The Dolphins, after seemingly planning to pair coach Mike McDaniel with a new General Manager, have decided to go with a fresh start.
That means McDaniel will be moving on, after four years with the Dolphins.
“Coaching this team and being a part of this great franchise has been the honor of a lifetime,” McDaniel said. “When I took this job, I had a vision of a team that was bonded together and played with passion and energy on the path to winning championships. I gave everything I had for that goal.
“I am disappointed, especially for the fans, that we did not have better results on the field, but I am grateful for every coach, player, and staff member who poured themselves into that vision alongside me. I’m grateful to Stephen Ross for the opportunity he gave me, a little known coach at the time when he hired me. Most of all I’m thankful to my wife Katie and daughter Ayla for their unending love and support. I love this game, the people and relationships that are a part of it, and I will forever cherish my time in Miami.”
In four seasons, the 42-year-old McDaniel generated a record of 35-33, with two playoff appearances. Including the postseason, he finishes 35-35.
His offensive system works very well, when he has the right personnel to execute it. Too often, however, quarterback Tua Tagovailoa wasn’t available. More recently, there were too many turnovers.
And the narratives about the team’s toughness, especially in cold-weather games, only got stronger with more and more opportunities to reverse it. Entering 2025, the message was that the culture would change. By year four, that’s tough for any coach to do.
McDaniel’s methods could still work well elsewhere, either as a head coach or as an offensive coordinator. His book has many more chapters, and there will be another opportunity to write a few as the head coach of another team.
