After finishing the year 7-10, the Miami Dolphins made the decision to part ways with head coach Mike McDaniel after four seasons. Prior to his dismissal, the team met with general manager candidates, and they determined that a fresh start for the franchise was the best way forward.
McDaniel ended his tenure as Miami’s coach with a 35-33 record and two playoff appearances. He failed to win a playoff game or a division title. With a new general manager already having been appointed by the Dolphins, their head coaching search will begin, and the team will enter a new era of Dolphins football.
Former head coach Mike McDaniel, on the other hand, will have his fair share of opportunities around the league. Some of which have already emerged.
Titans Will Interview McDaniel for HC Job
Days after being fired from the Dolphins, Mike McDaniel has already landed an interview for another head-coaching job. According to NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero, the Titans have scheduled an interview for Wednesday, Jan. 14, with head coach Mike McDaniel. Pelissero added that there has been significant interest in McDaniel since the Dolphins fired him. According to insider Jordan Schultz, the Cleveland Browns have also shown interest in McDaniel for their vacant head coaching job; however, no interview has been set between Cleveland and McDaniel yet.
McDaniel has not only drawn interest for head coaching roles, but also for teams in search of an offensive coordinator. The first team to reach out to McDaniel was the Detroit Lions, according to NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport. He also added that McDaniel is viewed as a top candidate for any offensive coordinator position.
McDaniel’s offensive resume includes helping turn quarterback Tua Tagovailoa into a Pro Bowl player, the two best statistical seasons of All-Pro Tyreek Hill’s career, and having the third-best offense in the NFL with the Dolphins in 2023. Additionally, he previously served as San Francisco’s offensive coordinator and run game coordinator on their 2021 team that made the NFC Championship.
Miami Dolphins’ Decision to Fire McDaniel
It is possible that McDaniel lands a head coaching job in this cycle, and thrives. That could result in second-guessing among Miami fans on whether the decision to part ways with him was the right one. However, history has been on Miami’s side in recent head coach firings. The last head coach to land another head coaching job after being fired by the Dolphins 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.
While some may have thought Miami made the decision to fire McDaniel after it was revealed that the Ravens were moving on from John Harbaugh. It has now been reported by ESPN’s Jeff Darlington that there was no correlation between the two. Ultimately, Miami opted to enter a clean rebuild with new general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan. Whether that was the right call remains to be seen.
Former Dolphins Head Coach Already Drawing Interest for HC Job