Latest Dolphins Rumors on Mike McDaniel's Future After Kevin Stefanski Fired by Browns

The seat of Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel might be getting a little warmer thanks to a big domino that fell in the NFL's coaching landscape Monday.

The MMQB's Albert Breer reported that McDaniel's fate for 2026 is "uncertain" and that team owner Stephen Ross "was seemingly looking for reasons to keep him as the season wound down."

However, Breer added that the outlook could change in the event Kevin Stefanski or John Harbaugh was out of a job and available for a new team. The former was just fired by the Cleveland Browns, giving the Dolphins a clear path to interview him if they jettison McDaniel.

Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, meanwhile, reported the Dolphins are expected to keep McDaniel:

"It certainly seems like Mike McDaniel is expected back in 2026," Rapoport said.

The Dolphins also released a list of their GM candidates they plan to interview:

Some will argue a coaching change in Miami is warranted regardless of who's on the market.

McDaniel has a 35-33 record in four years at the helm. Star quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has regressed under his watch. And questions have been raised about the culture he has cultivated behind the scenes and how he's managed the locker room.

When the pressure on McDaniel was mounting, the Dolphins went on a four-game winning streak, which revived their playoffs hopes a bit. Then they closed the year by losing three of their final four contests.

If McDaniel was effectively coaching to save his job down the stretch, then he failed to make an affirmative case.

The absence of a full-time general manager could be the one factor above any other that's giving the coach some job security for now.

Champ Kelly still carries the interim tag after replacing Chris Grier in October. The Dolphins presumably intend to keep McDaniel for another year, or they'll let the next GM make the final decision.

Should ownership and the makeshift front office be enamored with the idea of hiring Stefanski, though, it may not have the luxury of waiting. The two-time Coach of the Year is bound to have some options if he wants to jump right back into a job.