As it turns out, Mike McDaniel will not return in 2026.
Per Adam Schefter of ESPN, Dolphins owner Stephen Ross has fired McDaniel on Thursday.
McDaniel, 42, finishes his Dolphins tenure with a 35-33 record. He was hired in 2022, going 9-8 with a postseason appearance in his first season. The club improved to 11-6 in 2023, but again lost in the first round of the playoffs.
Miami was 8-9 in 2024 and 7-10 in 2025. The Dolphins and former General Manager Chris Grier parted ways midway through the season.
Now the Dolphins will have the opportunity to start fresh with a new G.M. and head coach.
One of the new regime’s first big decisions will be addressing the quarterback position with Tua Tagovailoa.
