Mike McDaniel, former Dolphins coach, is interviewing with the Browns Monday for their head coach vacancy
CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Browns will welcome their former receivers coach Mike McDaniel back to team headquarters on Monday, a league source told cleveland.com.
McDaniel, 42, will interview Monday for the Browns head coach vacancy just days after he was fired by the Dolphins. He went 35-33 (.515) in his four seasons in Miami, and 0-2 in the playoffs.
The Browns receivers coach here in 2014 under then-offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan, McDaniel has long been on the Browns’ radar for his brilliant offensive mind and innovative play-calling.
He’ll also interview with the Falcons, Titans and Ravens.
Known for his lightning-quick receivers and up-tempo schemes, McDaniel is the sixth candidate to interview for the job. The others were Browns offensive coordinator Tommy Rees, Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz, Bengals offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher, Seahawks defensive coordinator Aden Durde and Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken.
The Browns are also interested in fired Ravens coach John Harbaugh, and could interview him as soon as this week, as cleveland.com has reported. The Browns were one of the original seven teams to call about Harbaugh within the first 45 minutes after he was fired on Tuesday, a source said. He’ll narrow his list of suitors this week and only interview with teams that he believes are a good fit.
He’ll also have a new entry into the sweepstakes if the Packers fire Matt LaFleur following their meltdown Saturday in the wild card round, a 31-27 loss to the Bears after leading 21-3 in the first half.
The Browns have also requested interviews with Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter and Rams pass game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase, and will add more to the list including possibly Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady and Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley.
McDaniel, after a 1-6 start this season — including a 31-6 loss to the Browns — rebounded by winning six of his last 10, but it wasn’t enough to save his job.
The Browns got an up-close-and-personal look at McDaniel when he was here under Shanahan and head coach Mike Pettine as receivers coach in 2014. Receiver Andrew Hawkins had a career-high 824 yards and undrafted rookie receiver Taylor Gabriel had 621 receiving yards, which was the second-highest total in his six-year NFL career. The unit helped quarterback Brian Hoyer post the only 3,000-yard passing season of his career. But that season was marked by friction between Shanahan and the front office, namely GM Ray Farmer over the GM’s interference in personnel matters, including his desire for Shanahan to start Johnny Manziel ahead of Hoyer.
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.
At its peak, the “McDaniel System” was a track meet disguised as a football game, built on pre-snap motion and the elite vertical speed of Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle.
The 2023 season served as the high-water mark for this era. Under McDaniel’s play-calling, the Dolphins became the first team in 57 years to score 70 points in a single game, a Week 3 demolition of the Denver Broncos that saw Miami rack up an NFL-record 726 total yards. That year, the Dolphins finished first in total offense (401.3 yards per game) and passing offense, while ranking second in scoring. Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa flourished in this scheme, leading the league with 4,624 passing yards in 2023 and consistently ranking among the top in completion percentage.
McDaniel’s ingenuity also revitalized the ground game. In 2023, former Browns running back Raheem Mostert set a franchise record with 18 rushing touchdowns, while rookie De’Von Achane averaged a historic 7.8 yards per carry. However, the brilliance often dimmed when the temperature dropped; the unit’s production fell significantly in late-season road games. Despite the final stumbles, McDaniel’s Miami offenses will be remembered for a two-year stretch that forced the rest of the NFL to rethink how to defend pure, unadulterated speed.
The Browns will overhaul their offense in the offseason, and are looking for a brilliant leader for the unit, either as head coach or coordinator. McDaniel is one of the candidates who fits the bill.
Football Insider newsletter free trial: Take a minute and sign up for a free trial of our Football Insider newsletter, featuring exclusive content from cleveland.com’s Browns reporters.
