Before we get to the actual game, if you weren’t around yesterday, didn’t listen to any football related matters, the Miami Dolphins released some bombshell news, news that your’s truly is extremely hopeful about. The Miami Dolphins have announced that Miami Dolphins Owner Stephen Ross has hired ESPN Analyst and Commentator Troy Aikman as a consultant to help in the process of finding the next Miami Dolphins GM. Some will be miffed that it’s Troy Aikman, and he hasn’t played in 25 years, not coincidentally the last time the Miami Dolphins won a playoff game. Relax! He’s going to be a consultant, not the final say, just there to help and give a little guidance. He’s still a huge part of the game, he sees every team play and is still quite connected to the game. The bigger point though is that even if you don’t think Aikman should be the guy to consult, the Dolphins are doing what needs to be done. They are trying to find the right GM to build this team the right way, and for goodness sake, that’s exactly what I’ve been asking for. No half measures, no restrictions, no ultimatums, hire the right NFL Exec and give him full autonomy to hire the Head Coach he chooses and have full control over player personnel. Accountability is paramount here. You need to have one person making these decisions, and while the GM Head Coach relationship needs to be a cohesive one, while the Head Coach could pounding the table for a particular player, the GM has to have the final say and do his due diligence as he will ultimately be the one responsible for that decision. There can be no gray area, the GM will run the show and hopefully choose the right Head Coach to make this team competitive year in and year out.
After that stunning news, I feel like anything else I say pales in comparison, but there is one more game to be played, and the guy wearing #14 for the Miami Dolphins has to be pumped up to face the New England Patriots to spoil their bid to become the AFC #1 seed. I feel like sometimes the teams that are playing for seeding don’t necessarily seem super motivated. I don’t think that will be the case late Sunday afternoon because Mike Vrabel is a disciplined Head Coach from the Bill Belichick tree, and I believe he understands full well he’d rather play all the games at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough rather than have to travel to Denver to play the Broncos in their house. I guess we’ll see what happens in that regard, but the Dolphins at 7-9 have been eliminated from playoff contention, and at the moment will likely be picking just outside the Top 10 in the 2026 NFL Draft. One important information we don’t have is whether or not Dolphins Head Coach Mike McDaniel will be returning. My assumption is that he will not be, as the GM search would indicate they’re attempting to do this the right way, but until I actually read it, I’ll have that small bit of doubt.
Change. The GM search is a beacon of change, and after 25 years of not winning a playoff game, I’d say change is in order. I believe Mike McDaniel and Tua Tagovailoa are joined at the hip, and I think since QB Tua Tagovailoa is holding a clip board, Mike McDaniel will soon be looking for another job in the NFL after this week when Black Monday rolls around. This is historically the day when NFL Head Coaches are let go from their respective teams after not having a good season or seasons. I do expect Mike McDaniel to be one of those coaches, but again, it hasn’t happened and there are no guarantees. You guys know how I feel about QB Tua Tagovailoa, any QB who puts himself above the team is OUT for me. He 100% values his health above the success of the team and his play on the field reflects is over and over. I never want to see him taking snaps for this team ever again, and I’m pretty sure that’s a done deal. As to who the next Miami Dolphins Head Coach will be, a lot of dominos have to fall first before that picture gets any clearer. Will Pittsburgh Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin be let go after 19 years if they miss the playoffs? Will Baltimore Ravens Head Coach John Harbaugh be let go after 18 years if they miss the playoffs? I think it’s strange to even think those things, but it’s 2026 now, and if you haven’t noticed, things are just different.
Since the whole GM search and then Head Coach search thing is unclear, let’s get back to Sunday’s game. The Patriots and Broncos are both 13-3. The Broncos host the LA Chargers while the Patriots host our Miami Dolphins. The Broncos come off a defensive struggle 20-13 victory against the Kansas City Chiefs while the Patriots are coming off a blowout 42-10 win over the NY Jets. Both teams want nothing more than to play every playoff game in their house. Our Dolphins have played well in Foxborough, We beat the Patriots 15-10 last season, 24-17 in 2023, but lost a close 23-21 game in 2022. We are very different teams though. The Patriots are 13-3 playing for the #1 seed, and we have a rookie QB who has made two NFL starts after just 2 weeks of practice with the starters after being the emergency QB most of the season. QB Drake Maye has put up some very nice numbers this year although the Patriots schedule was an easy one. Despite that though, Vrabel has done what he was hired to do, win the games on the schedule, and they have won 13 of 16. The Dolphins played a very similar schedule and we stand at 7-9, so be careful throwing stones from glass houses.
