When the Miami Dolphins fired Mike McDaniel, presumably to make an all-in play to make John Harbaugh their head coach, fans could see their team challenging for supremacy in the AFC for years to come.
Yet, with Harbaugh choosing the New York Giants coaching opening without even considering Miami, a harsh reality has sunken over Dolphins fans. They are going to have to keep waiting for their coaching savior.
Bleacher Report ranked the Dolphins the sixth-most attractive job opening of the eight remaining, with only the Arizona Cardinals‘ and Cleveland Browns‘ roles garnering a lower rating.
Miami, of course, fired McDaniel on Jan. 8 after news of its courting Harbaugh leaked to reporters after he was let go by the Baltimore Ravens earlier that week.
Dolphins owner Steven Ross reportedly has a relationship with the Harbaugh family, which is why some believed they could get in the mix for the Super Bowl-champion coach. But John Harbaugh is likely to be named the Giants coach in the next few days.
The Dolphins’ Job Is Not Highly Coveted Due To QB Concerns
Dolphins fans may feel perplexed that the Giants’ job is that much more enticing, given New York’s recent track record. After all, the Giants have won one playoff game in the past 14 seasons and have finished with double-digit losses 10 times in that span.
Still, aside from the reported $100-plus million Harbaugh is slated to make over five years — which the Dolphins surely would have ponied up to hire him as well — the standing of presumed franchise quarterback Jaxson Dart was likely the deal-clincher for New York.
The Dolphins, of course, have huge questions surrounding their quarterback situation, since McDaniel, of course, benched Tua Tagovailoa for the final three games for rookie Quinn Ewers. Gary Davenport spelled out the issue for Bleacher Report on Wednesday.
“Tagovailoa’s deal is far harder to get out of than Kyler Murray’s, leaving the Dolphins potentially looking at a dead cap hit that could approach $100 million if the 27-year-old is released and $45 million if traded,” Davenport wrote. “Both situations could be calamitous for the Dolphins, at least where 2026 is concerned. Miami’s salary-cap situation is already a messâthe team is upside-down against the projected cap by over $24 million already.”
Davenport referenced the fact the Fins will be breaking in a rookie GM in Jon-Eric Sullivan, which may also have turned off Harbaugh. Plus, they were just competitive enough to finish with a pick outside the top-10, which means landing an impact player via the draft is less likely.
“The 11th overall pick in this year’s draft isn’t a high enough selection to fix the problem under center, and the team isn’t going to be a player in free agency this year,” Davenport wrote. “The coach who takes this job will be doing so with the knowledge that the 2026 campaign is not going to be fun.”
The Dolphins Are Still Courting High-End Head Coaching Candidates
The job may have been good enough to land the likes of Harbaugh, and Miami tried but failed to consummate a trade with the Pittsburgh Steelers for Mike Tomlin.
But there are still some excellent head-coaching candidates available, and the Dolphins are still talking to them.
Miami interviewed both Jesse Minter and Robert Saleh on Thursday, each of whom would be considered a home-run hire. Minter comes from the Harbaugh coaching tree, and Saleh, of course, was a head coach with the rival New York Jets.
Add them to the list of interviewees, which included two-time NFL Coach of the Year Kevin Stefanski, former Boston College coach Jeff Hafley and Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, and the Dolphins are likely to find a solid coach this cycle despite their uncertainty at QB.
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