Dolphins to hold second interview with 49ers OC Mike McDaniel on Thursday
The Dolphins will hold their second interview with Mike McDaniel for the team’s head-coaching vacancy on Thursday, San Francisco 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters Tuesday.
Despite a previous report on Monday that the Dolphins held an interview for much of the day with McDaniel, San Francisco’s offensive coordinator, the team has yet to interview McDaniel again since their initial session two weeks ago.
A source told the Miami Herald that general manager Chris Grier is in Mobile, Alabama, for this week’s Senior Bowl.
McDaniel is one of two known finalists for the Dolphins’ opening after the team fired Brian Flores. The team is also reportedly seeking to speak with Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator Kellen Moore for a second time.
McDaniel, 38, just completed his first season as the 49ers’ offensive coordinator after previously being the run-game coordinator. While he doesn’t call plays — Shanahan holds that role — McDaniel, a Yale graduate, has been lauded for his intelligence and being innovative.
“Mike’s awesome,” 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo said. “I don’t want to say he’s the mastermind behind everything, but he’s kind of that guy in the background that doesn’t say a whole ton to a lot of people, but his mind is always moving.
“The ideas he comes up with are so fresh and new. [He’s] a cool guy to have on the staff. He’s a lot smarter than most of us. He dumbs it down for us and kind of gets us all on the same page and it’s just a good combination with him and all the rest of the coaches.”
While there has been speculation and rumors about the Dolphins potentially hiring Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh, he is reportedly set to interview with the Minnesota Vikings on Wednesday, which is also college football’s National Signing Day.
After firing Flores, Dolphins owner Stephen Ross, a Michigan alum and booster, notably said, “That is the school that I graduated from and I’m very involved in it, and I’m not going to be the person that takes Jim Harbaugh from the University of Michigan. I hope he stays there. He is a great coach.”
This story may be updated.
This story was originally published February 1, 2022 at 3:58 PM.
