Browns interested in Mike McDaniel, who was fired by the Dolphins, for their head coach job
CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Browns just added a new name to their coaching search, and they already know him well.
It’s Mike McDaniel, who was fired Thursday by the Dolphins after going 7-10 this season.
McDaniel, 42, was Browns receivers coach in 2014 under then-offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan, and the Browns have long admired his brilliant offensive mind.
He’s been on their radar for some time, and they will do their diligence on him now that he’s on the market.
After a 1-6 start — including a 31-6 loss to the Browns — the Dolphins won six of their last 10, but it wasn’t enough to save McDaniel’s job.
In his four seasons as Dolphins head coach, he went 35-34 in the regular season and 0-2 in the playoffs.
The Browns got an up-close-and-personal look at McDaniel when he was here under Shanahan and head coach Mike Pettine. That season, with Brian Hoyer and Johnny Manziel at quarterback, was marked by friction between Shanahan and the front office, namely GM Ray Farmer.
When Shanahan orchestrated his way out of Cleveland after that season, McDaniel left with him, signaling his loyalty to the future head coach of the 49ers.
McDaniel followed Shanahan to Atlanta in 2015 when Shanahan took over as offensive coordinator, and worked as an offensive assistant during the Falcons’ offensive resurgence. The collaboration led to the Falcons’ run to Super Bowl LI following the 2016 season, a campaign in which the offense was praised for its creativity and precision.
When Shanahan was hired as head coach of the 49ers in 2017, McDaniel again went along, initially serving as run game coordinator and working his way up to offensive coordinator. During that time, McDaniel gained a reputation for his offensive genius, with San Francisco consistently ranking among the NFL’s top rushing teams, even while rotating through multiple quarterbacks.
The Dolphins hired McDaniel as head coach in 2022, betting on his ability to maximize a roster built primarily on speed at receiver. The move marked a philosophical shift for the franchise, which had cycled through defensive-minded leadership and conservative offenses.
In Miami, McDaniel quickly installed an aggressive, motion-centric scheme that emphasized spacing and timing. Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa enjoyed the most productive stretch of his career under McDaniel, while receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle became the cornerstones of one of the league’s most explosive passing attacks. The Dolphins led the NFL in yards per play in 2022 and were among the league leaders in scoring when healthy.
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