Look like the Miami Dolphins have hired San Francisco 49ers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel as their head coach
McDaniel, replaces Brian Flores, who was fired despite posting winning records in the final two of his three seasons in Miami.
McDaniel had worked under 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan for the past 11 seasons and gets his first shot as a head coach after only one year as offensive coordinator.
The Dolphins are expected to hold a news conference this week to introduce McDaniel.
McDaniel, 38, becomes the fourth consecutive hiring by owner Stephen Ross with no head-coaching experience. The others — Joe Philbin, Adam Gase and Brian Flores — all were gone in less than four seasons. None won a playoff game.
Although McDaniel did not call plays for the 49ers, he did help coach Kyle Shanahan formulate game plans, made suggestions on plays and is considered one of the bright young, creative offensive minds in the league.
McDaniel helped the 49ers reach this season’s NFC Championship Game, boasting the league’s seventh-ranked offense and 13th-ranked scoring offense.
McDaniel’s first task, after assembling a staff, will be to add life to a Miami offense that ranked 25th in yardage, 30th in rushing, 17th in passing and 22nd in scoring. The majority of the Dolphins’ candidates were offensive coaches — a clear sign that Ross wants to field a more entertaining team in 2022.
McDaniel just completed his fifth season with the 49ers, having served as their run-game coordinator (2018-20) and run-game specialist (2017).
Before that, he spent two seasons coaching receivers for the Atlanta Falcons. He also coached Cleveland’s receivers in 2014 and spent three years with Washington.
Former John I. Leonard standout Pierre Garcon, who led the NFL with 113 receptions for Washington in 2013, called McDaniel “probably the smartest one” of his position coaches.
