​This offseason, the Miami Dolphins undertook a sweeping overhaul of their front office and coaching staff. Jon-Eric Sullivan stepped in as the team’s general manager, and Jeff Hafley was appointed head coach. In the midst of these changes, Miami parted ways with former head coach Mike McDaniel. McDaniel’s most successful season with the Dolphins came in 2023, when the team finished 11-6 but were eliminated by the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Wild Card Game. Although the Dolphins reached the playoffs in McDaniel’s first two seasons, they did not win a single playoff game. In his last two years, the team missed the postseason and finished with a sub-.500 record.
During McDaniel’s tenure, the Dolphins drafted Patrick Paul, who at 24 years old later reflected on his former head coach during the July 9 edition of “The Set with Terron Armstead.” Paul said, “I felt for him. He was my guy. Like you said, he drafted me. He believed in me. He was the kind of coach who spoke courage into his players, and I always appreciated that about him. It was part of the business, but I know he’ll do great things with the Chargers. Butch is there, too, so I’m confident they’ll both excel with their new team. I’m not worried about him.”
Paul also discussed Butch Barry, another Miami staffer who has left the Dolphins to join McDaniel with the Los Angeles Chargers as part of Jim Harbaugh’s offseason coaching staff additions. Paul added, “During the draft process, some people thought I came across as a bit arrogant in my conversations. I had a 30-visit with them, so that initial impression was there, but as we got to know each other, our relationship grew. He’s someone I can call at any time, and he’ll pick up. He has a distinct coaching style—different from anyone else I’ve encountered—but it’s efficient, and he’s clearly passionate about his work. I can’t wait to see what he does with the Chargers. You know the Chargers’ history; I’m excited to see what they look like now.”
With Miami steering in a new direction, ESPN Radio’s Jonathan Zaslow, appearing on the “Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz,” offered a prediction about McDaniel’s future coaching trajectory. On May 29, Zaslow said, “I think Mike McDaniel is going to be a really successful offensive coordinator. I don’t think he was meant to be a head coach; some coaches aren’t suited for that role but can thrive as coordinators. You’ve seen examples like Norv Turner, Wade Phillips, and Steve Spagnuolo. There are coaches who fit that path, and I expect McDaniel to find significant success as an offensive coordinator down the line.”