I like what our rookie QB Quinn Ewers has shown us so far. The game didn’t look like too much for him, and the team has responded well with him at the helm. He looks like he has some moxie, and compared to the the wet noodle Tua, that’s a lot. There was definitely an energy last week as the Dolphins were playing a team who need the win to control their playoff destiny, and while the Bucs have been up and down this season, I think they’re the better team, but not this past Sunday. WE ran the ball well enough between Achane and Wright and just asked QB Quinn Ewers to give us just enough and he delivered on that. We will probably need a similar game plan to upset the Patriots Sunday. Waddle was in and out of the game with nagging injuries and that leaves WR’s Malik Washington, WR Theo Wease, WR Cedrick Wilson Jr., along with TE’s Julian Hill, Greg Dulcich and sometimes used Darren Waller. As far as I’m concerned, I’d skip the Darren Waller experiment next season. He’s exciting when he’s in there and we use him, but I’m tired of him disappearing for long stretches where he’s not in the game. Find someone who can play without restrictions! I hope we don’t burn out Achane in this one, I wouldn’t be shocked if we put a lot on his plate Sunday. He’s the one guy in this offense that always make things happen. The Patriots leaned hard on the run game with rookie TreVVeyon Henderson and Rhamondre Stevenson last week and I’d expect more of that this week. We’ll see how stout or young D-line can be, but we know we’ll get quality linebacking from Brooks and Dodson.
While S Minkah Fitzpatrick was held out of practice along with RB De’Von Achane, LB Jordyn Brooks and TE Darren Waller, that doesn’t mean they aren’t playing. I’d say 3 of the 4 are definitely playing with the exception of Minkah. How much they play is a different story. This game doesn’t mean a whole lot to the Dolphins, but for Head Coach Mike McDaniel who is likely auditioning for a job elsewhere, and for the players too, it means a lot. I’d expect a good effort, and I hope that first and foremost we come out healthy from this game, and maybe this team gives us a surprise upset win, and believe you me, this would be a huge upset. Let’s hope we have a good game, and #14 Quinn Ewers shows us a little something special Sunday afternoon.
GO DOLPHINS!!!
Finsmob Unleashed 
Mike,
Where did you see that Harbaugh is interviewing with the giants tomorrow? I have seen reports that he is waiting until next week. There is some speculation that if teams like the Packers or Bills lose this weekend, they could fire their coaches and Harbaugh wants to wait until then.
All is probably speculation as Harbaugh hasn’t said a word. LOL
Harbaugh is not expected to conduct any head-coach interviews until next week, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.
I don’t think anyone has ever been banned from here for disagreeing. I also doubt anyone has thought of banning you. You should just expect blowback when you start calling names. You can have an opinion without being clueless or stupid or dumb or retarded.
Yep. See my reply last page. (You don’t owe me a beer)
Brian, I would HAPPILY buy you a beer, but if you look at the time stamps, I posted first…so YOU OWE ME a beer. LOL
The Ravens’ defense was atrocious after John Harbaugh decided not promote Anthony Weaver, and Miami’s defense in Weaver’s first season in Miami was ranked 4th. This year, after losing most of his veteran players and being given rookies that he had to develop, our defense was not as good in 2025. If he does come back to Miami, I can assure you our Defense will be a top defense.
We are looking to find a future franchise QB. Ewers seems to be a good start. I think we need to add another this year and then in 2027 there will be a vast # of QB’s to choose from. Add Sawyer Robertson or Haynes King this draft.
Here is your top 10 for the 2027 draft. Some are still in the transfer portal and haven’t found a new team yet. Also, they are all “listed” at 6’2 or taller except Sayin at 6’1.
Julian Sayin, 6’1, 208, Ohio State
Arch Manning, 6’4, 219, Texas
Jaden Maiava, 6’4, 230, USC
LaNorris Sellers, 6’3, 240, the other USC
Dylan Raiola, 6’3, 230, Transfer Portal
Sam Leavitt, 6’2, 205, Transfer Portal (possibly Tennessee)
Brendan Sorsby, 6’3, 235, Committed to Texas Tech
DJ Lagway, 6’3, 247, Transfer Portal
Darian Mensah, 6’3, 205, Duke
Nico Iamaleava, 6’6, 215, UCLA
I wonder if people are going to move past Iamaleava’s transfer pool debacle
If he plays well, I think so. He will be 2 years removed from that.
Did it Mike
HERE WE GO! CMOOOOON HARBAUGH!!!!
Mike E.
says:
January 7, 2026 at 9:26 pm
SB – if you think I’m going to defend Ross you’re crazy. He’s been fucking up this organization for as long as he’s owned it. I’m not overly concerned about the timing as long as we hire the right people. Still possible we hire Harbaugh and a good Exec for GM. Fuck Weaver, I don’t want him as HC anyway but I’ll take the two 3rd RD pucks when some other team does
_____
I never said you were. I was just elaborating more on my post to which you responded. For the record, I don’t want Weaver as our HC, but I feed like he should have been given the reigns for the rest of the year to see what we have, just like you called for benching Tua. Weaver should have had half the season to audition with a veteran OC calling the plays.
That’s fair – It’s looking worse each and every day that Mike is still here
it always seems like teams are interested in Weaver, no matter what we think
Harbaugh, who I think is respected around the league, was very high on him before we hired him as DC, and in many ways the NFL has always been about connections
I’m hesitant to praise him without a much higher ranked defense the last couple of years, but I do think it was interesting that he pointed out people not in camp and late signings as a source for why the Dolphins started out bad – it seemed to be pointing the finger at Grier a little
we signed Jack Jones in July and Rasul Douglas the week before the season started. That seems like mismanagement. If you guys look at blog posts from about February through August of last year – most of us were saying “what about our DBs”. It wasn’t like we didn’t know there was a gaping hole
Weaver is not wrong in calling it out IMO
Injuries were the reason we had to replace some projected starters late.
