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The Miami Dolphins have fired head coach Mike McDaniel, chairman and owner Stephen Ross announced in a statement shared on the team's official website Thursday (January 8).
"After careful evaluation and extensive discussions since the season ended, I have made the decision that our organization is in need of comprehensive change. I informed Mike McDaniel this morning that he has been relieved of his duties as head coach," Ross said. "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."
McDaniel, 42, went 35-33 during five seasons with the Dolphins, which included the playoffs during his first two seasons, but also a losing record in each of the last two, including a 7-10 finish in 2025. The coach is, however, expected to draw interest from the Cleveland Browns for their head coaching vacancy, according to Cleveland.com's Mary Kay Cabot.
McDaniel had previously worked for the Browns as a wide receivers coach under former head coach Mike Pettine and then-offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan -- the current head coach of the San Francisco 49ers -- in 2014.