An assistant with the San Francisco 49ers from 2017-2021, McDaniel was hired by the Dolphins after one year as the Niners’ offensive coordinator.
Succeeding the defensive-minded Brian Flores, McDaniel was brimming with positive energy when he joined Miami, bringing a softer, more optimistic approach. It seemed to be a fine fit, especially with Tagovailoa as the tandem looked to push the Fins forward.
The Dolphins went 9-8 in 2022, finishing sixth in the league in yards and 11th in points on their way to the club’s first playoff berth since 2016.
By Year 2 of the McDaniel experience, the Dolphins were an offensive power, leading the league in yards and finishing second in points scored, the highlight coming in a 70-20 Week 3 obliteration of the Denver Broncos. However, for a second year in a row, the Dolphins were bounced in the first round of the playoffs on the road in frigid conditions — in 2023 at the Buffalo Bills and in 2024 at the Kansas City Chiefs.
McDaniel’s crew had built a reputation as fair-weather front-runners. When the weather was sunny and the speedy Dolphins got out fast, all was well, but the grind-it-out game when it mattered most was their kryptonite.
During the 2024 season, the operation came apart as the offense fell to 22nd in scoring and Miami went 3-6 on the road.
A young 38-year-old when he was hired by the Dolphins in February of 2022, McDaniel is still just 42, but as of late seemed to age by the day. As the tribulations mounted in Miami, it seemed as though McDaniel’s trademark exuberance drained by the loss.
A branch of the Kyle Shanahan coaching tree, McDaniel catching on elsewhere during the hiring cycle wouldn’t be surprising at all.
As for the Dolphins, 2026 promises a new-look group, with likely a new QB, and certainly a new GM and head coach.