Sportsnaut
The Miami Dolphins fired head coach Mike McDaniel a few days after the regular-season finale, opting for a clean-house approach with both a new general manager and head coach. While McDaniel is out of a job for now, he’s already one of the most in-demand names in the NFL coaching carousel right now for vacancies at both offensive coordinator and head coach.
Let’s dive into our rankings of the top landing spots for McDaniels.
It is rare for an NFL head coach to be fired and immediately walk into a better situation with his next team. That is exactly the position Mike McDaniel would be in if he becomes the next Baltimore Ravens’ coach. He would go from the limitations of orchestrating an offense quarterbacked by Tua Tagovailoa to building one around two-time NFL MVP and future Hall of Famer Lamar Jackson. It could allow him to return to the passing game efficiency that Miami saw in 2023, when it averaged 8.3 yards per attempt (second in the NFL), while utilizing a dual-threat quarterback who could further unlock his rushing scheme led by Derrick Henry.
Additionally, McDaniel could bring Dolphins’ defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver Jr. with him. It would be a return to Baltimore for Weaver, who was passed over for Zach Orr when the Ravens needed to replace Mike Macdonald. As the Ravens’ head coach, McDaniel would have a shot at competing for the Lombardi Trophy over the next two or more years. This would be an A-grade hire for Baltimore and a perfect pairing for both.
Related: Ranking Best John Harbaugh Landing Spots
Similar to the situation with Baltimore, this would be an upgrade for Mike McDaniel. While rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart showed some limitations as a passer in 2025, some of that can be chalked up to a receiving corps that didn’t have Malik Nabers. The standout wide receiver will be back next fall and McDaniel could make him a focal point of the offense like he first did with Tyreek Hill and then Jaylen Waddle.
Coaching Dart would also mean that McDaniel is given time to develop the young quarterback and build this offense in the direction he wants, likely at least three-plus seasons. Plus, it wouldn’t be hard to find coaches interested in being New York’s defensive coordinator given the top end pass-rushing talent. What puts New York a tier below Baltimore, besides the obvious quarterback difference, is the fact that McDaniel might have to work with Giants general manager Joe Schoen instead of getting to work with one of the best front offices in the NFL. Granted, either option is better than what he had in Miami.
The Las Vegas Raiders were an option here because of the young core of Fernando Mendoza, Brock Bowers, and Ashton Jeanty. However, the coaching instability there and the level of control Tom Brady has over the organization are disqualifying. Instead, Mike McDaniel could take...
