Jan. 18, 2026, 5:46 a.m. ET

According to a weekend update from ESPN NFL reporter Jeff Darlington, former Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel still “very much likes the OC jobs on the table.”

That’s great news for any Detroit Lions fans hoping that the organization will hire McDaniel as its next offensive coordinator.

It’s also in lockstep with a prior report from Fox NFL reporter Greg Auman, who shared that McDaniel would value a “great OC opportunity better than a not-great head coaching vacancy.”

McDaniel interviewed with the Lions for its OC vacancy last Tuesday. The 42-year-old has also interviewed for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers‘ offensive coordinator job and Darlington reported that he expects McDaniel to interview for the Philadelphia Eagles‘ offensive coordinator vacancy, too.

Per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, former Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel will interview with the Las Vegas Raiders on Monday in Miami from the College Football Playoff National Championship.

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McDaniel, 42, is one of two candidates that the Raiders will hold in-person interviews with ahead of the CFP national championship game between Indiana and Miami. The Raiders will also interview Carolina Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero.

McDaniel has also interviewed for the Cleveland Browns, Tennessee Titans and Baltimore Ravens‘ head coaching vacancies. McDaniel also interviewed with the Atlanta Falcons, but the Falcons hired former Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski as its new head coach on Saturday.

The Lions fired John Morton after one season as its offensive coordinator on Jan. 6 and have been in the midst of a nearly two-week OC coaching search ever since.

To this point, there are six known candidates in the Lions‘ OC search. In addition to McDaniel, the Lions have either already interviewed or will interview former New York Giants offensive coordinator and interim head coach Mike Kafka, Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator Zac Robinson, Seattle Seahawks offensive passing game coordinator Jake Peetz and Baltimore Ravens quarterbacks coach Tee Martin for its OC opening.

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