After their disappointing 7-10 finish to the 2025 season, the seat beneath head coach Mike McDaniel has grown noticeably warm, and the sudden availability of Super Bowl-winning coach John Harbaugh has created enough doubts to turn these rumors into overdrive.
As the Miami Dolphins navigate a leadership void at General Manager and a crossroads on the sideline, the echoes of a 15-year-old mistake are beginning to ring through the halls of Hard Rock Stadium.
A season of transition in South Florida
The 2025 campaign ended vey bad and in an unexpected way. A 38-10 drubbing at the hands of the New England Patriots in Week 18 was not just the cherry on top to seal a losing record, it marked the first time the Dolphins had been swept by their division rival since 2016.
At 7-10, this was Miami’s worst statistical season since 2019. More importantly, it marked the second consecutive year the team missed the postseason, leaving fans and analysts wondering if the McDaniel experiment is even working out.
The Harbaugh factor
The main point of the speculation is the unexpected departure of John Harbaugh from the Baltimore Ravens after belonging there for an 18-year tenure. Harbaugh, a future Hall of Famer with championship pedigree on his shoulders, was immediately linked to Miami after the news surfaced.
NFL insider Josina Anderson reported that “Dolphins ownership has expressed an affinity for John Harbaugh recently,” noting that while the seat is not technically vacant, the appeal is significant. Miami Herald writer Omar Kelly has speculated that Ross could entice the veteran coach with a massive five-year, $17 million annual deal.
Upon his exit from Baltimore, Harbaugh remained grateful yet clearly prepared for what comes next, stating:
All is well with my soul because of the Good God who guides and sustains me
While McDaniel remains under contract, the Dolphins are currently searching for a new General Manager still. Chad Alexander was a name that reportedly came out into discussion. He is the current Assistant GM for the Los Angeles Chargers and his resume is deeply intertwined with the Harbaugh family, having spent 20 seasons in Baltimore.
History repeating
If this feels like déjà vu, it is because Stephen Ross has gone through these waters before. In 2011, while then-coach Tony Sparano was still under contract, Ross famously flew to California to recruit John’s brother, Jim Harbaugh.
The pursuit failed, and Ross later admitted, “I shouldn’t have been talking to coaches until I decided that I should make a change. I’d go about it a different way.”
Now, fifteen years later, Ross faces the same choice.
While Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports that the team is currently expected to retain McDaniel, the silence from the owner’s office is telling.
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