Kader Kohou (CB): Sustained a leg injury in training camp (July 2025) that placed him on injured reserve and kept him out for the entire season.
James Daniels (G): Dealt with a pectoral injury that put him on injured reserve and ended his season.
Storm Duck (CB): Missed time with ankle and later knee injuries, landing on injured reserve.
So to blame Chris Grier is just hater talk!
Damn, you guys sure went rabid on Markey H for saying Mike was clueless for one specific opinion. I’ve seen every one of you guys do much worse for much less.
Thank you! They must be on their periods 🙂
I saw something about Harbaugh and the Giants too – but it was incorrect
https://bleacherreport.com/articles/25353024-john-harbaughs-timeline-begin-hc-interviews-reportedly-revealed-amid-giants-rumors
According to Schefter, he’s not meeting with anyone until next week
Schefter is usually reliable about these things
by the way, this article mentions two teams: the Giants and the Dolphins
seems like most people are calling the Giants the favorite
honestly Harbaugh options suck if he wants to coach in 2026
most of the available jobs aren’t very good jobs
the facts that the Giants are considered the best job says a lot
He might be waiting for the wildcard games to conclude, which might provide him with better options.
MM is GONE!!!!! Thank you!!!!!
OMG there is a GOD!!!!!!!!!!!
Boom! Lets go get Harbaugh!
Others:
Byrum Brown, 6’3, 231, Auburn, surprised he’s not top 10.
Josh Hoover, 6’2, 200, INDIANA, Just committed. They say of all the QB’s this past season and this next college season, none of them can compare with the speed and intelligence that Hoover possesses in processing a defense pre and post snap.
Rocco Becht, 6’1, 210, Committed to Penn State from Iowa State
Aidan Chiles, 6’3, 225, Northwestern
Eli Holstein, 6’4, 225, Pitt (likely stays another year and enter 2028 draft)
Avery Johnson, 6’2, 198, Kansas State
I could be missing some others.
Oh joy! Oh Joy! So freaking happy! Get Harbaugh! Make it happen!
But, but, but, he was supposed to help find our next GM….
TBH, they should have done it the day after the last game. Should not have kept him hanging on “if’s”.
Maybe Ross was just picking his brain on the SF execs first. That would be kind of funny if true.
^
My 2026 season gives me hope!!!!!
Exactly, hope is what most fans want at this point.
As long as we wind up with a good head coach I will not complain too loudly if we do not get Harbaugh. He breaks one of my requirements. He is OVER 60 at 63 YO.
I want a guy that can stay for decades. One of the reasons I was excited about MM when we first picked him up and we made it to the playoffs two years in a row.
Understood, I’d take 5-8 years of excellent coaching a team management, but I understand what you’re saying
They still have to interview a minority. Who’s that going to be? Weaver? Does Weaver stay as DC if we hire Harbaugh?
Is Anthony Weaver an option?
That would be so ironic! LOL!
Possibly, if we don’t land Harbaugh. There is. I guarantee we will get him.
Anybody but McDaniel, I could not stand another year of his babbling press conferences!
He will probably be a very good OC, but not everyone is cut out to be a HC. The quirky, mumbling press conferences were great for a brief time when we were winning, but when you’re losing it’s just annoying.
WOOOOHOOOO!!! Ding Dong the witch is dead the incompetent witch is dead!
This calls for an Avi change!! They did it! The FINALLY blew it up right! Gone are the “Co-Chief” scouts that couldn’t scout! Gone is the GM who dragged this franchise down for decades! Gone is the circular speaking non-sense spewing head coach that couldn’t make adjustments to save a game, season or his job!!
The Miami Dolphins announced today that Head Coach Mike McDaniel has been relieved of his duties.
“After careful evaluation and extensive discussions since the season ended, I have made the decision that our organization is in need of comprehensive change. I informed Mike McDaniel this morning that he has been relieved of his duties as head coach,” said Dolphins Chairman and Owner Stephen Ross. “I love Mike and want to thank him for his hard work, commitment, and the energy he brought to our organization. Mike is an incredibly creative football mind whose passion for the game and his players was evident every day. I wish him and his family the best moving forward.”
@MiamiDolphins
The Miami Dolphins have relieved Head Coach Mike McDaniel of his duties.
———–
Official, from the Phins themselves. I know I’m late to the party on this!
@JeffDarlington
Some context into the Dolphins’ decision to fire Mike McDaniel, per multiple people involved in the decision: Owner Steve Ross met with McDaniel on Tuesday, and the outcome of the meeting left Ross very conflicted. He really likes Mike — “loves his intelligence and offensive mind” — but Tuesday’s meeting resulted in some hard thoughts. Ross didn’t feel like the results were there, and despite the end-of-year production, Ross simply wasn’t comfortable moving forward with the “status quo.” Now for the elephant in the room: I’m told the Dolphins have not yet been in touch with John Harbaugh or anyone in his camp, and people close to the decision are adamant this decision to move away from McDaniel is independent of Harbaugh’s availability. I’m told the Dolphins will conduct the head coaching search after a GM is in place, which should be in the next few days. Yes, it obviously could lead to discussions with Harbaugh. And yes, one of the GM candidates (Chad Alexander) is very close to Harbaugh. But people close to the situation tell me this decision to fire Mike would have been made either way.
