The Cleveland Browns are officially circling back to a familiar face in their hunt for a new head coach. They have secured an interview with former Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel as reported by the insiders of NFL Network.
For McDaniel, this potential hiring would mark a homecoming of sorts, as he briefly served as the Browns’ wide receivers coach in 2014 under Mike Pettine and offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan. His return could provide the spark Cleveland desperately needs after a period of offensive atrophy.
McDaniel arrives with a resume defined by both brilliance and pitfalls. Leading the Dolphins from 2022 to 2025, he engineered a high-octane offense that propelled Miami to back-to-back playoff appearances in his first two seasons, a feat the franchise hadn’t achieved in two decades.
However, his tenure concluded with a 35-33 regular season record and a dismissal following a disappointing 7-10 2025 campaign marred by inconsistency and injuries. Despite the sour ending in Miami, McDaniel’s reputation as an offensive innovator remains intact, making him an intriguing candidate to unlock Cleveland’s young roster.
The most compelling aspect of a potential McDaniel hire is his projected impact on quarterback Shedeur Sanders.
Much like Tua Tagovailoa, whom McDaniel helped transform into a statistical leader in his early years, Sanders is a passer who thrives on rhythm and accuracy but faces questions regarding processing, physical upside and creating out of structure.
McDaniel’s scheme, heavily predicated on pre-snap motion, rapid processing, and getting the ball out fast, is tailor-made to mask these limitations. By simplifying post-snap reads and manipulating defensive leverage, McDaniel can help Sanders play faster, reducing the need for him to hold the ball and minimizing the hits he takes in the pocket.
Furthermore, McDaniel’s offense requires specific skill sets at the skill positions, and Cleveland’s young arsenal fits the mold perfectly. Athletic H-Back Harold Fannin Jr. offers the versatility McDaniel covets, likely stepping into a role similar to the one Kyle Juszczyk played in San Francisco or Jonnu Smith in Miami. McDaniel could deploy Fannin across the formation to create mismatches against linebackers, utilizing him in both the run game and as a safety valve for Sanders.
Meanwhile, explosive deep threat Isaiah Bond provides the field-stretching speed essential to the Z-reciever role occupied by Jaylen Waddle in Miami. Bond’s ability to take the top off a defense forces safeties deep, opening up the intermediate windows where Sanders is most accurate.
If McDaniel can replicate his schematic success, this reunion could finally provide the offensive identity Cleveland has been chasing.
This article originally appeared on Browns Wire: Browns set to interview Mike McDaniel for head coach vacancy
