Though the Miami Dolphins fired general manager Chris Grier earlier this season, head coach Mike McDaniel has not faced the same fate—yet.
Following Grier’s departure, reports suggest that owner Stephen Ross was more or less content with McDaniel’s performance as a head coach and did not have any qualms about bringing him back ahead of the 2026 season.
However, even after McDaniel has taken the Dolphins from 1-6 to 7-9, the newest reports suggest that McDaniel’s job is not as safe as previously thought. ESPN’s Dan Graziano spoke on McDaniel’s job safety in an article on ESPN earlier today, saying that “I’m hearing conflicting things on Miami; for a while it sounded as if Mike McDaniel was a good bet to stay, but lately the winds seem to have shifted a bit on that, so we’ll see where that lands.”
This suggests that something has changed in Ross’s relationship with McDaniel, or at least that the organization is keeping all doors open in regards to their future in 2026 and beyond.
Also of note, in that very same article, another reporter by the name of Jeremy Fowler says that although McDaniel still has some support in Miami, the Cleveland Browns would reportedly be interested in his services next season, should they decide to move on from their current head coach Kevin Stefanski.
Specifically, Fowler writes that “My sense is that McDaniel would be a candidate in Cleveland, should the Dolphins move on and Cleveland’s job open. He still has some support in Miami. We will see if that’s enough. He has made a case to stay. From what I’ve gathered, the Dolphins’ GM search won’t necessarily be centered around fitting with McDaniel; it’s more so about finding the best team fit in general.”
However the chips may fall, it’s clear that McDaniel’s job safety is no longer as rock solid as once previously thought. Even if he stays around in Miami next season under a new GM, one would assume that he’d be on a very, very short leash.
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