Sportsnaut
The Miami Dolphins looked like a team on the rise two seasons ago, coming off an 11-6 campaign with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa thriving and head coach Mike McDaniel viewed as one of the NFL’s brightest minds. Fast forward to 2025, and McDaniel finds himself on the hot seat.
McDaniel is far from the only problem in Miami, as part of the issue stems from the roster put together by general manager Chris Grier. In the best-case scenario, Dolphins owner Stephen Ross would clean house and bring in both a new head coach and general manager for the first time since January 2016. For now, though, we’ll focus on NFL coaching candidates who could take over in Miami.
Let’s dive into our list of Dolphins coaching candidates who could replace McDaniel next season.
There are a variety of factors to consider when evaluating Dolphins coaching candidates. Miami could take the opposite approach of its last head-coaching search, targeting a defensive-minded coach. However, there has to be an appeal to both hiring someone who can revitalize this offense and potentially hurt a divisional foe in the process. Hiring Joe Brady would accomplish that.
Related: Miami Dolphins Could Fire Mike McDaniel, Chris Grier Midseason
Brady, age 36, was a rising name in coaching circles after his stint as the LSU Tigers’ passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach in 2019, when they won the national title. He turned it into a play-caller gig with the Carolina Panthers, a job he flamed out in and was fired less than two full seasons into the gig. He’s since rebounded with the Buffalo Bills, working his way from quarterbacks coach to one of the best play-callers in the NFL right now.
It’s crucial to note with Brady that his work in Buffalo is about so much more than Josh Allen winning his first NFL MVP in 2024. Yes, the Bills’ yards-per-play average (5.7 to 6.0), red-zone touchdown rate (63.1% to 71.6%) and points per drive (2.37 to 2.92) all increased from 2023-24 under Brady. One crucial reason for that, though, is that Brady took the Bills’ rushing attack to another level. He’s demonstrated that he can learn from his mistakes earlier in his coaching career, and that ability to adjust would be welcomed in Miami.
So much of the focus on Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley as a head-coach candidate this offseason will center on what he does with this unit after acquiring Micah Parsons. It’s fair to highlight that, given Green Bay’s phenomenal defense in 2025, but it’s even better to look at how Hafley helped the Packers’ defense improve in his first season before Parsons’ arrival.
Related: NFL Defense Rankings 2025, Evaluating all 32 Defenses
In 2023, under defensive play-caller Joe Barry, the Packers’ defense ranked 21st in yards per play allowed (5.4), 25th in third-down defense (41.1% conversion rate), 22nd in points per drive allowed (1.99)...
