> At a Glance
> – The Miami Dolphins fired head coach Mike McDaniel on Thursday after four seasons
> – McDaniel exits with a 35-33 record and two playoff appearances
> – Team stumbled to a 7-10 finish in 2025 after late-season collapse
> – Why it matters: Miami enters a pivotal offseason with coach, GM vacancies and a $212.4 million QB
Mike McDaniel’s South Beach era ended abruptly Thursday when Dolphins owner Stephen Ross axed the head coach after a disappointing 2025 campaign that saw playoff hopes evaporate down the stretch.
The Decision
Ross said he reached the move “after careful evaluation and extensive discussions since the season ended,” telling McDaniel in a morning meeting that the organization “is in need of comprehensive change.”
> Stephen Ross stated:
>
> “I love Mike and want to thank him for his hard work, commitment, and the energy he brought to our organization. Mike is an incredibly creative football mind whose passion for the game and his players was evident every day. I wish him and his family the best moving forward.”
Rocky 2025 Season
The Dolphins began 0-3, scraped their first win in Week 4 against the Jets, but lost Tyreek Hill to a season-ending knee injury in that same Monday-night game.
Late-game collapses versus the Panthers and Chargers followed, then quarterback Tua Tagovailoa publicly questioned team “leadership” after Week 6, citing players skipping or arriving late to meetings.
A 31-6 humiliation in Cleveland to a 1-5 Browns squad preceded a four-game winning streak, yet Miami still finished 7-10 by dropping three of its final four contests.
McDaniel’s Tenure by the Numbers
| Season | Record | Playoff Result |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 9-8 | Lost @ BUF 34-31 |
| 2023 | 11-6 | Lost @ KC 26-7 |
| 2024 | 8-9 | Missed |
| 2025 | 7-10 | Missed |
Hired in February 2022 after one year as San Francisco’s offensive coordinator, McDaniel paired with newcomer Tyreek Hill to push Tagovailoa and the offense back to the postseason at 9-8-mirroring Brian Flores’ 2021 mark.
Big Decisions Ahead
Miami already parted ways with general manager Chris Grier mid-season, leaving two corner-office vacancies atop the football operation.
Tagovailoa inked a franchise-record four-year, $212.4 million extension in July 2024 that carries a $99.2 million dead-cap hit in 2026 but zero guaranteed money beyond next season; only $3 million of 2027 salary vests on March 15, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
John Harbaugh, freshly dismissed by Baltimore after 18 seasons, “looms as a key candidate for Miami” thanks to prior ties to the Ross family, per NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport.
The Dolphins join seven other clubs-Ravens, Giants, Titans, Raiders, Falcons, Browns, Cardinals-searching for new head coaches.
Key Takeaways
- McDaniel departs with a winning percentage of .515 and zero playoff victories
- Miami’s late-season fades in 2024 and 2025 cost the young coach his job
- Tagovailoa’s massive contract remains movable after 2025, giving the next regime flexibility
- A high-profile coaching candidate is already being linked to the vacancy
Miami now pivots to a critical offseason that will determine whether a roster loaded with expensive talent can finally break its long postseason drought.
