Where Does McDaniel Stand Right Before Season Finale?

Pretty much right after their disappointing 2025 season, the Miami Dolphins will be diving into a full-blown GM search.

The big question two days before the season finale against the New England Patriots is whether there will be a search for a new head coach as well.

Mike McDaniel will become the first Dolphins head coach to last four full seasons in more than 20 years when the team kicks off at Gillette Stadium at 4:25 p.m. ET and he'll go into that game with a 35-34 record, including playoff losses following his first two seasons.

The last two seasons failed to produce a playoff appearance, which is why his job security very much is in question. Those two seasons also have seen the Dolphins make a little bit of a run after dismal starts (2-6 in 2024 and 2-7 in 2025), which could help him keep his job. Another factor is team owner Stephen Ross' well-known affinity for McDaniel, which he clearly demonstrated late in the summer of 2024 when he gave him a three-year contract extension even though he still had two years left on his contract.

That extension kicks in next year, which means that Ross would be eating three years of salary if he decided to move on from McDaniel, though Ross doesn't exactly need to be making those kind of decisions based on saving money given his financial means.

AIKMAN'S HARSH DOLPHINS COMMENTS

We also don't believe Ross will be basing his decision on comments made by new part-time consultant Troy Aikman late in the Dolphins' humbling Week 15 Monday night loss against the Pittsburgh Steelers that officially eliminated Miami from playoff contention and led to the benching of starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.

Aikman, rightfully so, was very critical of the Dolphins' very nonchalant pace in the fourth quarter of a game they were trailing 28-3 before scoring two touchdowns.

"I'm flabbergasted by what we've witnessed here in this fourth quarter with the Dolphins," Aikman said that night. "And now they want to call timeouts. It just is about as ridiculous a fourth quarter as I've seen in a long time."

Yes, it was a rough look for McDaniel and the Dolphins that night, but nobody should expect Ross' final decision to hinge on that game situation or Aikman's comments.

Besides, Aikman was brought in as a consultant to help with the GM search only, according to NFL Network's Cameron Wolfe.

Now, we're not dismissing the possibility of Aikman having been asked or providing his opinion on McDaniel as a head coach, but it's again not why he was hired as a consultant.

We're also not dismissing the possibility that maybe the Dolphins get Aikman to help out in a coaching search as well if Ross decides to make a move with McDaniel, but whether there will be a coaching search at all still has to be determined.

The idea that the hiring of Aikman as consultant automatically means McDaniel is done after the game Sunday just doesnt' compute.

And interim GM Champ Kelly will be getting an interview for the permanent position, according to Wolfe and as should have been expected, so the possibility of a one-year run with McDaniel and Kelly still remains a possibility.

For example, if Ross decides he wants to keep McDaniel as his head coach, it's possible he'll lose out on certain GM candidates (those with multiple options this year or beyond) who would want to pick their head coach.

The Dolphins, as has been reported by multiple outlets, including Sports Illustrated, are eyeing the model of the Los Angeles Rams and Detroit Lions with a three-tier power system that includes a cap expert, GM and head coach.

The cap expert already is in place, and that's Brandon Shore, so now the question is who will fill the roles of GM and head coach.

We know there'll be an extensive search for a permanent GM. We should know pretty soon whether there will be one for a new head coach.

AIKMAN'S HARSH DOLPHINS COMMENTS

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