If you thought the Atlanta Falcons shocked the world by firing Raheem Morris and Terry Fontenot, you must have been asleep the last few days. They were already one-upped by the Baltimore Ravens, but now the Miami Dolphins accomplished the same after they fired Mike McDaniel earlier this morning.
ESPN Sources: Dolphins fired head coach Mike McDaniel.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 8, 2026
Dolphins owner Stephen Ross met with McDaniel this week to discuss the season. After that meeting and reflection, Ross decided to move on. pic.twitter.com/tp9TnpGQ1l
The fourth-year head coach look the Dolphins to the playoffs in each of his first two seasons at the helm, but went just 15-19 across the last two seasons and was scapegoated over Tua Tagovailoa's struggles. Frankly, he's still head coach material, but it seems likely he accepts an OC job in 2026.
McDaniel has been linked to the Falcons' OC job for months now, and that is still true now that Zac Robinson likely won't be back under a new regime. Arthur Blank loves coaches who have ties to the Dirty Birds, so don't be surprised if the 42-year-old is a name to watch in Atlanta's coaching search.
Mike McDaniel would be the perfect head coach (or OC) candidate to help the Falcons develop Michael Penix Jr.
McDaniel's 35-33 record is significantly better than Morris' record at the helm, so the fact he was fired is still a bit puzzling. This is the same coach who turned Tagovailoa into a Pro Bowler and the 2023 passing yards leader, so nobody can deny his play-calling prowess won't intrigue other teams.
The similarities between Tua and Michael Penix Jr. are uncanny, which would make the transition easy for McDaniel. Both signal-callers are left-handed strong-armed pocket passers with extensive injury history, so he wouldn't have to alter his system very much to cater to Penix's strengths as a passer.
Like Kevin Stefanski, it wouldn't be surprising to see McDaniel receive head coaching consideration, but immediately pursuing a second shot as a head coach may not be in his best interest. There are some superior OC positions available, but Atlanta may consider him to be either head coach or OC.
As a branch of the Kyle Shanahan coaching tree, McDaniel spent two seasons as a Falcons' assistant, which could sway Blank's opinion. He served as an offensive assistant under Dan Quinn from 2015-2016, meaning that a return to Atlanta is a legitimate possibility, even if the extent of it is unknown .
The Falcons' own coaching search is already off to a hot start, but expect McDaniel to receive an interview, especially since he's one of the best experienced head coaches available. However, most fans would prefer him as their new play-caller, especially if John Harbaugh is the new head coach.