The Browns are interviewing former Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel on Monday for the team's head coach opening.
McDaniel, who was the head coach in Miami for four seasons, is the sixth candidate to interview. Browns offensive coordinator Tommy Rees and defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz interviewed on Jan. 8, while Bengals offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher and Seahawks defensive coordinator Aden Durde interviewed on Jan. 9. Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken also interviewed on Jan. 10.
McDaniel, 42, was first hired as the head coach of the Dolphins in 2022 – his first head coaching job. He finished with a 35-33 record over four seasons with the Dolphins, and Miami made the playoffs in McDaniel's first two seasons as head coach. The postseason appearances in 2022 and 2023 marked Miami's first back-to-back playoff appearances in more than 20 years, dating back to 2000 and 2001.
The Dolphins produced a top 10 offense in two consecutive seasons – finishing 6th in 2022 averaging 364.5 yards per game and 1st in 2023 with 401.3 yards per game. They also had a top 10 defense in back-to-back years, finishing 10th with 318.3 yards allowed per game in 2023 and fourth with 314.4 yards allowed per game in 2025.
He previously spent five seasons with the San Francisco 49ers from 2017-21, serving as the team's run game specialist in 2017 before being promoted to run game coordinator in 2018. He was then named the offensive coordinator in 2021.
In McDaniel's lone season as offensive coordinator, the 49ers finished seventh in the NFL in total offense with 375.7 yards per game and 13th in scoring offense averaging 25.1 points per game. They finished the season 10-7 and advanced to the NFC Championship game during the 2021 season. San Francisco's offense was also balanced, ranking seventh in rushing (127.4) and 12th in passing (248.3).
Prior to San Francisco, McDaniel spent two seasons from 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 also ranked second (284.5). In 2016, Atlanta led the NFL in scoring averaging 33.8 points per game, finishing the season 11-5 and winning the NFC to advance to Super Bowl LI.
McDaniel has previous experience with the Browns, as he spent the 2014 season as the wide receivers coach in Cleveland. In his lone season with the Browns, former WR Andrew Hawkins had a career-high 824 yards and undrafted rookie WR Taylor Gabriel had 621 receiving yards, which was the second-highest total in his six-year NFL career. McDaniel's receiver unit helped QB Brian Hoyer post the only 3,000-yard passing season of his career.
He brings 19 years of NFL experience, dating back to 2005 when he served as a coaching intern with the Denver Broncos. He then was an offensive assistant for the Houston Texans from 2006-08. From 2009-10, McDaniel served as running backs coach for the Sacramento Mountain Lions of the United Football League before returning to the NFL in 2011 with Washington. He spent the 2011-12 seasons with Washington as an offensive assistant before earning his first NFL position coach job in 2013 with Washington when he was promoted to wide receivers coach.
Bio Blast
Mike McDaniel
Age: 42
Hometown: Greeley, Colorado
College: Yale
NFL experience: 19 years
