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The Miami Dolphins fired head coach Mike McDaniel Thursday morning, but at least one person is not on their list to fill the vacancy.
Shortly after the Dolphins’ announcement, Sen. Marco Rubio joked that there were “rumors online” that he was a candidate for the team.
However, he shut down those rumors.
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U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio boards a plane en route to El Salvador at the Panama Pacifico International Airport in Panama, February 3, 2025. Rubio is in Panama for a two-day official visit. (Mark Schiefelbein/Pool/AFP via Getty Images)
“I usually don’t respond to online rumors, but I feel the need to right now. I will not be a candidate for the currently vacant positions of HC and GM of the Miami Dolphins,” Rubio posted on
Stephen Ross, owner of the Dolphins announced the news, citing the need for “global change” after the team missed the playoffs for a second straight year going 7-10 this season. They also fired general manager Chris Grier in October.
“After careful evaluation and extensive discussions since the end of the season, I have made the decision that our organization is in need of a comprehensive change,” the statement said.
Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel prepares to call a timeout during the first half of an NFL football game against the Indianapolis Colts, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
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“I informed Mike McDaniel this morning that he has been relieved of his duties as head coach. I love Mike and want to thank him for his hard work, commitment and the energy he has brought to our organization. Mike is an incredibly creative football mind whose passion for the game and his players was evident every day. I wish him and his family the best for the future.”
McDaniel’s firing marks the eighth coaching vacancy in the NFL this season.
The Dolphins made the playoffs twice in a row during McDaniel’s first two seasons as head coach, but were eliminated in the first round each time. The following season, they were eliminated after suffering an unexpected loss to the New York Jets in the team’s season finale.
Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel talks with wide receiver Tyreek Hill (10) before an NFL football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday, September 8, 2024, in Miami Gardens, Florida. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
McDaniel’s final season in Miami was tumultuous, highlighted by quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s his difficulties and his possible benching during the last three games of the season.
