The Cleveland Browns are hard at work to find a new head coach, and their search just got even better. While the franchise has already started interviewing candidates, new coaches are still entering the candidate pool. First, it was John Harbaugh, who the Baltimore Ravens fired on Tuesday, and now it’s Mike McDaniel, who the Miami Dolphins decided to move on from Thursday morning.
Despite being fired by the Dolphins, McDaniel’s name immediately moves to the top of the list for teams searching for offensive coordinators. He’ll also be a head coach option in Cleveland, as the Browns are reportedly high on him. Late in the NFL season, before McDaniel or Kevin Stefanski were fired, ESPN insider Jeremy Fowler reported that McDaniel would be a candidate in Cleveland if both coaches were fired. Well, here we are.
Browns can target Mike McDaniel, who was fired by the Dolphins
McDaniel isn’t a stranger to Cleveland, serving as the team’s wide receivers coach in 2014, when Kyle Shanahan was the offensive coordinator. While the coach moved on with Shanahan after that season, the Browns have reportedly “long admired McDaniel’s offensive genius,” according to Cleveland reporter Mary Kay Cabot.
Cleveland will now have an opportunity to get his offensive genius back in the building, at a time when the franchise really needs it. The Browns offense has been abysmal, and while things unraveled for McDaniel in Miami, he did make the Dolphins offense one of the best in the league. Additionally, the coach did a phenomenal job with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, and quarterback development is something the Browns need.
McDaniel finished his four years in Miami with a 35-33 record, and his worst season came in 2025, where the Dolphins still won seven games. He also led Miami to the playoffs twice, both in his first two seasons, losing in the wild card round both times.
While McDaniel will likely be a head coach candidate in Cleveland, it’ll be interesting to see if the team could also explore having him as an offensive coordinator, while hiring someone else to be the team’s head coach. Everything will unfold in the coming weeks, but it’s safe to say the Browns have a pool of candidates they’re excited about.