- Mike McDaniel became the eighth head coach to be fired this season as he was let go by Miami on Thursday.
- McDaniel’s Dolphins struggled mightily against teams with winning records.
- Miami figures to be a strong suitor for John Harbaugh.
The Miami Dolphins fired head coach Mike McDaniel after four seasons, adding another layer to a wild coaching cycle in the NFL.
It’s thought that the Dolphins will set their sights on John Harbaugh after he was dismissed by Baltimore.
McDaniel’s Dolphins Couldn’t Beat Good Teams
The news broke on Thursday morning that Miami had parted ways with McDaniel.
McDaniel leaves after a 35-33 record over four seasons in Miami, who were 7-10 this season. The Dolphins were also 0-2 in the playoffs under McDaniel, losing to AFC East rivals Buffalo in the Wild Card round in 2022, and Kansas City in the 2023 Wild Card round. That is a microcosm of McDaniel’s Dolphins, as they struggled badly against good teams. Under McDaniel, the Dolphins were 31-16 against teams that were .500 or worse. Against teams that were over .500, the Dolphins were 4-17.
There was also a breakdown in communication between McDaniel and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who was benched for the final three games of the season. On Monday, Tagovailoa said, when asked about a fresh start somewhere else:
"That would be dope. I would be good with it."
It remains to be seen what the Dolphins do with Tagovailoa, whose contract runs through 2028, but he would represent a massive cap hit. He has also been injury-prone after suffering multiple concussions. He received that contract after Tagovailoa and McDaniel led Miami to the league’s best offense in 2023.
It’ll be interesting to see what Tagovailoa thinks with the Dolphins getting a new coach. Perhaps, one that has coached a two-time NFL MVP in Lamar Jackson.
Will the Dolphins Go After John Harbaugh?
The John Harbaugh next team odds are actually off the board as of Thursday afternoon as bookies try to figure out what the head coach is going to do. Harbaugh was fired by Baltimore on Tuesday after 18 seasons, and he is easily the biggest name on the NFL head coaching carousel right now.
It was noted on Wednesday that the Dolphins had contacted Harbaugh before even firing McDaniel. Reports are that one move didn’t have to do with the other, but it seems very coincidental that the Dolphins would reach out to Harbaugh if they weren’t planning on letting McDaniel go.
But the Dolphins have been to the playoffs just three times since 2008, and they haven’t won a playoff game since 2000. Stephen Ross has owned the Dolphins since 2009, and hasn’t seen much success. He could also reach out to Harbaugh. Ross is the biggest donor in the history of the University of Michigan, where John’s brother, Jim, was the head coach from 2015 to 2023.
The Dolphins also need a new general manager after firing Chris Grier in October. They would like to have a new GM in by the end of the week.
Expect Ross to open up his wallet and make Harbaugh an offer he can’t refuse. The New York Giants were the favorites yesterday to land Harbaugh. But the Dolphins are looking to make a major splash to get Harbaugh in the door at Hard Rock Stadium!
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