At a Glance
- The Miami Dolphins fired head coach Mike McDaniel on Thursday after four seasons
- McDaniel exits with a 35-33 record and two playoff appearances
- Miami stumbled to a 7-10 finish in 2025 after a late-season collapse
- Why it matters: The Dolphins now join eight teams hunting for a new coach, with John Harbaugh already linked to the job
The Miami Dolphins have pulled the plug on the Mike McDaniel era. Owner Stephen Ross announced the move Thursday, ending a four-year run that began with back-to-back playoff trips but unraveled into a 7-10 slog.
A Season That Fell Apart
Miami’s 2025 campaign started 0-3 and never fully recovered. A Week-4 Monday-night win over the Jets cost them Tyreek Hill to a season-ending knee injury. The Dolphins then coughed up late leads to the Panthers and Chargers, prompting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa to publicly question team leadership and meeting attendance.
The low point came in Cleveland: a 31-6 drubbing by the 1-5 Browns. A four-game mid-season surge gave fans brief hope, but three losses in the final four weeks sealed McDaniel’s fate.
By the Numbers
| Season | Record | Playoffs |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 9-8 | Lost WC |
| 2023 | 11-6 | Lost WC |
| 2024 | 8-9 | – |
| 2025 | 7-10 | – |
McDaniel was hired in February 2022 after one year as San Francisco’s offensive coordinator. He helped Tagovailoa to consecutive postseasons, but Miami went only 2-4 in games the QB missed over the last two years.
What’s Next
- GM Chris Grier was also dismissed mid-season, leaving two corner-office vacancies
- John Harbaugh, freshly fired by Baltimore, is an early rumored target thanks to prior ties to the Ross family
- Tagovailoa’s mega-deal-$212.4 million signed in July-carries a $99.2 million dead-cap hit in 2026 but zero guarantees beyond 2025, keeping the roster flexible
Key Takeaways
- McDaniel’s 35-33 record wasn’t enough after a late-season collapse
- The Dolphins join eight franchises now searching for a new head coach
- Tagovailoa’s contract structure gives Miami flexibility as it reboots
Miami heads into an offseason of sweeping change, with quarterback and coaching question marks front and center.
