Dolphins hire 49ers OC Mike McDaniel to replace Brian Flores as their head coach
The Miami Dolphins have been in the news a lot the past week, and on Sunday night it was finally for a good reason.
The Dolphins settled on Mike McDaniel as their next head coach. The team announced they'd agreed to a deal with McDaniel. McDaniel was the San Francisco 49ers' offensive coordinator.
We have agreed to terms with Mike McDaniel. Welcome to Miami, Coach! pic.twitter.com/Hk5gIQsc6l
— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) February 6, 2022
McDaniel takes over for Brian Flores, who was controversially fired and then filed a racial discrimination lawsuit against the NFL.
McDaniel is the first minority hired by a team with a head-coaching vacancy this offseason. The first six spots were filled by white coaches. McDaniel is multiracial. The Houston Texans and New Orleans Saints are the last two teams with a coaching vacancy.
#49ers will receive two 3rd-round compensatory picks for Mike McDaniel being hired as a head coach because he is bi-racial.
The club has already received compensatory picks for the hiring of:
New York Jets HC Robert Saleh
WFT GM Martin Mayhew
Who were also minority hires.— Jennifer Lee Chan (@jenniferleechan) February 6, 2022
NFL Network's Ian Rapoport said the Dolphins picked McDaniel over Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator Kellen Moore.
McDaniel spent five seasons with the 49ers, the final one as the offensive coordinator of a team that lost in the NFC championship game. Before that he was run game specialist and run game coordinator.
McDaniel played college football at Yale, then spent time as an assistant coach with five NFL teams and the UFL's Sacramento Mountain Lions before landing with the 49ers. He is 38 years old but with 14 years of coaching experience.
McDaniel will bring new offensive ideas to the Dolphins, who were in the playoff hunt late last season despite a 1-7 start. Perhaps McDaniel can help quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who has had ups and downs in his first two NFL seasons.
The Dolphins have been trying to find answers for a while. They're hoping McDaniel can start to turn things around.