The Miami Dolphins made a change at head coach. They weren’t the first team to jump at firing their head coach, but better late than never. Mike McDaniel looked to be a dead man walking in the early stages of the season, but the late-season turnaround could have saved his job, until it didn’t.
Dolphins Fire Mike McDaniel
McDaniel is out of a job after four seasons leading Miami. He met with Dolphins owner Stephen Ross today, and he was informed that they were moving on. They had already moved on from their GM Chris Grier midseason, and now it’s McDaniel’s turn. The Dolphins had a very up-and-down season, looking dysfunctional for large stretches of the season.
ESPN Sources: Dolphins fired head coach Mike McDaniel.
Dolphins owner Stephen Ross met with McDaniel this week to discuss the season. After that meeting and reflection, Ross decided to move on. pic.twitter.com/tp9TnpGQ1l
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 8, 2026
Ross wanted a fresh staff to come in with the new general manager. He spoke highly of McDaniel in his statement announcing McDaniel’s departure, but was ready to move on.
“I have made the decision that our organization is in need of comprehensive change,” said Ross.
The Miami Dolphins have relieved Head Coach Mike McDaniel of his duties. pic.twitter.com/5APbwENBU1
— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) January 8, 2026
The Dolphins join a large list of teams that are searching for a head coach. In fact, eight of the 32 teams need a new head coach. Here are three potential candidates to be the next head coach in Miami:
#1. John Harbaugh
Harbaugh is a winner. He has a Super Bowl championship, 13 playoff wins, and has been one of the top head coaches in the NFL over the last 18 years. After the Ravens moved on from Harbaugh, he immediately became one of the best available head coaching candidates. Miami needs to make a call to Harbaugh, sooner rather than later, before another team swoops in.
#2. Kliff Kingsbury
Kingsbury is a highly-regarded offensive mind in the NFL. After failing as the head coach of the Cardinals, Kingsbury coached his way back into the conversation with strong seasons, particularly in 2024, with the Washington Commanders, especially with Jayden Daniels.
Kingsbury helped engineer the Commanders to the 6th-best offense in PFSN’s Offense Impact Metric in 2024 with an impact score of 84.0. With Daniels out with injuries and star WR Terry McLaurin missing time as well, Kingsbury was dealt a tough hand and ended up moving on from Washington in the offseason. Now, he’s a hot name on the market to take one of the eight coaching vacancies,
#3. Jeff Hafley
Hafley is the current defensive coordinator of the Green Bay Packers. After leaving Boston College for the NFL, Hafley has caught the attention of many teams with his defensive work in Green Bay. Before losing Micah Parsons, the Packers had one of the better defenses in the NFL. They finished the year 17th in PFSN’s Defense Impact score despite the injuries on defense.
Miami doesn’t have the talent that the Packers have on defense, but Hafley could come in to turn it around for the Dolphins. Whether he takes a head coaching job is uncertain, but teams will likely line up to interview Hafley this offseason.
Other potentail candidates Miami could target are Los Angeles Chargers’ DC Jesse Minter, Buffalo Bills’ OC Joe Brady, and Chris Shula of the Los Angeles Rams.
Editor’s Note: This is a breaking news story and will be updated throughout the day as more information becomes available.