The Miami Dolphins fired Mike McDaniel after four seasons with the team. McDaniel has been the architect of some of the league’s best offenses during his time in Miami and will be a sought-after candidate for current job openings. Here are the four best fits for McDaniel.
Best Landing Spots For Mike McDaniel
Atlanta Falcons
McDaniel already has a history with the Falcons organization and Falcons owner Arthur Blank. McDaniel was an offensive assistant from 20-15-2016 under Dan Quinn, who is the current Washington Commanders head coach. McDaniel could come in and revitalize a Falcons offense that has some fun pieces.
Though the quarterback situation will need to be figured out with Kirk Cousins set to leave and Michael Penix Jr. recovering from a torn ACL, there is still enough talent on the offense for McDaniel to work with. Bijan Robinson is one of the best running backs in football. Drake London is among the league’s best wide receivers, and the Falcons also have a strong offensive line.
The Falcons have not been to the playoffs since 2017, and McDaniel reached the playoffs twice in his four seasons with the Dolphins.
Tennessee Titans
McDaniel to the Titans would be a slam dunk for top 2025 pick Cam Ward. Ward went through a hectic rookie season, which saw his head coach get fired. Despite the chaos, Ward showed flashes of why he was the top pick, and that could be enticing to McDaniel.
The Titans also have a top-five pick, and he would continue to help build the roster around Ward. With a quarterback already in place, the Titans would be a good fit for McDaniel. Ward is said to be involved in the hiring process of the new head coach in Tennessee, and Ward and McDaniel could hit it off.
Las Vegas Raiders
After hiring the oldest coach in the NFL last season in Pete Caroll and then firing him, Tom Brady and the Raiders’ ownership could go a different route this year. The Raiders brass could opt to hire McDaniel, knowing that they have the top pick in the 2026 NFL Draft and will need an offensive-minded head coach to help the quarterback grow.
McDaniel would have the autonomy to choose whatever quarterback he liked in the 2026 draft and build with him. Unlike when he was hired in Miami, Tua Tagovailoa was already in place, which might not have been McDaniel’s first choice of quarterbacks to work with.
It will take some time to build up the Raiders roster, but recent history shows it doesn’t take long to go from worst to first in the NFL.
Baltimore Ravens
McDaniel and Lamar Jackson would be the top offensive combo in the AFC. The two-time MVP could tap into some of McDaniel’s offensive prowess, which could elevate Jackson to another level, perhaps one that many people didn’t think he could reach.
Because McDaniel is an offensive coach, the Ravens wouldn’t have to worry about a revolving door of offensive coordinators if they decided to go the defensive route with candidates like Jesse Minter, Brian Flores, and Anthony Weaver. After firing John Harbaugh, it will be crucial to hire someone who can relate to and grow with Jackson, and McDaniel is well-suited for this role.
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