The Miami Dolphins looked like a team on the rise two seasons ago, coming off an 11-6 campaign with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa thriving and head coach Mike McDaniel viewed as one of the NFL's brightest minds. Fast forward to 2025, and McDaniel finds himself on the hot seat.
McDaniel is far from the only problem in Miami, as part of the issue stems from the roster put together by general manager Chris Grier. In the best-case scenario, Dolphins owner Stephen Ross would clean house and bring in both a new head coach and general manager for the first time since January 2016. For now, though, we'll focus on NFL coaching candidates who could take over in Miami.
Let's dive into our list of Dolphins coaching candidates who could replace McDaniel next season.
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There are a variety of factors to consider when evaluating Dolphins coaching candidates. Miami could take the opposite approach of its last head-coaching search, targeting a defensive-minded coach. However, there has to be an appeal to both hiring someone who can revitalize this offense and potentially hurt a divisional foe in the process. Hiring Joe Brady would accomplish that.
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Brady, age 36, was a rising name in coaching circles after his stint as the LSU Tigers' passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach in 2019, when they won the national title. He turned it into a play-caller gig with the Carolina Panthers , a job he flamed out in and was fired less than two full seasons into the gig. He's since rebounded with the Buffalo Bills , working his way from quarterbacks coach to one of the best play-callers in the NFL right now.
It's crucial to note with Brady that his work in Buffalo is about so much more than Josh Allen winning his first NFL MVP in 2024. Yes, the Bills' yards-per-play average ( 5.7 to 6.0 ), red-zone touchdown rate (63.1% to 71.6%) and points per drive (2.37 to 2.92) all increased from 2023-24 under Brady. One crucial reason for that, though, is that Brady took the Bills' rushing attack to another level. He's demonstrated that he can learn from his mistakes earlier in his coaching career, and that ability to adjust would be welcomed in Miami.
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So much of the focus on Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley as a head-coach candidate this offseason will center on what he does with this unit after acquiring Micah Parsons . It's fair to highlight that, given Green Bay 's phenomenal defense in 2025, but it's even better to look at how Hafley helped the Packers' defense improve in his first season before Parsons' arrival.
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In 2023 , under defensive play-caller Joe Barry, the Packers' defense ranked 21st in yards per play allowed (5.4), 25th in third-down defense (41.1% conversion rate), 22nd in points per drive allowed (1.99) and 23rd in Defensive EPA per Play ( 0.009 ). After an adjustment period in his first season as an NFL defensive coordinator, Green Bay's defense ranked eighth in yards per play allowed ( 5.2 ), 12th in third-down defense (37.5% conversion rate), sixth in points per drive (1.79) and fourth in Defensive EPA per Play ( -0.066 ) in 2024.
Hafley, who will only be 47 years old next season, also has head-coaching experience from his time with Boston College (2020-23) and he was well-regarded before that both as a defensive coordinator at Ohio State and a defensive backs coach for the San Francisco 49ers . Experience, culture and defensive improvement are what Hafley can bring to the table.
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When many compile a list of Dolphins coaching candidates, the focus often centers on defensive play-callers and offensive coordinators. It's certainly understandable given the responsibilities and success those head coaches have had in those roles. However, being a great coordinator hasn't always translated to being a successful NFL head coach, and other qualities need to be weighed. That brings us to Detroit Lions offensive line coach Hank Fraley.
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Fraley, age 48, has been an offensive line coach throughout his career and is widely respected for his work in Detroit. Under his guidance, the Lions' offensive line has been consistently one of the NFL's best, despite turnover at the position. For a Dolphins franchise plagued by poor trench play and minimal development of young linemen, Fraley could be a transformative hire for the front.
Obviously, there are risks in hiring a head coach without prior coordinator experience. However, Fraley has spent years learning from Dan Campbell, who was primarily a tight ends coach before his head-coaching tenure. Being a successful head coach relies more on leadership than play-calling. At the very least, Miami could bring Fraley in for a head-coaching interview this offseason to see if he is the right person to instill cultural change in the Dolphins' locker room.
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Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter has made a name for himself in less than two full years in the position. He spent several years on the Baltimore Ravens ' coaching staff (2017-2020), learning from John Harbaugh, not long before Jim Harbaugh hired him as the Michigan Wolverines' defensive coordinator in 2022. After winning a national championship together, largely because of Michigan's defense, Harbaugh brought Minter with him to Los Angeles.
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Before diving into the numbers, it's important to keep in mind that the Chargers' defensive roster never added an All-Pro talent upon Minter's arrival, like Green Bay did ( Xavier McKinney ) after hiring Hafley. Instead, Los Angeles spent several mid-round picks in the 2024 NFL Draft on young defenders.
Before Minter's arrival, the Chargers' defense ranked 26th in yards per play allowed (5.5), 25th in yards per drive (32.6), 24th in points per drive (2.01), and Defensive EPA per Play ( 0.019 ). In Minter's first season, Los Angeles ranked 13th (5.3), 15th (30.5), third (1.66), and fifth ( -0.054 ) in those same categories. He absolutely maximizes the talent he has to work with, and his time spent learning from both Harbaugh brothers could help him shape the culture of the team he'll run.
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Hiring a head coach out of college, especially one without any NFL coaching experience, would certainly be a gamble for Miami. There are a few intriguing options out there, including Matt Campbell (Iowa State) and Ryan Day (Ohio State). However, Campbell seems focused on staying in college, and Day's success might be more reflective of the Buckeyes' talent. Instead, we're highlighting Marcus Freeman.
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It says something about Notre Dame's coach that when Brian Kelly left for LSU, players wanted Freeman to be promoted to head coach. To that point, several of Kelly's assistants remained with Freeman after he was named the Fighting Irish coach. In his third year as a college head coach, he took Notre Dame to the CFP national championship game.
Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reported in January that Freeman is already being eyed by NFL franchises. At 39 years old, he's also far better at connecting with young players than some of his peers. Freeman also brings an excellent defensive background, and Miami could support him by surrounding him with some NFL head-coaching experience on his staff.
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Todd Monken has taken the Baltimore Ravens offense to new heights since being hired in 2023, orchestrating a unit that ranks top-two in EPA per Play and Success Rate from 2023-25 . While he's the oldest of our proposed Dolphins coaching candidates, turning 60 in February, he brings a track record of success both in the NFL and at the collegiate level.
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Monken's decades of coaching experience also provide him with an extensive network around the league. It would better enable him to assemble a quality Dolphins coaching staff, including a defensive coordinator. Furthermore, he's demonstrated the ability to design highly efficient offenses for a variety of different quarterbacks (Jackson, Stetson Bennett , and Jameis Winston ). Regarding Winston, his only seasons with a 90-plus QB rating over double-digit games came with Monken as offensive coordinator.
It might not be a splashy hire, but Monken's extensive background and success at various stops under different circumstances could make him a safer bet than an inexperienced play-caller. Furthermore, if Miami decides to hire a new general manager, it could go with a tandem hire by poaching from the Ravens' front office to pair with Monken as head coach.
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