There may be a new big-name head coach available, and a pursuit by Dolphins owner Stephen Ross would be a recipe for disaster — even if Miami fires Mike McDaniel
Just…no. Please, no.
The Miami Dolphins may, eventually, have a head coaching vacancy before the end of the year. Should that development materialize, team owner Stephen Ross will face what could be seen as the defining decision of his legacy as the team’s owner.
Ross has been through a slew of coaches since assuming majority control of the Dolphins in 2009. Tony Sparano, Joe Philbin, Adam Gase, Brian Flores, and, currently, Mike McDaniel have served as the Dolphins’ head coaches under Ross, plus interim terms from Todd Bowles and Dan Campbell.
During his tenure, Ross has had an eye towards big-name head coaching candidates on more than one occasion. He flirted with Jim Harbaugh at Stanford while Sparano was still under contract as the team’s coach, which drew ire and strife within the organization. And who can forget the inappropriate contact with Sean Payton, in which the Dolphins were reportedly primed to offer a $100 million contract to coach in Miami after sending compensation to New Orleans?
Brian Flores’ suit against the Dolphins squashed that quickly — and Miami was subsequently stripped of first and third-round draft choices for tampering charges for Payton and quarterback Tom Brady that summer after an investigation.
As a potential vacancy for Miami lingers, there may soon be another big-name coach available on the market — one that the Dolphins are familiar with. His name is Bill Belichick. And if it comes to be reality, my only words for Ross would be this:
“Please don’t.”
New report indicates Bill Belichick’s tenure at North Carolina could soon be over, and he’d be a disaster hire for the Dolphins despite his coaching legacy
A report from Ollie Connelly this afternoon highlights the tenuous state of affairs for former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick and his current team, the North Carolina Tar Heels. In an effort to extend his coaching career, Belichick dipped into the college ranks this year after a “gap year” in 2024.
It has been an unmitigated disaster, with the Tar Heels sitting at 2-3 with wins over Richmond and Charlotte. They’ve been uncompetitive in their three contests against TCU, UCF, and Clemson.
Unmitigated disaster is a suitable adjective not only for Belichick’s time at North Carolina, but essentially also his entire career from the moment that Tom Brady packed his bags and headed south for Tampa Bay. There’s a 29-39 record in New England, the decision to make a former defensive coordinator (Matt Patricia) serve as his offensive play caller for a second-year quarterback, tabloid headlines, being bypassed in the 2024 hiring cycle, landing at North Carolina, petty pissing contests with Robert Kraft and the Patriots, and now this.
It’s been one goofy, unserious development after another that has many questioning Belichick’s legacy beyond his time with Brady.
Bill Belichick’s coaching record with and without Tom Brady
- Belichick’s coaching record with Tom Brady: 249-75 (.769 win percentage)
- Belichick’s coaching record without Tom Brady: 84-104 (.447 win percentage)
- Belichick’s current coaching record at North Carolina: 2-3 (.400 win percentage) as of Oct. 8, 2025
Make no mistake about it — there’s a wealth of football knowledge that is unrivaled. Bill’s seen more football than most would ever dream of, and he’s forgotten more about football than I’ll probably ever know. Belichick will be a first-ballot Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee when he’s eligible.
But he’s given no one any reason to believe he’s still an effective head coach over the past half-decade. The incubated nature of his coaching tree in New England posed major problems down the stretch for his ability to assemble a quality assistant staff. And, as we’ve seen for a decade plus now, those in his coaching tree that have tried to spread their wings and fly elsewhere in the NFL have failed spectacularly any time they’ve been given an opportunity.
The Dolphins know a little something about that, too — although Brian Flores’ failures with the Dolphins were not because of defensive acumen or scheme. It was instead because of a power struggle over personnel, a failed bid to acquire embattled quarterback Deshaun Watson in 2021, the inability to assemble a quality coaching staff on offense, and the alleged scar tissue from the organization’s misdeeds during a 2019 rebuild year in which Ross, as accused by Flores, offered him significant bonuses for every loss.
All of that is before we acknowledge that Bill Belichick will be 74 years old next spring and would be the second-oldest head coach in the league if he were to re-enter the ranks of NFL lead men in 2026. That’s not a long-term solution to Ross’ lingering legacy as the Dolphins team owner. It’s a Band-Aid. And a used one, at that.
So please, Mr. Ross. If you find yourself seeking a new head coach for the 2026 season and the name Bill Belichick crosses your mind, I beg you. Just…don’t. This is one big fish not worth attempting to reel in — go find your prized catch elsewhere if you need a new coach this winter.
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