, but landed outside the top-20 in his last two seasons.
The last Dolphins head coach to land another head coaching job after being fired was Adam Gase. After being fired following the 2018 season, he became the Jets head coach in 2019. Gase posted a 9-23 record in New York before being fired after two seasons. If McDaniel lands another job, he’ll aim to perform better than Gase did.
Celebrity Blasts Dolphins Owner After Firing of Head Coach