The 2024 season is underway and the Miami Dolphins are seeking to return to the playoffs for the third straight season. Who is the Dolphins’ current head coach, and how long has he held that position?

Mike McDaniel Coaching Career

Mike McDaniel is the Dolphins’ head coach. He did not play in the NFL, though he was a wide receiver at Yale.

McDaniel’s coaching career began with the Denver Broncos as an intern in 2005 at age 22. He was an offensive assistant for the Houston Texans for three years from 2006-08.

McDaniel left the NFL for the Sacramento Mountain Lions of the now-defunct United Football League (UFL), not to be confused with the UFL that began play in 2024 after merging the XFL and USFL. McDaniel coached running backs for the Mountain Lions for two seasons from 2009-10.

McDaniel returned to the NFL in 2011, spending three seasons with Washington as an offensive assistant (2011-12) and wide receivers coach (2013). McDaniel was on an assistant staff that included future NFL head coaches Kyle Shanahan, Sean McVay, Matt LaFleur and Raheem Morris.

McDaniel spent a year with the Cleveland Browns (2014) as their wide receivers coach before moving to the Atlanta Falcons for two years (2015-16) as an offensive assistant.

His big break came with the San Francisco 49ers, where he was an assistant for five seasons from 2017-21. After spending the first four of the seasons as the 49ers’ run game coordinator, he was promoted to offensive coordinator in 2021 at age 38.

The following year, McDaniel was hired as the Miami Dolphins head coach on February 6, 2022. He is the 14th full-time head coach in franchise history.

What Is Mike McDaniel’s Record As A Coach and With the Dolphins?

The Dolphins are McDaniel’s first head coaching job at any level. Through five games in 2024, his record with Miami is 22-17. He made the playoffs in each of his first two seasons with the Dolphins, though Miami lost in the Wild Card round both seasons (2022 at the Buffalo Bills, 2023 at the Kansas City Chiefs).

Has McDaniel Ever Won the Super Bowl?

No. McDaniel has yet to reach the Super Bowl in two full seasons as a head coach or 15 seasons as an assistant.

McDaniel was part of two teams that reached the Super Bowl as an assistant coach. He was an offensive assistant on the 2016 Atlanta Falcons, who infamously lost Super Bowl LI to the New England Patriots after holding a 28-3 second half lead. The Patriots won 34-28 in overtime, the largest comeback in Super Bowl history and first overtime game in Super Bowl history.

McDaniel was subsequently the run game coordinator for the 2019 San Francisco 49ers, who reached Super Bowl LIV against the Kansas City Chiefs. The 49ers held a 20-10 lead in the fourth quarter before the Chiefs scored three unanswered touchdowns to win 31-20. Kyle Shanahan, who was the offensive coordinator on the 2016 Falcons, was the head coach of the 2019 49ers. The game was ironically held in Miami, the site of McDaniel’s first head coaching job.

How Old Is Mike McDaniel?

McDaniel was born on March 6, 1983, meaning he's 41 years old. He is currently the ninth-youngest head coach.

Reid is the oldest active coach at 66 years old, while the youngest is Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald at 37 years old.

What Is Mike McDaniel’s Salary and Net Worth?

As of 2024, McDaniel’s net worth is estimated at $5 million.

McDaniel’s annual salary isn’t public knowledge, but it’s possible that his net worth is on the rise after he signed a contract extension prior to the 2024 season. That extension was earned on the heels of back-to-back playoff appearances, the first time the Dolphins have made the playoffs in two straight years since a five-year streak from 1997-2001.

Who Is Mike McDaniel’s Wife?

McDaniel is married to Katie Hemstalk. The two were wed in 2014 in Ashburn, Virginia, a suburb of Washington D.C. where McDaniel was working at the time. They have one daughter, Alya June, who was born in 2020.

Hemstalk is a professional esthetician and cosmetologist, meaning that she is a licensed skincare professional.