According to Ian Rapoport, the Detroit Lions have reached out to former Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel about their vacant offensive coordinator position. McDaniel, who was fired by Miami following the 2025 season, is expected to be one of the most sought-after offensive minds on the market this offseason.
The #Lions have reached out to former #Dolphins HC Mike McDaniel about their vacant offensive coordinator position, sources say. McDaniel is a top candidate for any open OC job. pic.twitter.com/Eg7jc6zTdg
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 8, 2026
Detroit moved on from offensive coordinator John Morton following the conclusion of the 2025 season, a decision rooted in the team’s offensive regression during a year in which expectations were sky-high. While head coach Dan Campbell publicly stated the organization would “look at everything,” the Lions have wasted little time exploring high-upside, experienced options.
Why Mike McDaniel Makes Sense for Detroit
McDaniel’s résumé speaks for itself. Before becoming the Dolphins’ head coach, he was a key architect of the San Francisco 49ers’ run-heavy, motion-based offense, serving as run game coordinator from 2017–2020 and offensive coordinator in 2021. His system emphasized misdirection, spacing, and efficiency — concepts that align well with Detroit’s personnel.
As Miami’s head coach from 2022–2025, McDaniel compiled a 35–33 regular-season record, guiding the Dolphins to two playoff appearances. While his postseason résumé (0–2) leaves room for criticism, his offenses were consistently among the league’s most explosive and creative, particularly when healthy.
For a Lions team built around balance, physicality, and playmakers at every skill position, McDaniel’s offensive imagination could be a natural fit.
A Pivotal Hire for the Lions’ Window
Detroit’s interest in McDaniel underscores how serious the organization is about maximizing its championship window. This is not a rebuild hire or a developmental gamble — this is a swing for proven offensive innovation.
McDaniel would not be expected to replicate his Dolphins offense verbatim in Detroit. Instead, the appeal lies in his ability to adapt scheme to personnel, something that became increasingly important as the Lions searched for offensive identity late in the 2025 season.
The Lions have already been linked to multiple candidates since Morton’s dismissal, but McDaniel stands out as the most accomplished name to surface publicly.
What Comes Next
At this stage, Detroit’s outreach appears exploratory, not definitive. McDaniel is expected to draw interest from several teams with open coordinator positions, and it’s unclear whether he prefers a reset as an OC or a short break before returning to the sidelines.
Still, the fact that the Lions have made contact sends a clear message: Detroit is thinking big.
After a season that fell short of expectations, the next offensive coordinator will play a massive role in determining whether the Lions rebound quickly — or waste a roster built to contend right now. Mike McDaniel is exactly the type of bold option that signals urgency rather than comfort.