Finally, we are at least taking the steps to re-build this team the right way, now hopefully we don’t mess up the execution of said steps. LOL
Prediction: tomorrow we will sign Chad Alexander as our next GM. Then, shortly after (hopefully before the end of the weekend), John Harbaugh will be our next HC.
Starting the change with a clean slate is the best way to go. Bring in the GM and let him pick the HC!
Agreed
My faith has been restored 🙂
YOU SIR ARE CORRECT!!
Harbaugh is a proven commodity, but maybe there is someone else out there who is younger , and will provide us with the same longevity as he and Tomlin have had? Maybe Weaver is that guy, who knows . He seems like he’s no nonsense and the players have said they definitely see him as a HC one day.
I would be thrilled if Anthony Weaver is that guy. Give either Harbaugh or Weaver as our next HC.
That is all I have been saying, and if 3 teams are interviewing him, you never know. The next GM will sort it out. I am so curious to see if MM gets an interview for one of the open HC positions.
It’s possibly, he will get hired as a coordinator at the least. There will be 7 HC hires and a few other teams/HC’s fired their OC’s.
It’s final. QB Drew Mestemaker follows his coach to Oklahoma State along with RB Caleb Hawkins and WR Wyatt Young.
Hawkins was the best freshman RB in the country and I would rank him top 5 easy last season with 1434 yards, 24 TD’s, 370 yards receiving with 4 TD’s, 263 touches with no fumbles.
Can I get a Fuck Yeah!
🙂
I take back my comment about Ross the other day. He has learned something by firing MM first before pursuing Harbaugh.
Now that MM is gone we can start discussing what we want in a HC. I still would like to get an Offensive minded coach rather than a Defensive minded guy.
I don’t car who we hire , but I’d prefer it not be a HC who takes on coordinator duties.
I agree
If you hire Harbaugh, it will be a collective agreement on the GM
Fuck Yeah 👍👍
There is a report that Cleveland could be interested in MM for their HC opening.
I think Harbaugh is a fantastic coach. I think he’s earned his props. The issue I have is that young people today simply feel so entitled that they can’t be coached like they were in the past. Like it or not, we hear over and over that’s the way it is. I sure see it in the 20-30 year olds I know. Can Harbaugh even be an effective coach anymore? Not because he’s not a great coach but because young people today are entitled whiners.
This is the same issue I raised with hiring Chucky although I believe Harbaugh is a much better coach than Chucky. Can guys like that be effective coaches these days?
If Chad Alexander is hired it will be an instant link to Harbaugh!
The Miami Dolphins’ general manager search that started Monday is already down to four finalists as of Wednesday night.
The Dolphins will have interim GM Champ Kelly, the Los Angeles Chargers’ Chad Alexander, the Green Bay Packers’ Jon-Eric Sullivan and San Francisco 49ers’ Josh Williams move on to in-person interviews this week.
I saw Rock’s Koolaid man at the top of the page and figured to myself that had to mean McD was gone.
At least we did it right this time by wiping the entire slate instead of doing the half reset thing we’ve done for so many years.
We’ll still have to live through a rough 2026 but at least we’ll have hope there is a purpose moving towards 2027.
My choice while still at the gate is Jon-Eric Sullivan.
Kong,
Same with Rock’s koolaid avi. Lol
lol, universal sign
Now maybe we have a legit chance at Harbaugh too
I would prefer a defensive-minded HC who runs the ball and plays strong defense. Weaver could either be our next HC, or he could be retained by Harbaugh as an assistant HC to stay on in Miami!
That would be ideal.
There was too much rope provided by MM that love could not overcome….lol
Don’t let this firing distract you from the fact that the GM is more important to lock down than the HC.
BBM has to go on a homer rant. Indiana/Kurt Cignetti is killing the transfer portal again. It helps when you have a winning program and alumni like Mark Cuban to donate.
Indiana lands QB Josh Hoover, who I say was not the best gifted in the transfer portal but was by far the smartest when it cones to processing a defense.
Then they land the projected 2027 draft #2 WR behind Jeremiah Smith. The 6’3, 205, 4.38, Nick Marsh to pair with the 6’4, 208, 4.38 Charlie Becker.
Then RB Turbo Richard who was the leading rusher for BC last year.
Then one of the top edge rushers in the portal in 6’3, 250 Tobi Osunsanmi. Then starting Wisconsin Safety Preston Zachman and Cincinnati starting Safety Jiquan Sanks. Also added 2 other edge, a DL and a TE from Miami.
Indiana is currently in a battle with Oregon to land former Penn State CB AJ Harris. Maybe he chooses who wins the game tomorrow.
