The Mike McDaniel era is over in Miami.<\/p>\n
The Dolphins fired their fourth-year coach on Thursday following a 7-10 campaign that did not include a playoff berth for the second straight season, the team announced.<\/p>\n
\u201cAfter careful evaluation and extensive discussions since the season ended, I have made the decision that our organization is in need of comprehensive change. I informed Mike McDaniel this morning that he has been relieved of his duties as head coach,\u201d Dolphins owner Stephen Ross said in a statement.<\/p>\n
Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel responds to a question during an end-of-season NFL football news conference on Monday, Jan. 5, 2026. AP<\/p>\n
\u201cI love Mike and want to thank him for his hard work, commitment, and the energy he brought to our organization. Mike is an incredibly creative football mind whose passion for the game and his players was evident every day. I wish him and his family the best moving forward.\u201d<\/p>\n
The team\u2019s decision to move on from McDaniel came two days after the Ravens\u2019 shocking split from head coach John Harbaugh<\/a> following 18 seasons at the helm. It had been reported<\/a> that Miami was \u201cin touch\u201d regarding the Super Bowl-winning coach.<\/p>\n \u201cCoaching this team and being a part of this great franchise has been the honor of a lifetime,\u201d McDaniel said in a statement. \u201cWhen I took this job, I had a vision of a team that was bonded together and played with passion and energy on the path to winning championships. I gave everything I had for that goal. I am disappointed, especially for the fans, that we did not have better results on the field, but I am grateful for every coach, player, and staff member who poured themselves into that vision alongside me.\u201d<\/p>\n Head coach John Harbaugh of the Baltimore Ravens reacts during the first half against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Dec. 7, 2025. Getty Images<\/p>\n Questions about McDaniel\u2019s future in Miami had been percolating throughout the year.<\/p>\n Entering the 2025 season with a retooled roster<\/a>, the Dolphins dropped three straight games and lost mercurial wide receiver Tyreek Hill to a season-ending leg injury<\/a> in Week 4.<\/p>\n Things only got messier for the Dolphins with star quarterback Tua Tagovailoa publicly calling out his teammates, a move he subsequently apologized for<\/a>.<\/p>\n The team capped off a turbulent October with the firing of longtime GM Chris Grier<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cI informed Mike McDaniel this morning that he has been relieved of his duties as head coach,\u201d Dolphins owner Stephen Ross said in a statement. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect<\/p>\n Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa Getty Images<\/p>\n Although Miami stacked four straight wins in the aftermath, Tagovailoa was benched<\/a> after an ugly \u201cMonday Night Football\u201d loss to the Steelers in Week 15.<\/p>\n The Dolphins turned to rookie seventh-round pick Quinn Ewers over ex-Jet Zach Wilson.<\/p>\n