Mike McDaniel Says He’ll Be Coach of Dolphins ‘Until Told Otherwise’

Mike McDaniel spent much of the season on the hot seat, but appears to have held on to his job for the time being.

Mike McDaniel and the Dolphins had a rough year, but are already looking towards next season. / Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Despite spending much of the past season on the proverbial hot seat, it appears that Mike McDaniel will be holding on to his job as coach of the Dolphins for at least one more year.

A dreadful start to Miami’s season had many pundits and fans thinking McDaniel wouldn’t make it through the end of the year. But after the team rallied in the second half of the season, it appears that he’s done enough to get another year in charge.

Speaking with the media on Monday a day after the Dolphins’ season officially ended with a 38–10 loss to the Patriots, McDaniel relayed that he’s already getting ready for next year.

The first question of his presser brought up a report from NFL Network that indicated the Dolphins planned on bringing him back, and that team owner Stephen Ross was open to McDaniel working with a new quarterback to run the offense.

“My understanding is that I am the coach of the Miami Dolphins until I’m told otherwise,” McDaniel said of the report.

McDaniel added that he and Ross planned to meet soon to get a plan in place to turn things around in the offseason.

"We're getting together later in the week to discuss what needs to be discussed," McDaniel said. "We both share the sentiment that we're not where we want to be, and in this business, you have to have a plan of action to improve that play. I think those discussions are very important and healthy, and I think the fan base is counting on that to occur.

"We're not just dismissing this season as, 'Oops, we'll try again.' You're trying to attack things. Control your controllables, with the bottom line of 'We need to improve this football team now,' and set forth a plan to do that."

McDaniel also addressed the team’s QB situation moving forward, indicating that a competition would be held heading into the new season regardless of which players were around to participate.

McDaniel took over the top job in Miami in 2022 and has a 35–32 record as a head coach in the regular season. While this was a down year for his run with the Dolphins, McDaniel took Miami to the playoffs in his first two years in charge, and will look to bounce back to contend in a crowded AFC East next season.

Next on the to-do list for McDaniel and the Dolphins will be hiring a new general manager, as the team fired Chris Grier in October.

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