Dolphins fire coach Mike McDaniel after 7-10 season

Miami Gardens, Florida – The miami dolphins The team announced Thursday that coach Mike McDaniel has been fired.

This step has been taken after McDaniel met with reporters on Monday He said he would be part of the team interview Appointing a new general manager.

Dolphins owner Stephen Ross met with McDaniels on Tuesday to discuss the season and after that meeting and reflection, Ross decided to move on.

“After careful evaluation and extensive discussion since the season ended, I have decided that our organization needs comprehensive change,” Ross said in a statement.

“I love Mike and want to thank him for his hard work, commitment and the energy he brings to our organization. Mike is an incredibly creative football mind whose passion for the game and his players is evident every day. I wish him and his family all the best moving forward,” Ross said.

The Dolphins will conduct a head coaching search after the general manager is hired, with a new GM expected to be named by Friday, sources told ESPN’s Jeff Darlington.

The Dolphins announced Wednesday that after completing the initial round of general manager interviews, they have scheduled personal interviews with four candidates: interim GM Champ Kelly, san francisco 49ers Josh Williams, director of scouting and football operations. green Bay Packers John-Eric Sullivan, Vice President of Player Personnel, and los angeles chargers Assistant GM Chad Alexander. Kelly completed her interviews on Wednesday, and the other three candidates left for South Florida on Wednesday night for their interviews, which will take place on Thursday.

Sources told Darlington the Dolphins have not yet been in contact with John Harbaugh or anyone in his camp. Harbaugh was fired Baltimore Ravens On Tuesday, and sources close to the decision to fire McDaniel told Darlington that the decision to move away from McDaniel was independent of Harbaugh’s availability.

The Dolphins finished 7–10, the franchise’s second consecutive losing season after making playoff appearances in 2022 and 2023. This comes about 16 months after McDaniels signed a three-year extension through August 2024.

McDaniels joins the Dolphins as a head coach for the first time in 2022 after five seasons with the 49ers, including four as their run game coordinator from 2017 to 2020 and one as their offensive coordinator in 2021.

He successfully turned around an offense that had not finished in the top 10 in total yards since 1995; Despite averaging less than 100 yards rushing per game, Miami ranked sixth in total offense in McDaniel’s first season. Dolphins quarterback to lead NFL in total offense in 2023 tua tagovailoa Finished with a league-leading 4,624 passing yards.

But Miami’s offense declined in 2024, with Tagovailoa losing a career-high six games while averaging 325 yards per game compared to 364.5 and 401.3 yards in 2022 and 2023, respectively. The team lost six of its first eight games and finished 8–9 and missed the playoffs for the first time under McDaniel.

Miami lost seven of its first eight games in 2025 and fired general manager Chris Grier in late October before rallying with a four-game winning streak. Tagovailoa was ruled out after the loss in Week 15, eliminating the Dolphins from playoff contention. Rookie seventh round pick quinn evers Started the team’s final three games.

tagovailoa on monday He said he hopes to get a fresh start With a new team in 2026.

“It will be dope,” he said. “I’d love to.”

Moving on from Tagovailoa would be costly for Miami. He represents a cap hit of $56.4 million in 2026, and cutting him before June 1 would result in a dead cap hit of $99.2 million next season. Releasing him after June 1 would spread the dead cap hit over two seasons, with a $67.2 million hit in 2026.

The Dolphins could also consider trading the NFL’s 2023 leader in passing yards, but they would have to find a team willing to take on his salary.

McDaniels was the Dolphins’ third coach in the last 10 seasons, following the three-year tenures of Brian Flores and Adam Gase. Before McDaniels, no Dolphins coach since Dave Wannstedt in 2003 had lasted four full seasons in the role. Tony Sparano and Joe Philbin were fired during their fourth season.

The Dolphins have not hired a head coach with previous head coaching experience since Sparano in 2008.