John Harbaugh and the 3 best Dolphins head coaching candidates to replace Mike McDaniel

The Miami Dolphins shocked the NFL on Thursday by firing head coach Mike McDaniel. It is a surprising move in part because it happened days after most teams fire their coaches following the regular season. McDaniel was in hot water earlier this season, but turned it around and led the Dolphins to a 7-10 record. Unfortunately, it was not enough to save his job.

Now McDaniel will immediately become a top candidate for (presumably) an offensive coordinator role with another team. Meanwhile, the Dolphins will play catch-up by beginning their head coaching search right away.

The elephant in the room is John Harbaugh.

Not only is Harbaugh the top head coaching candidate on the market, but he has close ties to the Dolphins. Harbaugh and Dolphins owner Stephen Ross both attended the University of Michigan. Miami has also pursued both Jim and John Harbaugh in the past. The connection between the Dolphins and Harbaugh are all right there.

But at this point, it is only rumor. While Harbaugh could be a key candidate for the Dolphins, the team has not made any inquiries about their vacant head coaching role just yet per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

So who should be at the top of the Dolphins list? And who should they pursue in addition to the former Ravens head coach?

Below we will explore some of the top head coaching candidates the Dolphins should explore after firing Mike McDaniel on Thursday.

John Harbaugh should be Miami’s top head coaching candidate

Harbaugh should be every team’s top candidate.

The veteran head coach spent the last 18 years with the Ravens. During that time, he went 180-113 during the regular season. That gives his Ravens teams a winning percentage of .614 which is absolutely incredible in the NFL.

But even more important is his history of success during the postseason. Baltimore went 13-11 during the playoffs during the Harbaugh years, including a Super Bowl championship during the 2012 season.

There are a number of additional benefits that could go along with hiring Harbaugh. The next step would be building a staff, and he has plenty of connections that could help Miami build an incredible group right away.

Harbaugh reportedly won’t take any head coaching interviews until next week. That gives Miami time to throw their hat in the ring, which is huge considering that they are days behind their competition.

But the Dolphins need to have a backup plan in case he goes to a more desirable situation.

Kevin Stefanski also makes a lot of sense for the Dolphins

The other big name on the market is former Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski.

Stefanski’s head coaching record is 45-56 during the regular season. However, he led the Browns to two 11-win seasons and their only playoff victory of this century. He’s obviously a quality head coach.

Miami may need a few seasons to rebuild their roster, which Stefanski has some experience with in Miami. If the 43-year-old is up for the challenge, he could be an excellent fit.

One issue with Stefanski is that Miami would have to play catch-up. Stefanski already met with the Giants and is set to interview with the Raiders on Thursday. He will also meet with the Titans over the weekend.

If the Dolphins are serious about Stefanski, they’ll need to get him scheduled for an initial interview as quickly as possible.

Klint Kubiak could offer a different offensive philosophy in Miami

If the Dolphins want to replace McDaniel with another offensive genius, then Klint Kubiak could be the choice.

The son of Gary Kubiak has worked some magic in Seattle with QB Sam Darnold. The Seahawks are now the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs in part thanks to their great offensive scheme.

But just like with Stefanski, the Dolphins would be playing catch-up if they decide to pursue Kubiak.

Seattle’s OC has already received interview requests from the Giants, Cardinals, Raiders, and Falcons. If the Dolphins cannot get the foot in the door soon, that could be a problem.

That said, if the Seahawks go on a deep playoff run, then the Dolphins could have an opportunity to make a strong push for Kubiak after other teams have hired their head coaches.

Will Dolphins pursue a defensive-minded candidate like Jesse Minter?

The Dolphins may also kick the tires on a few defense-focused head coaching candidates.

Mike Macdonald’s wild success in Seattle could inspire Miami to take a different approach during this hiring cycle. And the Dolphins have one somewhat unique advantage if the decide to go that route.

Brian Flores is once again a popular candidate around the NFL, but I would be surprised if he’s on Miami’s radar. Flores was already the Dolphins head coach from 2019 through 2021. It would be surprising to see a reunion happen.

That means other candidates, like Chargers DC Jesse Minter, could be the second option for other teams.

Minter’s defense in LA has been incredible in 2025, especially against the pass. The Chargers have a top-five coverage unit that only allowed 179.9 passing yards per game in the regular season.

I’m uncertain if Minter will want to leave the Chargers at all, let alone for a team like the Dolphins. But I could see this fit working out if the Dolphins promise Minter that he’ll have a long leash during the next couple of seasons.

Packers DC Jeff Hafley and Rams DC Chris Shula could also be appealing to the Dolphins.

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