Pro Football Rumors
The Lions expressed interest in Mike McDaniel immediately after his Dolphins ouster. Days later, the sides have scheduled a meeting.
McDaniel will interview for Detroit’s OC post on Tuesday, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports. This process may take some time, though. McDaniel is on at least three teams’ HC radars, booking Ravens and Falcons interviews today to go with his Titans meeting.
The Lions weren’t shy about their pursuit of McDaniel, as the team reached out to him only hours after his ouster in Miami. Detroit has been hunting around for a replacement for OC John Morton, who was fired after only one season in the role. The Lions are clearly hoping to reboot an offense that sorely missed Ben Johnson in 2025, and McDaniel provides as much upside as anyone on the market.
The 42-year-old put himself on the head coaching map following his first stint as an offensive coordinator. McDaniel spent one season in that role with the 49ers, where he helped guide a Jimmy Garoppolo-led offense to a top-10 showing in total yards. Part of that offensive success was thanks to rookie RB Elijah Mitchell, who finished with 1,100 yards from scrimmage that season.
The Dolphins were quick to name McDaniel as their next franchise leader in 2022, and the coach had immediate success in Miami. He helped guide the Dolphins to playoff appearances in each of his first two seasons at the helm, with his 2023 squad representing one of the league’s best offenses. The Dolphins fell off in 2024 and 2025, partly thanks to McDaniel’s inability to control the locker room. Following a 7-10 showing this year, the 42-year-old was issued his walking papers.
Considering his initial success in Miami, McDaniel is already looking to land on his feet, as he’s garnered three head coaching interviews. Still, a job in Detroit wouldn’t be the worst fallback. While the Lions offense took a step back in 2025 and especially struggled down the stretch, the unit still finished top-five in both points and yards. While the Lions haven’t tapped into the Mike/Kyle Shanahan tree since Anthony Lynn, McDaniel would certainly warrant some consideration for the gig.
Ben Levine contributed to this post.
