One of Mike McDaniel’s final conversations as the Miami Dolphins head coach reveals what his plan for 2026 entailed
The final hours of Mike McDaniel’s tenure with the Miami Dolphins included one conversation that apparently outlined a big part of his plan for 2026.
When the Miami Dolphins made the decision to move on from head coach Mike McDaniel this January, it surprised. Not for the fact that the decision was made. But the timing.
McDaniel had appeared to survive the window for dismissal and there were plenty of reports suggesting that McDaniel was going to have feedback in the decision at general manager. Fate, of course, had different plans. McDaniel was dismissed the Thursday after the regular season ended. And Miami has embarked on a new path ever since. But what would things have looked like if Mike McDaniel stuck around? We now have a clue, thanks to one of the last people McDaniel spoke to as the team’s head coach: tight end Darren Waller.
Former Miami Dolphins tight end Darren Waller shares Mike McDaniel’s end-of-year plan for 2026
“(I) came in at 9:30, talking to Mike (McDaniel). He was like, ‘Man, I’m excited about next season, we definitely want you back.’ Talking about how he was going to give the keys to Quinn Ewers, bring some people in to compete with him, and all these plans that he had. Maybe some coaching staff changes. And so it hits about 9:40, (team owner) Stephen Ross opens the door.”
– Former Miami Dolphins tight end Darren Waller on DraftKings
The outlook for the 2026 team was always going to be about a reset of some capacity. The question was instead just how deeply rooted the change would go. For a few days, it did indeed look like the change would not include McDaniel. Dolphins ownership would go on to finalize that decision amid the backdrop of preparations for a general manager hire.
And now, thanks to Waller’s story, we know that McDaniel’s approach to this offseason would have included elevating Quinn Ewers. It seems Tua Tagovailoa’s fate was sealed either way.
Whether or not that is better or worse than the reality we live in? That’s going to be for everyone individually to decide. The Jeff Hafley/Malik Willis combination that we’ve received will get judged for its play on the field — which is something we only got for three games of McDaniel and Ewers. It will be a hypothetical scenario to add to the pile. Here’s to Miami coming out on the right side of this one. Time will (…may…) tell.
Miami Dolphins News