Mike McDaniel is already back on the interview circuit with four head coaching meetings reportedly scheduled after his dismissal from Dolphins

The rest of the league is showing some interest in Miami’s former head coach.

Kyle Crabbs — NFL National Writer

Jan 12, 2026 8:24 AM EST

Last week was a tough one for former Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel. Sunday brought a four-touchdown defeat at the hands of the New England Patriots. Monday brought a press conference in which McDaniel suggested he would be a part of the process to find a new general manager. Tuesday, McDaniel met with team owner Stephen Ross to debrief about the season and by Thursday morning, McDaniel was out as the head coach after four seasons on the job.

Someone with his reputation of creative flair and play-calling ability was never going to be on the market for long. The question with McDaniel was whether or not he’d land on his feet as an offensive coordinator or if he’d get a head coaching opportunity again for someone else in 2026. That is yet to be determined, but we now know McDaniel is garnering interest and will interview for four head coach openings this week.

Mike McDaniel set to collect interview for four head coach openings

Former Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel will interview this week for the Browns, Falcons, Titans and Ravens head coaching jobs, per sources.

McDaniel also is scheduled to interview for the Lions OC job. One of the NFL’s top offensive minds is in high demand. pic.twitter.com/haYxcZg4sq
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) January 12, 2026

Per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, McDaniel is set to interview for the Baltimore Ravens, Tennessee Titans, Atlanta Falcons, and Cleveland Browns openings. There’s no shortage of intrigue with each of these options for McDaniel, who fielded a top NFL offense in 2022 and 2023 but saw his unit fall off in each of the last two seasons. McDaniel, of course, also had to combat some well-documented locker room culture issues in 2024 — which prompted Miami to try to overhaul their team culture this past offseason.

That is sure to be a part of the conversations each team has with McDaniel this week, as well as what his vision for an offense looks like with each of the quarterback situations those franchises can afford to a coach and offensive play-caller. The quarterback situation of these four teams ranges across the full spectrum: former NFL MVP Lamar Jackson, to last year’s top draft choice Cam Ward, to an underachieving top-10 draft choice in Michael Penix Jr. (sounds familiar!), to whatever the deal is in Cleveland.

One thing to be quite certain in? McDaniel will be somewhere in 2026. But whether that’s as the man in charge or the man calling plays is something we should get more clarity on this week.