The Miami Dolphins caught their former coach off guard.

Mike McDaniel is officially done as head coach of the Miami Dolphins. While that’s not necessarily surprising, given how things transpired this season, the timing was definitely shocking.

Earlier in the week, the former San Francisco 49ers offensive coordinator confirmed that he would be a part of the interviewing process for the GM position. The Dolphins even brought in multiple people with ties to McDaniel.

That’s why the decision caught him by surprise. According to a report by renowned Dolphins insider Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, neither McDaniel nor his camp saw this decision coming.

Mike McDaniel Thought He Was Coming Back For Another Season

Mike McDaniel (Credit: IMAGN)

“McDaniel was informed this morning. This was a shock to Mike; his camp fully expected him to be retained. Ross decided to make the change after assessing situation in aftermath of meeting with McDaniel,” Jackson wrote on X.

Jackson added that McDaniel even met with his players over the past couple of days. He was acting like someone who was going to stay with the team for a little longer:

“A Dolphins player conveyed to me that Mike held exit meetings with players last couple days, talked about offseason plan, their potential role for next season. So this stunned a lot of people. Probably shouldn’t have stunned people but did. But it’s nobody’s fault. This is life in the NFL. Things change and teams must do what’s best for them,” the insider added in a follow-up post.

McDaniel seemed to be in the hot seat from the very start of the season. He was the odds-on favorite to be the first head coach fired.

Instead, the Dolphins pulled the plug on GM Chris Grier. They rallied late in the season with an impressive turnaround, and it seemed that he was going to get another chance, even at 7-10 and with a second consecutive season without making the playoffs.

Even so, it shouldn’t be long before McDaniel finds another job. He’s highly regarded as an offensive guru, and he should land on his feet right away.

There were some doubts about his ability to lead, but Dolphins players seemed to buy in and rally around him late in the season. Still, some people are better suited to be top-notch assistants and not the main guy in charge. If that’s the case with him, someone’s going to get a huge boost to their offense with his arrival.

Luka Doncic ‘destroys’ the Mavs on his return. Gets standing ovation and shows love to Mark Cuban

Luka Doncic hits 45 points in his first game in Dallas since being traded to the Los Angeles.

It’s rare for a home crowd to cheer the visiting team, but Luka Doncic’s return to Dallas was no ordinary night.

Just days before February’s trade deadline, the Mavericks shocked the NBA by sending their 26-year-old superstar to the Lakers—a move that outraged fans and sparked backlash toward GM Nico Harrison.

On Wednesday, Doncic played his first game back in Dallas since the trade. The arena was filled with fans in both his old Mavs and new Lakers jerseys, many chanting “Fire Nico” in protest.

Despite the emotion in the air, Doncic delivered a dominant performance, scoring a game-high 45 points to lead the Lakers to a 112-97 win. It was a powerful return for one of the league’s brightest stars—and a night Dallas won’t soon forget

The Mavericks pay tribute to Luka Dončić

While the Mavericks’ decision to trade Luka Doncic remains heavily criticized, they handled his return to Dallas with undeniable grace. The organization made sure his first game back as a Laker was met with respect and appreciation.

Every seat in the arena was draped with a T-shirt reading “Hvala za vse,” which translates from Slovenian to “thank you for everything.” It was a thoughtful nod to Doncic’s heritage and impact on the franchise.

Before tip-off, during the starting lineup announcements, the Mavericks played a tribute video showcasing some of Doncic’s most iconic moments in a Dallas jersey. The emotional gesture clearly resonated—moving Doncic to tears in front of the crowd that once called him their own.

Luka Doncic ‘DESTROYS’ his old team

Luka delivered a dazzling performance against his former team, putting up 45 points on 16-of-28 shooting, including 7-of-10 from beyond the arc. He also added 8 rebounds, 6 assists, and 4 steals in a game that showed exactly why he’s one of the best in the league.

From the opening tip, Doncic was locked in. By halftime, Doncic had racked up 31 points on 11-of-16 shooting in just 19 minutes—marking the 10th time in his career he’s scored 30 or more in a single half.

Though his scoring slowed in the second half, he continued to lead effectively, securing both a Lakers win and an unforgettable showing for the fans in Dallas.