In Week 17, Mike McDaniel patrolled the Miami Dolphins sideline wearing a message that owner Stephen Ross may be taking into serious consideration. The NFL "Inspire Change" campaign may inspire the Dolphins owner to make a change that many believed might not happen.
Lately, there have been more than a few rumors floating around the NFL rumor mill. The Browns have a serious interest in McDaniel, and the Chiefs may want him to run their offense. There have been other reports speculating that if the Dolphins fire the head coach, more than those two teams will have interest.
The question many fans are asking is why? McDaniel has a winning record, but he has yet to win a playoff game.
Miami Dolphins HC Mike McDaniel could be the hottest name on the market, but the noise may not be real
When the NFL season wraps and the Super Bowl is over, everything settles down as the league shifts toward free agency. Each year, we begin to hear rumors and whispers of a player being highly touted and likely to leave once the market opens.
It's typically a ploy. A bold lie that no one actually ever proves is a lie. It's agent-driven to drum up interest in his client or to send a message to his client's team. Coaches have agents, too, and they send the same messages.
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If fans want to know why McDaniel is suddenly the prized catch of the next cycle if he is fired, it's because his agent is doing his job correctly. It may not lead to him actually getting an HC job, but it opens the door for interviews, it opens doors for OC jobs, and it also sends a big message to Stephen Ross.
With the latest rumors circulating, we have to start to wonder if McDaniel's job is actually safe. It's been a point of discussion since the team went on a four-game win streak. The latest buzz hints that maybe it is not.
If McDaniel were safe, the chances of anyone talking about potential landing spots wouldn't likely be discussed. Instead, if this is agent-driven, and it likely is to some degree, we have to assume that maybe Ross' confidence in the coach has thinned.
It would be the most likely reason for the latest wave of rumors. The league will wrap its regular season on Sunday, and McDaniel may not have a job come Monday afternoon.