Miami Dolphins: NFL insider says firing Mike McDaniel is a possibility

On By Littum

The Miami Dolphins will need a miracle to make the playoffs, and suddenly after getting a major contract extension before the season, Mike McDaniel’s seat seems to be getting hotter and hotter with each passing week.

While McDaniel was lauded for his offensive prowess, even called a “mastermind” as the architect of the Dolphins’ exotic high-powered offense over the past two seasons, the narrative has changed drastically in 2024.

Losing starting QB Tua Tagovailoa for four games, the Dolphins had the dead last offense in the NFL. Tagovailoa has been injury prone his entire career, yet McDaniel didn’t have a capable backup QB in place to fill in if he got hurt. Miami lost all four of those games – which could end up being the deciding factor when it comes to missing the playoffs.

Entering the 2024 season, McDaniel ranked last among NFL coaches in winning challenges, winning just 3 of 13 with. This season, McDaniel is 1 for 2 on challenges, which has him at .267%, still dead last in the NFL.

A trend like this has led to questions about McDaniel’s in-game management. But there are other troubling trends from his tenure as Miami Dolphins head coach.

In 2023 and 2024, the Dolphins were 1-10 against teams with a record over .500 and 16-4 against teams with a record of .500 or worse. They’ve consistently proven they can’t win cold-weather games, and all of these things have led to questions about his job security beyond 2024.

NFL Insider Peter Schrager recently joined Bill Simmons on the Ringer podcast and were asked to rank the likelihood of Kyle Shanahan, Shane Steichen or Mike McDaniel losing their jobs after 2024.

Schrager said McDaniel most likely is — pointing out that even despite the offseason contract extension — Dolphins owner Stephen Ross has deep pockets and has made emotional decisions in the past.

“Mike McDaniel, they gave him a monster extension before the season,” Schrager said. “But Stephen Ross is one of the richest owners in the league and this thing has gone way off the rails, so nothing would surprise me. This is the same owner who fired Brian Flores when nobody thought it was a possibility. “