BREAKING: Dolphins Make Shocking Decision With Mike McDaniel

Newly fired Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel jogs off the field during 2025 game.

The Miami Dolphins have officially moved on from head coach Mike McDaniel, ending a tenure that once looked like the start of something special but ultimately unraveled over the past two seasons.

The decision came days after Miami closed the 2025 season with a 7-10 record, a finish that followed months of instability, internal frustration, and mounting pressure on a coach who had gone from rising star to the hottest seat in the league.

McDaniel, hired in 2022, initially delivered exactly what Miami envisioned. He led the Dolphins to back-to-back playoff appearances in his first two seasons, posting an 11-6 record in 2023 and overseeing one of the most explosive offenses in football.

That year, Miami ranked second in the NFL in scoring, Tua Tagovailoa led the league with 4,624 passing yards, and Tyreek Hill posted an elite 1,799 receiving yards with 13 touchdowns. McDaniel’s creative offensive system earned league-wide praise and established him as one of the NFL’s brightest offensive minds.

But postseason struggles and a lack of defensive balance lingered beneath the surface.

A collapse Miami couldn’t ignore

Everything began to slip in 2024, when injuries, particularly repeated concussions for Tagovailoa, forced Miami to dramatically reshape its offense.

The Dolphins missed the playoffs at 8-9, and while the record didn’t scream disaster, it marked the beginning of erosion between results and expectations.

That trend accelerated in 2025, when Miami opened the year 1-6 and became known for late-game collapses, blown leads, and visible locker-room tension. A midseason rally that saw the Dolphins win five of six briefly bought McDaniel time, but a 7-10 finish sealed his fate.

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

McDaniel himself labeled the season a failure, and despite surviving Black Monday, it became clear ownership was reassessing direction. The benching of Tagovailoa late in the season in favor of rookie Quinn Ewers showed how fractured the situation had become.

Once viewed as an offensive partnership built to last, the McDaniel-Tagovailoa era ended with uncertainty at quarterback and serious questions about roster construction.

What comes next for Miami

Miami now faces major decisions on Tagovailoa’s future, Tyreek Hill’s long-term fit, and how aggressively to reshape a roster that underperformed despite high-end talent.

McDaniel leaves Miami with a winning record overall, two playoff appearances, and a reputation as an innovative offensive thinker, making it likely he won’t be unemployed for long.