‘Kicked the door in’ – NFL star reveals what it’s like to watch head coach get fired by billionaire owner

Mike McDaniel though he was safe as the Miami Dolphins’ head coach.

Until a billionaire ‘kicked in’ a door and reminded a fired McDaniel who really was in charge of the Dolphins.

getty

Veteran tight end Darren Waller recently provided an inside look at what happened when McDaniel suddenly went from safe and helping pick Miami’s new general manager to being sacked and out of work.

One meeting changed everything

“I was at the scene of the crime,” Waller told the Glory Daze Podcast with Johnny Manziel.

“I think I was the last person that saw him before he got fired.”

McDaniel was fired last Thursday, ending a four-year run as Miami’s head coach.

He went 9-8 during his initial campaign in 2022 and followed that up with an 11-6 record.

But back-to-back playoff appearances were answered with two consecutive losing seasons and a 7-10 record this year led to McDaniel’s firing.

Waller was in the middle of his season-ending exit interview with McDaniel when the Dolphins’ future changed.

“My exit meeting was that Thursday morning. … We’re talking for like 10 minutes and he’s like, ‘Yeah, I definitely want you back next year,’ ” said Waller, who caught 24 balls for 552 yards and a touchdown in 2025 and has 4,407 career receiving yards.

Dolphins were making plans for 2026

“We’re just reflecting on the year and things he was thinking about doing different and the upcoming year.”

Then an 82-year-old owner with a net worth of $17 billion took over the conversation.

Getty

“Stephen Ross kicked the door in and he comes in, joins the conversation,” Waller said.

“We’re just all talking and reflecting on the year. And then the conversation hits a lull and he’s just — I’m sitting across the desk from Mike and Stephen Ross is just kind of looking at me.”

“It’s time for you to get the hell out,” Manziel joked.

“I looked at Mike and he’s like, ‘We’ll finish this conversation later,’ ” Waller said.

The best-laid plans were soon scattered, and Waller left the meeting to get a massage.

NFL's Greatest......

Ranking the top 10......

Quarterbacks of all-time – Can anyone better Tom Brady?

Wide receivers of all-time – Does Randy Moss or Jerry Rice come out on top?

Running backs of all-time – Stacking Jim Brown, Barry Sanders, Walter Payton, Emmitt Smith and more

Tight ends of all-time – How does Travis Kelce compare?

“I come up from my massage, check my phone and he’s fired,” Waller said.

Just like that, McDaniel’s time in Miami was done.

“I’m like, ‘D***.’ This s*** is cold,’ ” Waller said.

Waller also has a big Tua theory

Fans were split on Waller’s story, with some saying that McDaniel deserved better but others insisting that the firing was a long time coming.

“At least Ross did it in person as opposed to the Ravens owner who did the firing over the phone,” one fan tweeted.

“Mike will get his revenge on us one day, they always do,” a second fan wrote.

Waller also made news for his take proposing a connection between Tua Tagovailoa’s inconsistency as the Dolphins’ quarterback and previous head injuries suffered on the field.

“I’m watching this man throw darts every practice,” Waller said.

“It was just like, ‘What the f*** am I watching?’ I had never seen the anticipation and the accuracy out there. From my standpoint, the skill set for him is still there.

“What I think some of the disconnect comes from, seeing it translate, I think there could be some trauma still stored in his body from what he’s gone through with the head injuries.”

Stay up to date with the latest from the NFL across all platforms – follow our dedicated talkSPORT USA Facebook page and subscribe to our talkSPORT USA YouTube channel for all the news, exclusives, interviews and more.