Report: Rex Ryan tabbed as possible next coach if Mike McDaniel is fired

Mike McDaniel’s job as the head coach of the Miami Dolphins seems to be anything but secure at this point. The Dolphins are amid easily their worst season since he’s patrolled the sidelines, as they have won just one of their first five games of the 2025 campaign.

Miami is also on the heels of an embarrassing loss to the Carolina Panthers on Oct. 5, considering the team blew a 17-0 lead.

Should the Dolphins fire McDaniel, insider Tony Pauline has reported that the expectation is for the squad to target a disciplinarian to succeed him. Specifically, former New York Jets head coach and current ESPN analyst Rex Ryan has been linked to Miami as a potential target.

“Sources say they expect the owner to target a disciplinarian type of coach with experience in the league, someone in the Dan Quinn mold,” Pauline wrote. “One name that has been speculated as a possibility if Mike McDaniel gets canned is ESPN analyst Rex Ryan.”

McDaniel’s tenure as the head coach of the Dolphins has been a rollercoaster. Ever since he coached Miami to playoff appearances in each of his first two seasons as head coach, the team has been plagued by losing. Dating back to the start of the 2024 campaign, Miami has a regular-season record of just 9-13.

It’s hard to blame some fans for wanting to see Miami give McDaniel the boot in light of how much the team has underachieved over the last season-plus. Plus, Ryan maybe would bring a level of discipline to the team that it needs to thrive.

Ryan was famous for holding his players accountable across his stints as head coach of the Jets as well as the Buffalo Bills, and his modus operandi paid dividends on the field. The last time the Jets made the playoffs was when he was spearheading their coaching staff, as they reached back-to-back AFC Championship Games under his leadership.

But McDaniel can help quiet all of the noise regarding his job security by coaching Miami to some wins in the weeks to come. Fortunately, Miami’s looming schedule isn’t looking all too difficult, as only one of its next three opponents has a record above the .500 mark, and that’s the Los Angeles Chargers. The Chargers lost their most recent game to the Washington Commanders by a final score of 27-10.