Dolphins currently planning to keep McDaniel, at least through this season
While the Dolphins parted ways with general manager Chris Grier on Friday, owner Stephen Ross is planning to keep coach Mike McDaniel through at least the end of this season barring a dramatic change of heart, a league source confirmed Friday.
McDaniel, who has a 30-30 regular-season record as Dolphins coach (his first head coaching job), could be let go at the end of this season, but that’s not at all certain.
He will be given an opportunity to make a case to keep his job beyond 2025, a decision that will be based partly by the team’s performance during the final eight games of the season.
Ross still believes in McDaniel but is evaluating everything, the source said.
Another factor helping McDaniel: Ross believes he’s best equipped to maximize Tua Tagovailoa, who is due $54 million guaranteed next season, with a $56.4 million cap hit. He would have a $99 million cap hit if the Dolphins cut before June 1.
McDaniel, whose team is 2-7 following a 28-6 home loss to Baltimore on Thursday, guided the Dolphins to a wild card playoff berth in his first two seasons and helped transform Tagovailoa from a middling starter to one of the league’s highest-rated passers in 2022 and 2023.
McDaniel’s first season ended with a 9-8 regular season record and a 34-31 playoff loss in Buffalo, with No. 3 quarterback Skylar Thompson needed to start that game.
The Dolphins raced to a 9-3 start in 2023, but lost a three-game AFC East lead to Buffalo, finished 11-6 and lost 26-7 in frigid conditions in Kansas City in a wild card game.
Since that game, the Dolphins have gone 10-16 — 8-9 last season (when Tagovailoa was sidelined for six games) and 2-7 this season, with Tagovailoa available for every game but uneven in his performance.
Miami lost six of first eight games in 2024 and 2025. The Dolphins won six of eight after that rough start last season, and the team hopes that turnaround can be duplicated.
Miami is ranked 28th in yards per game (291.4), 25th in points per game (20), 23rd in yards permitted per game (343.7) and 28th in points relinquished per game (27).
The Dolphins next play at home Nov. 9 against Buffalo, followed by a Nov. 16 game in Spain against Washington.
Besides coaching the team, the 44-year-old McDaniel has called the Dolphins’ plays through his entire 3 1/2-year tenure.
He has made several changes during the past two weeks, including meeting individually more often with players; using Daniel Brunskill as a sixth offensive lineman on 15 plays in a 34-10 win against Atlanta and 11 plays in the loss to Baltimore; having offensive coordinator Frank Smith on the field (instead of the press box) during games; and giving more playing time to several young players.
Here’s a look at what McDaniel said during his Friday media briefing with reporters, including injury updates.
Here’s a look at the Dolphins’ new interim general manager, Champ Kelly.
This story was originally published October 31, 2025 at 2:24 PM.
