After firing Mike McDaniel from his duties as head coach, the Miami Dolphins wasted no time in hiring Jon-Eric Sullivan as the team's next general manager. One day later, Miami isn't wasting any time getting interviews set up for the next HC.
As of Saturday afternoon, the Dolphins had reached out to or planned to interview five potential candidates. To the delight of the majority of Dolphins fans, all five candidates have name recognition and stability around the NFL.
There are bound to be more coaches whom Miami reaches out to in the coming days, possibly weeks. The NFL postseason complicates matters somewhat on when coaches can be interviewed by other teams.
Miami Dolphins reach out to 5 potential candidates for head coach
Per national and local media outlets, the Dolphins have been busy reaching out to candidates to fill their HC position. It was widely speculated that Miami had reached out to John Harbaugh as soon as news broke of his firing from the Baltimore Ravens. There was added speculation that it led to McDaniel's firing, with the hope that Harbaugh could be swayed to come to Miami.
Sources close to the situation were adamant that that wasn't the case, though, and that the Dolphins had not yet reached out to Harbaugh. The indication, however, was always that they would reach out, and we received confirmation Saturday morning that they had shortly after agreeing to terms with a new GM.
By all accounts, Harbaugh would be the No. 1 option in the clubhouse. However, the Dolphins may not be his No. 1 choice at the end of the day. Nevertheless, the other candidates Miami is looking to speak to all have extensive résumés and should be viewed as upgrades over McDaniel.
Klint Kubiak
Klint Kubiak is the current offensive coordinator of the Seattle Seahawks, but with several teams already expressing interest in interviewing him, it doesn't look like he'll be there for much longer. It's a bye week for the Seahawks as they await to see who they will play in the Divisional Round of the playoffs next week, but it's been anything but a bye for Seattle's OC.
The Dolphins became the sixth team to either request to or interview Kubiak, joining the Baltimore Ravens, Las Vegas Raiders, Atlanta Falcons, New York Giants, and Arizona Cardinals. Kubiak has not yet been a head coach, but he has years of NFL experience, including as offensive coordinator for three different teams.
His father, Gary Kubiak, is a former head coach of the Denver Broncos, and Kubiak's brother, Gary, is the current OC of the San Francisco 49ers. He has another brother who is a scout for the Dallas Cowboys, so Kubiak comes from a strong family lineage of NFL coaching.
Depending on how far the Seahawks go in the playoffs will likely have an impact on when Kubiak is extended an offer, or he makes a decision. It remains uncertain where Kubiak may wind up, but if Seattle makes a deep playoff run, I'd imagine more teams may line up to express their interest.
Robert Saleh
Robert Saleh may not have been top of mind for some Dolphins fans, but he's still a great candidate for Miami to bring in and try to pick his brain. He would pass the test for Dolphins fans who want someone who won't be a first-time head coach, and they know him well, as Saleh spent four years inside the division as the HC of the New York Jets.
Currently, Saleh is in his second stint as the 49ers' defensive coordinator. Personally, I feel that is where he is best suited in the NFL, but another head coaching opportunity is certainly in the cards for the 46-year-old.
Chris Shula
Here’s a fun one: The Dolphins have requested an interview with Rams DC Chris Shula for their head coaching job, per source.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) January 10, 2026
Shula — the grandson of legendary Dolphins coach Don Shula — is eligible to interview next week after the Rams’ wild card game. pic.twitter.com/5Iaq4tcQbz
Los Angeles Rams DC Chris Shula doesn't have head coaching experience like many Dolphins fans want, but I'm willing to bet he'd be the exception for most. Shula's father is former Cincinnati Bengals HC Dave Shula, but more importantly to Miami fans, he's the grandson of the late Don Shula, the Hall of Fame and former coach of the Dolphins for 30+ years.
Like Kubiak, Chris Shula has the family tree of NFL coaching. Moreover, from a modern standpoint, he's a part of the Sean McVay coaching tree, having worked under the current Rams head coach since 2017. Shula was the linebackers coach when the Rams won the Super Bowl in 2021. Now, he has served as DC since 2024 and has LA as one of the better overall defenses in the NFL.
It would be big shoes to fill for Shula if he were offered the Dolphins' job. Meanwhile, the Dolphins could put themselves in a position of having to fire the grandson of their legendary coach in a few years if things don't work out. Yet, I think it's worth the gamble. Shula has garnered respect under McVay and has all the makings of an NFL head coach. The Dolphins can interview him next week following the Rams' Wild Card game against the Carolina Panthers.
Kevin Stefanski
For many, if the Dolphins miss out on Harbaugh, Kevin Stefanski would be deemed a nice consolation. The former two-time Coach of the Year was unsurprisingly fired from the Cleveland Browns after six seasons. And similar to Harbaugh, Stefanski has been no short of suitors.
Prior to the Harbaugh news, Stefanski had been the hot name to be the next head coach of the Giants. That may still be the case, as the Giants have interviewed with Stefanski already, and he's completed an interview with Harbaugh's former team, the Ravens, as well. The Raiders, Falcons, and Tennessee Titans have all requested or scheduled to interview Stefanski, too.
The Browns have won just eight games total in the last two seasons, but before that, Stefanski had Cleveland in the postseason in 2020 and 2023, winning Coach of the Year on both occasions. In 2020, he led the Browns to their first postseason victory since 1994.
In addition to his time as the Browns' head coach, Stefanski spent the majority of his coaching career with the Minnesota Vikings. In Minnesota, he spent much of his time as a position coach all across the offense and was the Vikings' offensive coordinator prior to moving to Cleveland. Stefanski also did his best Dwight Schrute impression as the Vikings' assistant to the head coach from 2006-2008.
After Harbaugh, Stefanski will likely have his top choice of where he wants to go. The Dolphins' hiring of Sullivan likely decreases Miami's odds of landing Harbaugh, but if the latter chooses New York, Stefanski could become a hot name in South Florida.