I heard we’re finalizing our GM search today. Last round of interviews is today.
they are down to 4 according to all the reports
but 3 of them are guys who with teams in the playoffs
so I don’t expect much movement until after the games this weekend
the 4th guy is Champ Kelly and I doubt we would be interviewing anyone else if we wanted to keep him
BBM,
The effects the portal is having on college football are so sad. Eventually you’ll have a tiered system where schools who aren’t in the top tier are simply feeder programs for the top tier schools. Great for schools that can play the game…not so much for everybody else.
Good for your Indiana squad. 👍
There is still a cap for every school at 20.5m for NIL money. It’s hard to say. Smaller schools will be farm teams more than they have been in the past. It could help make some other schools more competitive in football who have big donors to max out their NIL money every year. Indiana is a perfect example.
Sb – I think both guys remaining are strong candidates, the GB guy Sullivan and the guy from the Chargers who has ties to Harbaugh, Chad Alexander
Chad Alexander was added to the original GM list less than three hours after Harbaugh was fired.
It would be a huge mistake to hire him with the primary intention of getting Harbaugh, whether we land him or not.
the next GM needs to be the best man for the job, period.
You know what I like about this GM search? At least they are all flying in for interviews and not doing this Zoom crap. This decision is too important to do over the damn computer. Just my thought.
they did virtual meeting for the first round
16 of the last 30 SB winners had an Offensive Minded Coach vs 14 with a defensive minded coach.
Offensive minded coaches have won the last 5 in the row.
20 of the last 30 SB winners had a top 5 QB compared to the 10 that didn’t.
For the Offense and the last 30 SB winners (scoring offense)
14 in the top 5 offenses = 47%
6 in the 6-10 range = 20%
10 in the 11 and below range =33%
For Defense and the last 30 SB winners. (scoring defense is points allowed):
12 in the top 5 defenses = 40%
9 in the 6-10 range = 30%
9 in the 11 and below range = 30%
So it shouldn’t really matter much if the HC is offense or defensive minded as long as we score on a top QB and the defense is in the top 10, although the trend for offensive minded is definitely on a streak.
It doesn’t hurt that the 5 out of the 6 past winners were either Patrick Mahomes, Tom Brady, or whoever was QBing the Eagles.
Right. QB is everything, and a good defense is needed to support that.
2025-2026 NFL Head Coach Firings To Date:
Tennessee Titans Brian Callahan
New York Giants Brian Daboll
Atlanta FalconsRaheem Morris
Cleveland Browns Kevin Stefanski
Las Vegas Raiders Pete CarrollJan
Arizona CardinalsJonathan Gannon
Baltimore Ravens John Harbaugh
Miami DolphinsMike McDaniel
Randy, did you see Rocco Becht committed to Penn State?
I thought PSU would continue to roll with Grunkemeyer.
Reports were right after Cambell was hired, Becht was headed there since he immediately entered the portal.
So at lunch I heard on the radio that they have already completed some GM interviews, they have two more today and they will announce the new GM tomorrow.
Yup!
See my 11:17 AM prediction above…
We’re moving at a very torrid rate for a reason. All the signs point to Harbaugh.
The timeline is very telling. We had five candidates Tuesday morning. harbaugh fired at 4:30, Alexander added as a sixth GM Candidate around 7:15. Alexander move to second round of interviews. MM fired
all signs point to the going after him
So what you are saying guys is my mood is obvious? LOL
I was going to say I didn’t want a GM from a team that’s never won a Super Bowl, but decided to look the guy up and he’s only been there for a year.
He comes from good stock as his father was part of the Super Bowl runs in the 90s with Dallas (which is something Troy Aikman probably talked to Ross about).
He was part of Baltimore from 99-2018 during some Super Bowl years.
He does have some Jet stink on him, but they say he had a hand in getting Garrett Wilson and Sauce Gardner. Jets seem to nail lots of positions in the draft except for the important QB one though.
Out of the four left, Alexander looks to be the best one.
DJ Lagway headed to Baylor. Wow
DJ Lagway is meh, let’s see how he does in 2026.
Shitty coaching. He’s got a TON of talent.
If he cleans up his game and takes care of the football, look out.
Previous head coaching experience
John Harbaugh (not currently coaching; Baltimore coach 2008-25): Won Super Bowl XLVII over San Francisco, coached by his brother, Jim. He posted a 180-113 regular-season record and a 13-11 playoff record. His teams made 12 playoff appearances in 18 seasons. Harbaugh is considered the top candidate on the market and will likely have his pick of the open jobs. He would likely bring discipline and defense to any team he joins, as well as a hard-nosed mentality.
Mike McCarthy (not currently coaching; Dallas coach 2020-24; Green Bay coach 2006-18): He won Super Bowl XLV after the 2011 season with Green Bay, defeating Pittsburgh, 31-25. The 61-year-old McCarthy (174-112-2, .608) had three consecutive 12-win seasons with Dallas (2021-23) but his tenure there, which included work with quarterback Dak Prescott, was considered a disappointment due to a lack of playoff success.
Matt Nagy (Kansas City offensive coordinator; Chicago coach 2018-21): Granted, it’s easy to look good while coaching quarterback Patrick Mahomes, but recall Nagy (34-31, .523) worked in Chicago with Mitchell Trubisky and Justin Fields, so he’s seen extremes at that position. Nagy, 47, was 12-4 in his first season (2018) before going 8-8 in the next two years. He is a former player, which could earn credibility with today’s players.
