The Miami Dolphins have made a huge splash in the NFL January coaching carousel.
Adam Schefter of ESPN reported on Thursday morning that the team have decided to fire head coach, Mike McDaniel after 4 years with the organization.
Dolphins owner Stephen Ross met with McDaniel this week to discuss the season. After that meeting and reflection, Ross decided to move on.
“ESPN Sources: Dolphins fired head coach Mike McDaniel. Dolphins owner Stephen Ross met with McDaniel this week to discuss the season. After that meeting and reflection, Ross decided to move on.” Schefter posted on X.
Miami Announces Split From Mike McDaniel
The team also released a statement on X, from their official social media page.
“After careful evaluation and extensive discussions since the season ended, I have made the decision that our organization is in need of comprehensive change. I informed Mike McDaniel this morning that he has been relieved of his duties as head coach.” Owner, Stephen Ross, wrote in a statement after the decision was made.
“I love Mike and want to thank him for his hard work, commitment, and the energy he bought to our organization.” The statement continued. “Mike is an incredibly creative football mind whose passion for the game and his players was evident every day. I wish him and his family the best moving forward.”
Dolphins Change Their Mind On Head Coaching Situation
Initially, it seemed like the team was set to keep McDaniel ahead of the 2026 season, with him being involved with the team’s decision to hire a new general manager to replace Chris Grier, who was fired in October after nearly a decade with the organization.
The fact that the future of quarterback, Tua Tagovailoa, is very much up in the air felt like it could have a ripple effect on the team’s head coach, who was been responsible for the hot-and-cold offense under Tagovailoa for the past four years.
McDaniel has not had a terrible spell with the organization by any means. He leaves the franchise with a winning record (just) over his spell in charge, going 35-33 during his tenure.
But issues with the team’s overall discipline, exacerbated image-wise by the former 49ers offensive coordinator’s diminutive demeanour and friendly, relaxed tone, and a losing record in each of the past two years may well have sealed his fate.
Who Could Replace Mike McDaniel In Miami?
Perhaps some of the impetus to fire McDaniel came from a desire to enter the John Harbaugh sweepstakes. The former Baltimore Ravens head coach was unexpectedly fired on Tuesday, and he widely believed to be the top head-coaching candidate on the market for teams with a vacancy.
The list of top candidates also features another likely sought-after name in former Cleveland Browns head coach, Kevin Stefanski, who was dismissed by the team at the conclusion of the regular season earlier this week.
Those are both best-case-scenario choices, and it could end up that the Dolphins will settle for a less well-established face.
Dolphins Make 180 Degree U-Turn On Mike McDaniel