Did the Miami Dolphins just bounce to the top of the John Harbaugh list after they fired Mike McDaniel? While many still believe that the Giants will land the free agent head coach, longtime Dolphins critic Colin Cowherd sees something different.
On his latest episode of The Herd: With Colin Cowherd, the talk show host spoke about the sudden departure of McDaniel and how things might be adding up for Harbaugh to join the Dolphins.
What does Mike McDaniel's firing in Miami mean for the rest of the NFL coaching carousel?@colincowherd breaks it all down pic.twitter.com/xtwwmXvwKL
— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) January 8, 2026
John Harbaugh's family connection could be what led the Miami Dolphins to fire Mike McDaniel
Cowherd pointed out that the Dolphins' owner has a long history dating back to the 1970s with the Harbaugh family. It would be a solid reason why Ross thinks so highly of both of the brothers, but had the roots been that deep, Jim Harbaugh may have been the coach nearly a decade ago.
Still, you can't fully discount what Cowherd said. The Giants will try to get a Harbaugh deal done quickly, and the fact that Ross has yet to reach out to the elder of the two Harbaugh brothers doesn't necessarily mean anything.
Miami could have something already in place with Harbaugh through back channels. Simple calls can be made quietly. If Harbaugh isn't blown away by what the Giants are offering him, he may look elsewhere.
As Cowherd also points out, Miami can offer something the Giants can't: full control. From the GM that ultimately gets hired, to full roster control, and even the final decision on Tua Tagovailoa, there are options. Not to mention one important one, Ross isn't afraid to throw historic numbers in his direction.
The next few days are going to be incredibly interesting for the Dolphins and for Harbaugh. There is a lot of information and offers that will be made either publicly or otherwise. Ultimately, the decision will come down to what Harbaugh wants.
Ross should know this as well. He bought a team that was under the control of Bill Parcells, who carried with him a fully guaranteed contract that Ross was stuck paying. Parcells ultimately took the money and left the organization. Harbaugh would be given a similar contract at a much higher cost.