Arthur Smith (Pittsburgh offensive coordinator; Atlanta coach 2021-23): Smith (21-30, .412) went 7-10 in each of his three years with the Falcons. His quarterbacks ranged from Matt Ryan to Marcus Mariota to Desmond Ridder to Taylor Heinicke. As Tennessee’s offensive coordinator (2019-20), Smith, 43, coached former Dolphins QB Ryan Tannehill and running back Derrick Henry and helped lead the Titans to the AFC Championship Game in 2019.
Vance Joseph (Denver defensive coordinator; Denver coach 2017-18): A former Dolphins defensive coordinator (2016), Joseph, 53, was 11-21 as the Broncos coach. The Broncos have one of the NFL’s top defenses over the past two years, making a spectacular turnaround from the crew that allowed 70 points to the Dolphins in early 2023. Broncos were No. 7 in defense last year and are No. 3 this season after finishing No. 29 in 2023.
Offensive coordinators
Joe Brady (Buffalo Bills OC): Brady, 36, is young and local, having attended Miramar’s Everglades High School. He took over in Buffalo for Ken Dorsey, the former University of Miami star quarterback, and helped QB Josh Allen earn an MVP award. While serving as LSU’s pass game coordinator and wide receivers coach, Brady helped quarterback Joe Burrow win the Heisman Trophy as LSU won the national title.
Todd Monken (Baltimore OC): The Ravens had the NFL’s No. 1 offense in 2024. Monken helped quarterback Lamar Jackson earn the MVP award in 2023. Monken, 59, was offensive coordinator in Cleveland (2019) and Tampa Bay (2018) before going to Georgia, and helped the Bulldogs win back-to-back national titles (2021-22).
Defensive coordinators
Anthony Weaver (Miami Dolphins DC): The 45-year-old Weaver, a former Baltimore defensive line coach and Houston defensive coordinator, had been a hot head coaching prospect entering this season, especially after leading the Dolphins to the No. 4 defense last year. But Weaver’s defense was inconsistent this season, ranking 24th in the league against the run (125.5 yards per game). Weaver, a former defensive end, is well-regarded among players.
Chris Shula (Los Angeles Rams DC): You know the name — Shula, 39, is local, having attended St. Thomas Aquinas in Fort Lauderdale. The grandson of Hall of Fame coach Don Shula, he’s been with the Rams since 2017, having been linebackers coach (won Super Bowl LVI), outside linebackers coach, pass-game coordinator and pass-rush coordinator. The Rams are currently a middle-of-the-pack defense but had one of the league’s top defenses for most of 2025, and their young talent is some of the best in the league.
BBM,
I had not seen that. Lots going on in MN right now. Thanks.
What’s going on? – I am being facetious no answer needed.
^^ from Chris Perkens at the SS
BBM,
Once Campbell left, I figured some of his high Enders would bolt too. Rocco is a guy who could surprise…and he’s already a solid college QB. If he takes the next step at Penn State he could really push his draft stock.
reports were is Rocco was going with him from the minute he was hired. I read about that within hours of PSU hiring Campbell
Rock,
My daughter works in Minneapolis. I don’t know if you’re a parent but knowing I can’t be there if I need to be there is killing me. Funny thing is when I texted her yesterday to see if she was okay, she had no idea of what had happened because her employer was in the second lockdown of the day, which had nothing to do with what was going on. I hate it.
Yeah, the situation stinks on ice. (excuse the pun)
it is interesting looking at the lists of coaches these reporters are putting out this morning as potential head coaches now that MM has been “relieved of his duties” There is some overlap (especially Harbaugh) but they run the gambit.
it’s strange to see a QB transfer from UF to Baylor
what’s going on with the Gator program these days?- you can’t lose your starter to a team like Baylor
8, 2026 at 12:51 pm (Edit)
So at lunch I heard on the radio that they have already completed some GM interviews, they have two more today and they will announce the new GM tomorrow.
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reposted bc I was about to comment but WordPress fontblocked (I invented that word) me
this is the opposite of what I was saying. I expected the hiring next week after the GMs coached their playoff games
but now that seems wrong
would be great if we hired a GM before the weekend
Piggy all the reports I am hearing is that they have interviewed / will interview today.
I saw that they narrowed it to 4 people
but then stopped checking for updates
my mistake for actually trying to do work for the last couple of hours…:.lol
LOL I’m listening to WQAM sports radio on my computer while I work. (and blog)
mf13ss
says:
January 8, 2026 at 11:17 am (Edit)
Prediction: tomorrow we will sign Chad Alexander as our next GM. Then, shortly after (hopefully before the end of the weekend), John Harbaugh will be our next HC.
*****
this is what I am thinking too
it really makes sense after the MM firing
So one of the NYG beat reporters is saying that the Dolphins don’t have a chance at Harbaugh because NY is soooo much better of a destination, mostly because they have Jaxson Dart already in place as their franchise QB.
Now, I didn’t follow the NFL that much this season, Hell I only watched about 4 Dolphins games. Do you guys think Dart has proven he is a Franchise QB after one season?
