On Thursday morning, reports began to surface that the Miami Dolphins had decided to fire head coach Mike McDaniel. Now, the team has broken its silence on that decision.
The decision comes as McDaniel had quite clearly been planning to come back to the Dolphins next season, even holding a press conference where he outlined the team’s plans for the offseason and the following season. However, he will not be returning.
On Thursday, after reports began to surface from multiple outlets that McDaniels had been fired, the Dolphins broke their silence on the matter as they confirmed the move with a statement from team owner Stephen Ross.
“After careful evaluation and extensive discussions since the season ended, I have made the decision that our organization is in need of comprehensive change. I informed Mike McDaniel this morning that he has been relieved of his duties as head coach,” Ross said in a statement via Pro Football Talk.
“I love Mike and want to thank him for his hard work, commitment, and the energy he brought to our organization. Mike is an incredibly creative football mind whose passion for the game and his players was evident every day. I wish him and his family the best moving forward.”
It’s not clear who the Dolphins will target as their next coach, but it is clear that the team felt a change was necessary. Given the timing of the move, Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk speculates that the Dolphins could target John Harbaugh after he was fired by the Ravens this week.
The Dolphins have now become the eighth team this offseason to fire their head coach, as a quarter of the NFL will now be looking for a new coach this offseason.
We’ll have to see what’s next for both McDaniels and the Dolphins as both parties look to move on after parting ways this week.
About Dave Kelsey
Contributing author to The Comeback.