The Miami Dolphins surprisingly fired head coach Mike McDaniel this morning, creating another opening in an ever-growing NFL coaching cycle. McDaniel leaves South Beach with a record of 35–33 over four seasons—a tenure that began with offensive fireworks but ended in a foggy regression.

While a .500 record might not immediately turn heads, McDaniel remains one of the most astute offensive minds in the league. Under his guidance, Miami’s offense was a juggernaut, finishing in the top ten in yardage twice. He hit a high-watermark in 2023 with the number-one overall offense in the NFL, leading the league in passing yards and yards per carry while racking up 496 points.

Unfortunately, the last two years showed a steady decline, leading Owner Stephen M. Ross to elect for a different direction. After missing the playoffs two years in a row, the Dolphins’ 2025 campaign proved to be the final straw. The team suffered through a moribund 1–6 start and, despite a gritty 6–4 surge to finish the year, ended with a staggering -77 point differential. With major question marks at quarterback and star Tyreek Hill turning 32 in March, Miami decided the time for change was now.

A massive part of McDaniel's appeal is his 15-year partnership with Kyle Shanahan. The pair has an extensive history, working together across five different organizations: Houston, Washington, Cleveland, Atlanta, and San Francisco. They began their relationship with the Houston Texans in 2006, where Shanahan served as the wide receivers coach and McDaniel as an offensive assistant.

Over the next decade, they built the "Shanahan tree" into the most dynamic offensive system in the league. In places like Cleveland and Washington, McDaniel served as the WR coach while Shanahan was the offensive coordinator. This partnership culminated in San Francisco, where McDaniel was the run game coordinator and ultimately the offensive coordinator. The system they perfected is highly coveted because its run and pass plays look identical before the snap, allowing for total unpredictability and massive windows for the quarterback. 

Together, they mastered the wide-zone run scheme, which emphasized offensive linemen moving in unison to create expansive gaps and multiple "slashing lanes" for the running back. This system didn't just allow for explosive runs; but because of its mirror-like formations, it made the play-action pass absolutely lethal.

As McDaniel matured into the Head Coaching position, he added wrinkles to the Shanahan scheme and made it his own. He prioritizes speed and has evolved the modern game with his "cheat motion"—an aggressive method of moving skill players at full speed before the snap to generate a leverage advantage. This was especially effective with players like Hill and De’Von Achane, who are not only outright faster than the people covering them, but now had a running head start.

He also carries a reputation as a “QB Whisperer.” He took Tua Tagovailoa—an undersized passer with physical limitations—and turned him into a Pro Bowler who led the league in passer rating (2022) and passing yards (2023). And who could forget the 70–20 demolition of the Denver Broncos? It remains the most points scored by an NFL team in over 50 years.

The timing of McDaniel’s release couldn’t be better for Washington. Following the mutual departure of Offensive Coordinator Kliff Kingsbury on Wednesday, a vacancy exists in DC that offers McDaniel a chance to reunite with his former boss, Dan Quinn.

The two share a deep bond that exemplifies the highs and lows of the league. McDaniel served as an offensive assistant under Quinn in Atlanta, reaching the pinnacle of the sport with a Super Bowl appearance in 2016. Off the field, the connection is even deeper; Quinn was a mentor and confidant as McDaniel battled alcohol dependency. McDaniel has shared that he reached “ground zero” before reaching out to Quinn for support. As he noted before their matchup in Madrid this past November, he simply “loves the man.”

In addition to Quinn, McDaniel has a long-standing relationship with GM Adam Peters. The two were integral in identifying the talent and culture of the 49ers' offense from 2017–2021. While McDaniel served as the Run Game Coordinator, Peters provided the "position-less" weapons—like Deebo Samuel and Kyle Juszczyk—to fuel the scheme.

For Washington, McDaniel is a home-run hire. The Commanders’ leadership has signaled a desire for a run-first, "multiple" offense—a system McDaniel helped build over 15 years alongside Kyle Shanahan.

His track record with running backs is also strong. In Miami, he oversaw Raheem Mostert’s 21-touchdown resurgence at age 31 and developed De’Von Achane into a weapon who averaged 7.8 yards per carry as a rookie. In 2025, Achane thrived again, finishing as the league’s fifth-leading rusher with 1,350 yards.

Emphasizing the run would alleviate pressure on a Washington defense that struggled mightily this year and prolong the career of Jayden Daniels.

Speaking of Daniels, McDaniel would have one of the most dynamic QBs in the league to work with. The 2024 Rookie of the Year—who set the rookie QB rushing record with 891 yards—is the ultimate "mold of clay" for McDaniel’s system.

Peters and Quinn have the chance to hire a familiar, uber-talented colleague who runs the exact system they seek. It’s a match made in heaven, and it’ll be fascinating to see if it comes to fruition.