The Miami Dolphins shook off back-to-back losses to beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, but was it enough to save Mike McDaniel’s job?
For much of the last month, the Dolphins’ steady climb from a 1-7 start to the year had most insiders saying that McDaniel’s seat in Miami appeared relatively safe for the 2026 season. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano say that may not be the case anymore and he listed a potential landing spot for the coach if he’s jettisoned by the Dolphins.
Via Graziano:
“I’m hearing conflicting things on Miami; for a while it sounded as if Mike McDaniel was a good bet to stay, but lately the winds seem to have shifted a bit on that, so we’ll see where that lands.”
Via Fowler:
“My sense is that McDaniel would be a candidate in Cleveland, should the Dolphins move on and Cleveland’s job open. He still has some support in Miami. We will see if that’s enough. He has made a case to stay. From what I’ve gathered, the Dolphins’ GM search won’t necessarily be centered around fitting with McDaniel; it’s more so about finding the best team fit in general.”
The Dolphins fired Chris Grier as general manager on Halloween and appointed Champ Kelly to take over as interim GM. There are several compelling candidates for Miami if they decide Kelly won’t be promoted to the role full-time. And a newcomer may not be interested in tailoring a rebuilt Dolphins roster around the very specific offensive style of McDaniel.
In four seasons as the team’s head coach, McDaniel has led the Dolphins to a 35-32 record in regular season games and two playoff losses.