I think the reporter is just writing wishes rather than facts.
What are your opinions?
I don’t like franchise QB being used for young QBs who haven’t accomplished much yet. But I think Dart looks like the real deal.
All I know is I have several NYG fans and they were complaining this year that they missed on the pick. I didn’t care enough to look into it. LOL
I don’t know what they’re watching, I don’t know any Giants fans who feel that way.
Jeff Darlington Reporting:
https://x.com/JeffDarlington/status/2009293928315449847?s=20
Adamant eh? Is that like strenuously objecting? 😜
Woof! Dave Wannstedt was the last Dolphins coach to win a playoff game.
Dart is the real deal for sure Rock, i watched a lot of his games. He is too reckless with his body though and he’s got to change his attitude. He’s really tight with Cam Skattebo and he plays like him. He’s really good though, very athletic, good passer, fearless
Also seems like a guy his teammates love
👍
Agreed
Well I guess I can chalk their opinions up to being 1. Earlier in the season and 2. being Debbie Downers because their team only won 4 games?
The point being the beat writer may be right that NY is a preferred job….
Or MOST LIKELY 3. Dart wasn’t their “Man crush” during the draft process. LOL
We’ve seen that here often enough.
It might also be because Dart keeps getting concussed and hasn’t always been available.
I didn’t know that Joe Brady went to Miramar High West! I went to the original Miramar High. (West was still all swamp at the time)
Just remember no head coach has ever “won” a Super Bowl with two different teams. 🤔
Wow, I didn’t realize that.
yet
probably bc most teams keep their Coaches after they win one
Tim – I said that on this blog somewhere, kinda making fun of Dolphins fans complaining about that
Excellent. Motivational for Harbaugh. Be the first ever. Bring it.
as far as Dart goes
he looks good so far. I’m not going to say anything negative about the player – but I think the media is giving that way to much weight
you don’t crown a guy a franchise QB after their rookie season
It might also be more appealing to pick “your guy” rather than be saddled with a QB you have to give 3-4 years of chances too
if you look at other vet QB who went to new teams: Sean Payton drafted Bo Nix; Andy Reid drafted Mahomes
most of the time you pick your guy
jim Harbaugh is an exception, Herbert probably influenced him – but Herbert was much more established than Dart
vrabel also inherited Maye so I would also call that an exception
also to add to that I do think whether he gave the resources to get Harbaugh’s guy may be a detriment
we have Tua 🤢contract
and also we don’t have a high pick coming up
but Harbaugh had success with Flacco and Lamar Jackson and neither of them errr high picks
neither Dart nor Nix are high picks either
I’ll tell what I don’t buy that people are saying – people are saying the giants
people are talking about the giants talent and mentioning players like Skataboo and Nabers – and their defensive line
and that looks okay on paper but to quote a former great Giants coach – “you are what your record says you are”
the giants record says they are rectum sniffers
Will the next regime decide to hang on to Tua next season?
With Mike McDaniel Gone, Does That Give Tua Another Opportunity To Start In Miami?
with MM gone it seems pretty unlikely
I look forward to seeing how it plays out. I am on board with keeping him and not wasting the money he is owed in 2026, and spending time building the rest of the team, and looking to 2027 to draft a QB.
Today was a great Day for Dolphins Fans 🙂
https://x.com/nfldraftbites/status/2009335997520334979?s=46
Ross can outbid the Giants too
It’s just an NFL fact folks that no HC has won a Super Bowl with two different teams. Not that I would pass on a top coach because of that. All things come to an end.
Fans on twitter were talking about. I said, I’d rather have a team that has a chance to make and win playoff games every season and then worry about if we can win the SB after.
A lot of them were saying not to get him because of the SB thing. I think it’s beyond idiotic
If it is only the Giants and Miami that Harbaugh will weigh on Florida is better suited for a guy his age.
Now that Harbaugh is old (63), he will pick Sunny Florida, that have no state taxes, over New York. The states with the highest overall tax burden as a percentage of personal income are Hawaii, New York, and Vermont. This burden includes income, property, and sales/excise taxes.
Good point and NYC just voted a communist for Mayor.
After spending his entire coaching career in Baltimore, Sunny Miami is a dream come true IMHO!
And let’s be honest, he would be living in Jersey, NOT New York. (No offense Tim)
But NYC is not a popular place in current times. That was part of the lure.
Tim,
I think that the Super Bowl fact is more of a statement on how hard it is to win a Super Bowl, rather than no one has done it with two teams .
I’m not looking to debate it, just pointing out that it’s never happened. It’s one of those strange things.
I wasn’t either. It was a comment!
NYC Blows! End of political rant. lol
I wouldn’t get your hopes up too much guys. Somehow we’re gonna lose draft picks because Ross didn’t go about this the right way. lol
Stop!!!! You’re killing me!
😂
If that happens I will become much more of a casual fan than I am at the moment.
Hope that we either get Harbaugh and he retains Weaver, or Weaver gets a HC job so we get a 3rd round pick the next two years. Kind of a win win! I think Weaver is a good coach. He lost half his secondary and had guys competing all season. It wasn’t him we lacked talent.
