Mike McDaniel spent four seasons coaching the Miami Dolphins, posting a 35-33 record and two NFL playoff appearances. McDaniel lost his job after a 7-10 record in 2025 for a team that had way more doubts than certainties.
He benched quarterback Tua Tagovailoa for rookie Quinn Ewers, lost Tyreek Hill to a season-ending injury and worked with a short-handed team that couldn’t do much against the Buffalo Bills and the New England Patriots. However, one of his former stars believes that McDaniel’s personality also played a role in his dismissal.
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During an appearance on Fox Sports’ “The Herd,” running back Raheem Mostert told Colin Cowherd that McDaniel’s desire to be a players’ coach ended up contributing to his downfall.
“He’s a great coach,” Mostert said. “If guys are talking, he’ll listen and give them some advice, but head coach wise — the past couple of years, what they’ve been going through has just been kind of rough. I kind of feel bad for the players. When you have a coach that is so player friendly, it doesn’t really mix all that well. Look at the coaches in history, not just in the NFL, of all of these different sports franchises, they have coaches that implement toughness, resilience and that’s something that he kind of missed the mark on in being a head coach.”
Oct 5, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel talks with a reporter at the end of the first half of the Carolina Panthers and Miami Dolphins game at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Cory Knowlton-Imagn Images
He added that players respond better to coaches who show authority and aren’t as laidback as McDaniel in Miami.
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Mike McDaniel joined a new job quickly after Dolphins departure
Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel leaves the field. Credit: Rich Storry-Imagn Images
It didn’t take long for Mike McDaniel to find a new job in the NFL. Shortly after being dismissed by the Dolphins, Jim Harbaugh offered him the Los Angeles Chargers offensive coordinator role. He withdrew from several head-coaching candidacies, including the Cleveland Browns and the Buffalo Bills, to work with Justin Herbert in Los Angeles.
The last time he served as OC was in 2021 with the San Francisco 49ers. He is ready for a fresh start, hoping to leave his Dolphins tenure in the past. The Chargers have been in the playoffs in the past two seasons, but they lack something to get over the hump.
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