Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross, through team sources, has made it quite clear that he doesn't want to fire head coach Mike McDaniel. The way the players are responding to him the last few weeks has many fans thinking he deserves another season.
Some also believe McDaniel's failures as an HC can be tied to the play of Tua Tagovailoa. That is up for debate, and it's debated often. The crux of all of this, however, is that Ross may find himself with an available coach he never dreamed possible, and it could end McDaniel's career with the Dolphins.
NFL insider Josina Anderson reported on Tuesday that as many as five head coaches could be out of a job at the end of the year. She also dropped another potential bomb that could open both Ross's wallet and the keys to the franchise.
NFL insider believes one longtime veteran NFL head coach wants a change of scenery
Anderson doesn't name who the mystery coach may be, but it shouldn't be hard to figure out, or at least narrow it down. There are only three HCs in the NFL who have been at their jobs since before 2017. In 2017, Sean McDermott, Sean McVay, and Kyle Shanahan all became the top guys on their teams. It's unlikely any of them have grown bored.
The longest tenured coaches in the NFL are Mike Tomlin, John Harbaugh, and Andy Reid. We need to start there, and if Ross is going to make a change, it might be for Harbaugh if he becomes available.
Reid isn't going to go to another team; he will retire before he leaves Kansas City. Tomlin is a possibility, as he has seen his Steelers struggle recently, and it's been a while since he found success in the postseason, but the one Dolphins fans should be watching is Harbaugh.
There has been speculation throughout the season that Harbaugh's time in Baltimore could be coming to an end. He may be the only veteran head coach Ross would consider absolute. After unsuccessfully trying to get his brother, Jim Harbaugh, to Miami, he would be insane not to try to get the more successful of the two.
Harbaugh would bring immediate respect to the Dolphins organization, inside and out. He is a culture changer in every way Ross could dream of. He coaches physical football and commands the players' respect.
It's hard to know for certain if Harbaugh is growing tired of the Ravens, but if he is, the Dolphins owner can't stick with a guy that he likes over a guy that could change his franchise around almost overnight.