^
I am on board with keeping him and not wasting the money he is owed in 2026
———-
I am on board with getting Tua out of the building as fast as possible. The money is already wasted on a guy who got paid, won’t put his body on the line and doesn’t really care anymore.
I guess that means we disagree? Shocking!!! 🙂
We don’t always disagree. lol
https://x.com/nflmemes/status/2009382227944067478?s=46
lol
Now that’s funny!!!
LMAO, that is freakin awesome
I’ve heard a rumor (take it with a grain of salt): if we DO end up landing Harbaugh as our HC, Lamar Jackson would be interested in following him to Miami.
Also: the Ravens and Lamar Jackson were unhappy with OC Todd Monken. Strange, being Monken got the very best out of Lamar Jackson last season (’24) en route to his 2nd NFL MVP.
Also: heard rumors that Harbaugh was fired because he wouldn’t fire Monken.
Also: heard rumors that Harbaugh is very much inclined to bring Monken with him where ever he ends up.
It’s rumor season right now!
For whatever it may be worth, I don’t buy the Lamar Jackson to the Phins rumor if we hire Harbaugh.
Tua had one bad season, and everybody is ready to dump him despite the ridiculous money he is owed next year. I just hope whoever gets the job is smarter than that, now that the clown has been fired!
One more concussion for Tua, and he’ll likely be forced to retire.
And your point? Some of you have been saying that for the past few years.
MM tried to save his ass by throwing Tua under the bus, and it backfired.
Markey – It’s more than one bad year, he’s either physically unable to play (injured) or mentally unable to show up in big games. I NEVER want to see him again in a Dolphins uniform unless he’s holding a clipboard
markeyh
says:
January 8, 2026 at 6:03 pm
And your point? Some of you have been saying that for the past few years.
————-
It’s why Tua was told to play it safe by Chris Grier. Tua’s unavailability was to the detriment of the team. And… it was also detrimental to the team for Tua to play it safe.
He’s done, Markeyh… at least in Miami. And if you ask me, his HIP is damaged… likely permanently. He was throwing the ball this past season with all arm. He was dinkin’-and-dunkin’ all season long.
Tua’s velocity is gone, his deep ball is gone, and his accuracy is now predicated on making short dump offs.
A QB’s velocity and deep-ball strength stem from the waist on down. Very clearly, Tua’s not right… and that was after a full offseason to recover from his last hip injury, which he incurred late last (’24) season.
I still say bring him back and make him play next season, and not just waste 56 million dollars, who knows what a better HC can do with Tua. Spend next year reinforcing the roster to find a QB in the 2027 NFL draft. We will have to agree to disagree on this one.
I’m actually good with that! We don’t necessarily need to cut Tua this season. Do what the Falcons did with Kirk Cousins.
And I totally agree with ya on focusing on QB for the ’27 Draft.
Get rid of Tua as soon as financially possible. He is cooked, done.
And I agree with this as well. Tua is cooked, done, IMO.
It all comes down to if we’re willing to eat his dead cap $$$ (something like $99M).
Gotta have a financial strategy moving forward.
I agree, but unfortunately, it won’t be next year unless we can find someone stupid enough to trade for him.
I honestly don’t believe anybody would trade for Tua, especially regarding his $$$.
So regarding Tua…
We could do what the Broncos did with Russell Wilson
OR
We could do what the Falcons did with Kirk Cousins
There’s more than one way to skin a cat, just have a financial strategy at the end of the day.
That is how I see it as well. FWIW.
The Dolphins have so many needs that QB can be addressed in 2027, and get what we can out of Tua in 2026. That is my stratigy and I’m sticking with it!
🙂
If our new HC deems Tua to be the starter, I’ll roll with it! But we’d better have a legit backup who can be a starter in the NFL (perhaps Ewers IS that guy).
And who knows… perhaps we trade up for Fernando Mendoza?
I’m not ENDORSING at this time that we trade up for Mendoza, but who knows what a new GM and HC will want to do?
I asked Grok…
The last time the Miami Dolphins had both the general manager (GM) and head coach (HC) positions vacant at the same time — prior to the current situation in January 2026 — was in January 2016.Chris Grier was promoted to GM on January 4, 2016, following the departure of Dennis Hickey. At that point, the HC position was already open after Joe Philbin was fired mid-2015 season and interim coach Dan Campbell did not retain the role. Grier then oversaw the hiring of Adam Gase as head coach shortly afterward.Since Grier’s promotion in 2016, he remained in the GM role continuously until his mid-season departure in October 2025. During his tenure, the Dolphins changed head coaches multiple times (Gase in 2016–2018, Brian Flores in 2019–2021, Mike McDaniel in 2022–2025), but the GM position stayed filled with Grier.No other simultaneous vacancies occurred in the interim, as coaching changes happened under an existing GM structure. The current dual vacancy (GM open since late 2025, HC since January 8, 2026) marks the first since that 2016 offseason reset.
M13, I’ve been hearing Lamar Jackson and John Harbaugh haven’t been cool.
I’ve heard the same… and then I hear contradicting reports that they ARE cool.
Who knows?
Good to see ya, Brother!