Mike McDaniel is running out of time as head coach of the Miami Dolphins. McDaniel, in his fourth season, is down to a 28-25 regular-season record, with an 0-2 playoff mark.
In his first two seasons (2022 and 2023), the Dolphins went a combined 20-14 to earn back-to-back AFC wild-card playoff berths before going one-and-done each time. Since then, however, the team has gone 8-11 and so far, os 0-2 in 2025, heading towards missing the postseason for a second consecutive year.
Although McDaniel is only 42 years old and signed a contract extension through the 2028 season in August of 2024, the overall results going in the wrong direction after his initial offensive genius label may prompt owner Stephen Ross to make a change.
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This December will mark 25 years since the Dolphins won a playoff game. If McDaniels goes from the hot seat to fired with multiple years still left on his deal, here would be the most intriguing replacements:
Dolphins' best coaching candidates
Bill Belichick, North Carolina head coach (age: 73)
The rumors have already swirled about Belichick being one and done with the Tar Heels tumult and trading Carolina blue for marine blue in Miami, the old stomping grounds of his GOAT coaching BFF Nick Saban. Belichick can make the Dolphins his final stop before going boating on the ocean every weekend, much like fellow multiple Super Bowl winner Jimmy Johnson.
As a historian of the game, Belichick should also find some intrigue in coaching against the Patriots for a division rival and also getting one last shot to win 27 more games and break the all-time record of Dolphins legend Don Shula with the Dolphins. The real question is, would Ross want to go in such an older short-term direction to give Belichick the opportunity for a quick turnaround?
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Kliff Kingsbury, Commanders offensive coordinator (age: 46)
Kingsbury is more experienced as an offensive mind than McDaniel and revved up his reputation working with quarterbacks, picking up where he left off with Kyler Murray and raising his system and scheming for Jayden Daniels. Should Kingsbury be the choice, it likely would be lights out for almost immobile Tua Tagovailoa as the starting QB with a big eye on Arch Manning in the 2026 draft.
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Jesse Minter, Chargers defensive coordinator (age: 42)
The Chargers won the sweepstakes for Jim Harbaugh as they had the best overall situation to accelerate his big winning ways in the NFL. But it is developing a strong protege, from Ann Arbor to Los Angeles. Minter has had a profound effect on Harbaugh's defenses with the Wolverines and Chargers. The Dolphins need a big fix on that side of the ball while also restoring some toughness and explosive balance to the offense. Going Harbaugh adjacent with Minter makes a lot of sense.
Jeff Hafley, Packers defensive coordinator (age: 46)
Hafley will be on a lot of coach-needy teams' lists with his work to develop the Green Bay defense into dominance the past two years, with Micah Parsons serving as the cherry on top this season. He also has the strong head coaching experience of leading Boston College for four seasons before his NFL stint. He would be a good pivot from McDaniel to get the defense back on track while the offense goes through a big transition.
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Joe Brady, Bills offensive coordinator (age: 35)
Is Brady ready to leave his position as offensive wunderkind and get his first shot despite his young age, a la Kellen Moore with the Saints in 2025? He's getting there with a Josh Allen MVP season and a James Cook massive breakout, tapping into what he did helping Joe Burrow go bonkers for LSU. Brady's time might be now to peel off to help a much more desperate team in the division.