The Miami Dolphins have pulled the plug on the Mike McDaniel era, and with it, they have put the entire franchise under the microscope. Owner Stephen M. Ross framed the move as a full reset. “After careful evaluation and extensive discussions since the season ended, I have made the decision that our organization is in need of comprehensive change,” Ross said after informing McDaniel he was out as head coach. He added: “I love Mike… [he’s] an incredibly creative football mind.” (NESN)

What comes next is the real headline: league-wide reporting points to a big swing. The name at the center of early chatter is John Harbaugh, the Super Bowl–winning former Ravens coach who recently became available. Multiple outlets have labeled him Miami’s “golden goose” target, even as ESPN noted the Dolphins had not contacted Harbaugh at the time of reporting, and that the decision to fire McDaniel was independent of both Harbaugh’s status and the general manager search.

Why the Dolphins moved on from Mike McDaniel

On paper, McDaniel’s four-year mark — 35-33 overall and 0-2 in the playoffs — reflects a team that was competitive but not a true contender. Miami went 7-10 this past season. The club still hasn’t won a playoff game since 2000, a drought that has long shadowed every regime that followed the Dan Marino era. (Bleacher Report)

Context matters here. McDaniel signed an extension before 2024 that ran through 2028, and early on, insiders believed he would be back. “Barring some sort of surprise, [he] is expected back next season,” NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport had said, adding Ross supported McDaniel. (NESN) But a post-season meeting with Ross shifted the outlook. Sources told ESPN’s Jeff Darlington that Ross left that meeting “conflicted,” valuing McDaniel’s intelligence and offensive mind yet believing the status quo wasn’t enough. (ESPN)

One outlet even framed the last two seasons as a 15-29 slide, underscoring how differently the McDaniel era is being read from the outside. (NESN) Whether you buy that math or not, the message is clear: Miami believes it needs a hard turn, not a tweak.

“If they want a true reset, go get the CEO-type coach who can build culture and win ugly.”

GM first, then head coach: the search structure

Miami is running two hunts at once: a general manager and a head coach. The order matters. ESPN reports the Dolphins don’t plan to conduct their head coach interviews until a new GM is in place. (ESPN) Sports Illustrated added the GM hire is expected to wrap within days, and that the new GM will have a huge voice in the pick on the sideline. (Sports Illustrated)

That timeline also explains the Harbaugh buzz-with-brakes: you can aim big, but you still need your football boss in the chair to run the process. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Miami had not contacted Harbaugh yet and called the firing an independent decision from the GM situation. (NESN)

The big swing: John Harbaugh and the A-list

Harbaugh is the splash. He is linked to the Dolphins across reports at ESPN, CBS Sports, and Bleacher Report as the top target. A CBS Sports HQ segment also walked through how Miami’s GM choice could dovetail with a Harbaugh pursuit. (CBS Sports HQ) One YouTube analyst even went all-in: “I would also bet almost my entire bank account that the head coach of the Miami Dolphins would either be John Harbaugh and if they don’t get John, it would be Jesse Minter.” (YouTube)

Beyond Harbaugh, the market is deep. Vance Joseph (Broncos DC; ex-Dolphins DC in 2016) is labeled by CBS as a top candidate even before Harbaugh entered the mix. Klint Kubiak (listed as the Seahawks OC) offers an offensive reset if Miami moves on from quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. Other names across reports: Kevin Stefanski (former Browns HC), Mike McCarthy (former Cowboys and Packers HC), Robert Saleh (49ers DC; ex-Jets HC), Jeff Hafley (Packers DC), Joe Brady (Bills OC), Jim Schwartz (Browns DC), Jon Gruden, Bill Belichick, Josh Grizzard (ex-Bucs OC; ex-Dolphins assistant), Anthony Campanile (Jaguars DC; ex-Dolphins assistant), Jesse Minter (Chargers DC), and even Chris Shula raised in video chatter. (CBS Sports, Sports Illustrated, ESPN, Bleacher Report)

“Harbaugh changes the whole building. If he’s in play, you start there and work down.”

In-house options: Anthony Weaver and Frank Smith

Two names are already in the building. Defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver is widely seen as an obvious interview. He’s respected by players, helped spark a late-season defensive lift, and has reportedly fielded three HC interview requests this cycle. (CBS Sports, Dolphin Seer) There is some skepticism around firing a head coach only to elevate his assistant, but Weaver’s stock is real.

On offense, coordinator Frank Smith has also earned respect around the league after HC interviews last cycle. If Miami aims to pair a new, young quarterback with a teacher, Smith fits that brief. Still, the Dolphins’ broader reset — and the GM-first approach — makes any internal promotion a big-picture decision, not a quick fix. (ESPN)

“If Weaver walks, that’s on Miami. He’s a leader and the locker room knows it.”

What kind of coach fits Miami’s moment?

Two paths make sense. One is the proven CEO head coach who commands the room and sets a tough identity — that’s the Harbaugh lane. The other is an offensive teacher to develop a young quarterback if the team moves off Tua, a scenario mentioned across coverage this winter. In that track, names like Kubiak, Stefanski, Brady, or Smith come into sharper focus. (CBS Sports, Sports Illustrated, ESPN, Bleacher Report)

Mike McCarthy brings a different angle: a veteran winner who knows how to run the program and has ties to a Dolphins GM finalist through Green Bay. That front-office link could matter if Miami prioritizes a tight GM-HC alignment. (Sports Illustrated)

McDaniel’s next chapter

McDaniel will not be out of work long. ESPN says he’ll have options if he wants to interview this cycle, and the Browns are among teams that have long admired his offensive mind. He could land as a play-caller quickly while Miami goes bigger with its reboot. (ESPN, Bleacher Report)

The bottom line

Miami has reached another turning point. A GM hire is days away, a head coach search will follow, and the names are as big as the stakes. The choice here is not just about playbooks. It’s about belief. Do the Dolphins want a culture shock and a hardened identity? Or do they want to bet on a teacher to raise a new quarterback? Either path can work — but only if the GM and coach are aligned from day one.

If that happens, the next Dolphins era will look and feel very different. And that’s exactly the point.

Further reading: NESN | ESPN | CBS Sports | Sports Illustrated | Bleacher Report | The Phinsider