Miami Dolphins name McDaniel head coach

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. –The Miami Dolphins today announced Mike McDaniel has been named the 14th head coach in franchise history.

McDaniel has 15 years of NFL coaching experience and most recently spent five seasons (2017-21) with the San Francisco 49ers. He was the team’s run game specialist in 2017 before being promoted to run game coordinator in 2018 and again to offensive coordinator in 2021.  

In McDaniel’s first season as offensive coordinator, the 49ers finished seventh in the NFL in total offense (375.7 yards per game) and 13th in scoring offense (25.1 points per game) while advancing to the NFC Championship game. San Francisco’s offense was balanced, ranking seventh in rushing (127.4) and 12th in passing (248.3). Wide receiver Deebo Samuel recorded 1,405 receiving yards, the most by a 49er since Terrell Owens in 2001, and fifth-most in the NFL that season. Samuel’s 1,770 scrimmage yards were the most by a 49er since Frank Gore in 2006. The San Francisco offense had four players earn Pro Bowl selections – Samuel, fullback Kyle Juszczyk, tight end George Kittle and tackle Trent Williams. Williams also earned All-Pro honors.

McDaniel served as San Francisco’s run game coordinator from 2018-20. During that time, the 49ers were fifth in the NFL in rushing, averaging 127.0 yards per game, despite having a different leading rusher in all three seasons. 

In 2020, San Francisco had several injuries at the running back position and still finished in the top half of the league with 118.1 rushing yards per game. Running back Jeff Wilson Jr. led the team with 600 yards on the ground despite starting just three games and missing some time on injured reserve. Running back Raheem Mostert had 521 rushing yards in just eight games. Juszczyk and Williams earned Pro Bowl selections and Williams was also named All-Pro.

McDaniel helped the 49ers have one of the league’s most effective rushing attacks in 2019 as San Francisco went 13-3, winning the NFC and advancing to Super Bowl LIV. The 49ers had the NFL’s second-ranked rushing offense, averaging 144.1 yards per game. Three different running backs rushed for more than 500 yards – Mostert (772), Matt Breida (623) and Tevin Coleman (544). Juszczyk was named to the Pro Bowl at the end of the season.

In 2018, the 49ers had four different backs rush for at least 200 yards. Breida led the way with a career-high 814 rushing yards just a year after he was an undrafted college free agent. His 5.32 yards per carry ranked fourth among all NFL players that season. The 49ers finished 13th in the league in rushing (118.9). Juszczyk was named to the Pro Bowl at the end of the season.

As run game specialist in 2017, McDaniel helped the 49ers rush for 1,662 yards and 15 rushing touchdowns in a season where they were forced to use three different starting quarterbacks due to injury. Running back Carlos Hyde led the way with 938 yards and a career-high eight rushing touchdowns. Juszczyk and tackle Joe Staley earned Pro Bowl selections.

Prior to San Francisco, McDaniel spent two seasons (2015-16) as an offensive assistant with the Atlanta Falcons. During his tenure, the Falcons had the second-best total offense (394.9) and third-best scoring offense (27.5) in the NFL. Atlanta’s passing attack ranked second (284.5).

In 2016, Atlanta led the NFL in scoring averaging 33.8 points per game, en route to finishing 11-5 and winning the NFC to advance to Super Bowl LI. The Falcons had the second-best total offense (415.8), third-best passing offense (295.3) and fifth-best rushing offense (120.5). Quarterback Matt Ryan passed for a franchise-record 4,944 yards, which was second in the NFL that season. Wide receiver Julio Jones was second in the league with 1,409 receiving yards. Four different Falcons earned Pro Bowl selections – Ryan, Jones, running back Devonta Freeman and center Alex Mack. Ryan, Jones and Mack also earned All-Pro honors.

The 2015 Falcons offense ranked sixth in passing (273.7) and seventh in total offense (374.1). Jones led the NFL with 1,871 receiving yards, a Falcons franchise record. In his first season as starting running back, Freeman topped 1,000 yards. Freeman, Jones and fullback Patrick DiMarco all earned Pro Bowl selections and All-Pro honors.

McDaniel spent the 2014 season as wide receivers coach for the Cleveland Browns. In his lone season there, wide receiver Andrew Hawkins had a career-high 824 yards. An undrafted rookie, wide receiver Taylor Gabriel had 621 receiving yards, which wound up being the second-highest total in his six-year NFL career. His receiver unit helped quarterback Brian Hoyer post the only 3,000-yard passing season of his career.

McDaniel’s first NFL position coach job came in 2013 with Washington when he was promoted to wide receivers. He spent the 2011-12 seasons with Washington as an offensive assistant. On that staff, McDaniel worked with current NFL head coaches Matt LaFleur (Green Bay), Sean McVay (L.A. Rams) and Kyle Shanahan (San Francisco). 

From 2009-10, McDaniel served as running backs coach for the Sacramento Mountain Lions of the United Football League. He was an offensive assistant for the Houston Texans from 2006-08. His first NFL coaching position came as a coaching intern with the Denver Broncos in 2005.

A native of Greeley, Colo., McDaniel played wide receiver at Yale, where he graduated with a degree in history. He and his wife, Katie, have one daughter.