The Miami Dolphins fired head coach Mike McDaniel on Thursday, ending his four-year stint with the team following a 7-10 2025 regular season. The rumors and speculation has Miami looking toward former Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh as their top choice to take over the reins of a team that has not won a playoff game since 2000, but there are plenty of suitors for Harbaugh and there is no guarantee he lands in Miami. Who is could be on the list of possible hires?
The Dolphins are expected to fill their vacant general manager position before moving to their coaching search, but reports indicate that move could comes as early as tomorrow. Whenever Miami does get their front office hire completed, the list of coaches who could be on the radar could prove expansive.
Rooney Rule considerations
The NFL requires teams to interview minoirity candidates for vacancies in both the general manager and head coaching positions. The rule, initially introduced in 2003, has been modified over the years and, as of 2020, requires teams to interview at least two minority candidates for the head coaching position, and those interviews must be of coaches from outside the organization. For the Dolphins this year, that would mean an interview with defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver, though a minority, would not count as meeting the Rooney Rule requirement.
The rule is not without controversy, including a lawsuit filed by former Dolphins head coach Brian Flores who, in 2022, alleged he had interviews prior to being hired by Miami that were simply to meet the Rooney Rule requirements and were not actual considerations for a vacant head coaching position. That litigation is still ongoing.
The NFL added a stipulation in 2020 that rewards teams for developing minority candidates. A team is awarded third-round draft picks if it has a minority candidate hired away from them for a head coaching or general manager position.
Harbaugh is the obvious name in this category, but several coaches could bring valuable experience to Miami, having already served as a head coach elsewhere. Miami’s last seven head coaching hires (McDaniel in 2022, Brian Flores in 2019, Adam Gase in 2016, Joe Philbin in 2012, Tony Sparano in 2008, Cam Cameron in 2007, and Nick Saban in 2005) have all been first-time NFL head coaches. The last time the Dolphins won a game in the playoffs was in 2000, when Dave Wannstedt, who had been the Chicago Bears head coach before joining Miami, was in his first year as the team’s head coach. It might be time for Miami to consider a “retread” coach instead of trying to find the next great rookie for the position.
Here is a list of potential targets for the Dolphins, with their head coaching and coordinator experiences, along with career highlights:
- Brian Daboll
- New York Giants head coach (2022-2025)
- Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator (2018-2021)
- Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator (2012)
- Miami Dolphins offensive coordinator (2011)
- Cleveland Browns offensive coordinator (2009-2010)
- Jason Garrett
- New York Giants offensive coordinator (2020-2021)
- Dallas Cowboys head coach (2011-2019)
- Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator (2007-2010)
- Miami Dolphins ties:
- Quarterbacks coach (2005-2006)
- Quarterback (2004)
- John Harbaugh
- Baltimore Ravens head coach (2008-2025)
- Super Bowl XLVII champion
- 2019 Coach of the Year
- Philadelphia Eagles special teams coordinator (19998-2006)
- Baltimore Ravens head coach (2008-2025)
- Vance Joseph
- Denver Broncos defensive coordinator (2023-Present)
- Arizona Cardinals defensive coordinator (2019-2022)
- Denver Broncos head coach (2017-2018)
- Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator (2016)
- Kliff Kingsbury
- Washington Commanders offensive coordinator (2024-2025)
- Arizona Cardinals head coach (2019-2022)
- Mike McCarthy
- Dallas Cowboys head coach (2020-2024)
- Green Bay Packers head coach (2006-2018)
- Super Bowl XLV champion
- San Francisco 49ers offensive coordinator (2005)
- New Orleans Saints offensive coordinator (2000-2004)
- Raheem Morris
- Atlanta Falcons head coach (2024-2025)
- Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator (2021-2023)
- Super Bowl LVI champion
- Atlanta Falcons defensive coordinator/interim head coach (2020)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach (2009-2011)
- Matt Nagy
- Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator (2023-Present)
- Super Bowl LVIII champion
- Chicago Bears head caoch (2018-2021)
- Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator (2016-2017)
- Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator (2023-Present)
- Robert Saleh
- San Francisco 49ers defenisve coordinator (2025-Present)
- New York Jets head coach (2021-2024)
- San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator (2017-2020)
- Jim Schwartz
- Cleveland Browns defensive coordinator (2023-Present)
- Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator (2016-2020)
- Buffalo Bills defensive coordinator (2014)
- Detroit Lions head coach (2009-2013)
- Tennessee Titans defensive coordinator (2001-2008)
- Arthur Smith
- Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator (2024-Present)
- Atlanta Falcons head coach (2021-2023)
- Tennessee Titans offensive coordinator (2019-2020)
- Steve Spagnuolo
- Kansas City Chiefs defensive coordinator (2019-Present)
- New York Giants defensive coordinator (2015-2017)
- New Orleans Saints defensive coordinator (2012)
- St. Louis Rams head coach (2009-2011)
- New York Giants defensive coordinator (2007-2008)
- Kevin Stafanski
- Cleveland Browns head coach (2020-2025)
- 2020 Coach of the Year
- 2023 Coach of the Year
- Minnesota Vikings offensive coordinator (2019)
- Cleveland Browns head coach (2020-2025)
If the Dolphins look to return to the younger-coach well, some rising stars could be in line for their first shot at the top coaching position. This year seems like one in which defensive coordinators are swinging back toward the top of the lists after years of offensive coordinators having the easier path to a head coaching position. Two names from the defensive side of the ball have Dolphins ties: Miami’s current defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver and the Los Angeles Rams’ Chris Shula, the grandson of Dolphins legendary Hall of Fame coach Don Shula.
Here are some of the coordinator names who could find themselves on Miami’s list of potential head coaches:
- Lou Anarumo
- Indianapolis Colts defensive coordinator (2025-Present)
- Cincinnati Bengals defensive coordinator (2019-2024)
- Miami Dolphins ties:
- Defensive backs coach (2012-2017)
- Interim defensive coordinator (2015)
- Defensive backs coach (2012-2017)
- Matt Burke
- Houston Texans defensive coordinator (2023-Present)
- Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator (2017-2018)
- Linebackers coach (2016)
- Joe Brady
- Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator (2024-Present)
- Carolina Panthers offensive coordinator (2020-2021)
- Thomas Brown
- New England Patriots passing game coordinator (2025-Present)
- Chicago Bears offensive coordinator/interim head coach (2024)
- Carolina Panthers offensive coordinator (2023)
- Aden Durde
- Seattle Seahawks defensive coordinator (2024-Present)
- Jeff Hafley
- Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator (2024-Present)
- Klint Kubiak
- Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator (2025-Present)
- New Orleans Saints offensive coordinator (2024)
- Minnesota Vikings offensive coordinator (2021)
- Mike LaFleur
- Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator (2023-Present)
- New York Jets offensive coordinator (2021-2022)
- Jesse Minter
- Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator (2024-Present)
- Todd Monken
- Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator (2023-Present)
- Cleveland Browns offensive coordinator (2019)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator (2016-2018)
- Dan Pitcher
- Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator (2024-Present)
- Tommy Rees
- Cleveland Browns offensive coordinator (2025-Present)
- Darren Rizzi
- Denver Broncos special teams coordinator (2025-Present)
- New Orleans Saints special teams coordinator (2019-2024)
- Interim head coach (2024)
- Miami Dolphins special teams coordinator (2010-2018)
- Chris Shula
- Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator (2024-Present)
- Anthony Weaver
- Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator (2024-Present)
- Houston Texans defensive coordinator (2020)
- Davis Webb
- Denver Broncos offensive pass game coordinator (2025)
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