Mike

McDaniel

McDaniel signed a four-year contract with the Dolphins in 2022. Since then, he has led the Dolphins to a 20-14 record and a playoff berth each season. His offense has ranked in the top 10 in yards each year and was second in points in 2023. He’s also extrapolated the most out of Tua Tagovailoa after Tagovailoa looked like little more than a league-average signal-caller during his first two seasons in the league. McDaniel has been an aggressive, innovative play-caller and is one of the more recent successes off of the Shanahan coaching tree. With a quarterback just getting into his prime and explosive weapons to run his high-powered offense, McDaniel is now locked in for five more years as he and the Dolphins continue to challenge for a top playoff spot in a stacked AFC.

“Nothing’s off the table,” McDaniel said following Miami’s Super Wild Card Weekend loss to the Chiefs. “We failed to reach our goals this year. Play-calling doesn’t live outside of that.” It would be quite the move after the Dolphins ranked fourth in EPA per play this season with McDaniel proving he is among the most creative play callers in the game. Perhaps no level of play calling could have saved the Dolphins from the poor play of Tua Tagovailoa against KC. McDaniel will likely keep calling plays in 2024.

There has been rather ludicrous talk that the Dolphins might move on from McDaniel after his largely successful inaugural year as head coach, but Darlington confirms the obvious. The only reason the rumors probably had any traction at all is because owner Stephen Ross has proven to be one of the league’s worst. Although some of McDaniel’s foibles were on display in Sunday’s disappointing Wild Card loss to the Bills — seriously man, just get the play in — the 39-year-old should fully be expected to improve in 2023 after the Dolphins’ 2022 campaign was derailed down the stretch due in part to injury.

With Miami on a five-game losing streak and at risking of missing the playoffs, McDaniel’s job has come under question. While it’s hard to see McDaniel’s getting fired, it wouldn’t be surprising to see GM Chris Grier or DC Josh Boyer scapegoated for Miami’s late season collapse. The Dolphins have been the center of controversy this season between their handling of QB Tua Tagovailoa’s injuries and a still pending lawsuit from ex-coach Brian Flores. Winning in Week 18 and sneaking into the playoffs would ensure McDaniel is back in 2023. We highly doubt McDaniel is actually on the hot seat, but owner Stephen Ross is one of the league’s worst.

The Dolphins made the announcement official a few minutes after Schefter dropped the news. McDaniel and Cowboys OC Kellen Moore were considered the finalists for the gig. With both men working on the offensive side of the ball, it’s clear that Miami brass wants their head coach to elevate the offense from middling to elite. Helping Tua Tagovailoa take the next step will be crucial in achieving that goal. McDaniel didn’t call plays during his lone season as the 49ers’ offensive coordinator but all reports have him as a crucial part of the team and a respected leader by players. Before 2021, McDaniel spent four years as San Francisco’s run game coordinator. With Miami finishing 30th in rushing yards last year, McDaniels experience creating an efficient attack on the ground will also come in handy.

Cowboys OC Kellen Moore and McDaniel will both reportedly be brought back for second interviews later in the week, making them the first known finalists for Miami’s head-coaching job. Although McDaniel has never actually called plays under coach Kyle Shanahan, the team’s players (and other coaches) have raved about the 37-year-old incessantly. Expect the Dolphins to add to their list of finalists in the coming days.

Rapsheet reports the Dolphins are in “no rush” to replace Brian Flores. Rapsheet’s colleague Cameron Wolfe reported earlier Thursday that the Dolphins would like to retain most of Flores’ defensive staff. That rarely sits well with incoming head coaches, though perhaps this gaggle of offensive-minded candidates won’t mind as much. It is clearly the side of the ball the Dolphins are focused on after Flores’ wildly conservative offensive era. By all accounts, Daboll is the front-runner.

McDaniel, a hot name in last year’s coaching cycle, only strengthened his candidacy with a successful run in his first year as San Francisco’s offensive coordinator. Although McDaniel does not actually call plays underneath Kyle Shanahan, the team’s players (and other coaches) have raved about him. The 37-year-old also began his NFL coaching journey under former Washington coach Mike Shanahan, serving on the same staff as Sean McVay, Matt LaFleur, Shanahan, and several others. More teams are expected to eventually bring him in for an interview.

McDanile will replace Mike LaFleur, who recently took the Jets’ offensive coordinator position. McDaniel, 36, oversaw one of the league’s most successful run offenses in 2019, and 49ers running backs excelled in spot duty for much of the team’s injury-ravaged 2020 campaign. Fantasy players can expect continuity in the Niners’ offense with McDaniel taking the OC gig.

Rapoport adds that 49ers passing-game coordinator Mike LaFleur is being considered for the same role, though the Browns have also given thought to having first-time head coach Kevin Stefanski serve as his own OC. McDaniel, who oversaw one of the league’s most successful run offenses in 2019 (second in rushing yards per game), would be an excellent get for the Browns, though he’s under contract and may not be allowed to interview with San Francisco still competing in the postseason (a loss to Green Bay in Sunday’s Conference Finals would obviously change that). The 36-year-old, who began his NFL coaching journey under former Redskins coach Mike Shanahan, has served in his current capacity since 2017.