BREAKING: Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel receives extension through 2028

Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross has seen enough from Mike McDaniel, in the best way possible. On Friday morning, the third-year head coach received a contract extension all the way through 2028, per ESPN’s Jeff Darlington. The details of the contract have yet to be revealed.

In the past, Dolphins head coaches receiving extensions were preludes to them being fired. In 2011, Tony Sparano received a 2-year contract extension, only to be fired later that same year when the team underperformed. Similarly, head coach Joe Philbin received an additional year on his contract back in 2015, only to be fired after a 1-3 start to the season.

But unlike his predecessors, Mike McDaniel has led the Miami Dolphins to two straight winning seasons and two consecutive playoff appearances. The only other two coaches in Dolphins history to achieve that were Dave Wannstedt and the legendary Don Shula.

When the Miami Dolphins hired Mike McDaniel, it was after being the only team to even grant him an interview. The reward for that gamble is a top-10 offense in the past two years, and a franchise quarterback that has been rebuilt from the ground up.

During a recent interview with Dan Le Batard on his YouTube channel, Tagovailoa finally opened up about how beat down he had felt when Brian Flores was the head coach. His confidence had been destroyed, his desire to play the game had been all but eliminated. But Mike McDaniel stepped in, and on day one he made sure Tagovailoa knew he was going to get the support he was missing.

The result has been astounding. McDaniel tailored the offense around Tagovailoa’s best traits, and Tagovailoa responded by being one of the statistically best quarterbacks in the NFL the past two years. It also led to the Miami Dolphins deciding to reward Tagovailoa with a massive 4-year, $212.4 million contract extension with $167.1 million guaranteed.

The only thing that Mike McDaniel has yet to do – and it needs to be addressed to silence the doubters – is win a playoff game. Miami has made it to the playoffs the past two years, but they were eliminated immediately both times. The Dolphins are hoping that the team’s health will endure into the late months of the season this time around, rather than having to limp towards the finish line with a decimated roster.

Mike McDaniel’s story is one of growth, innovation, and a very real change of culture and atmosphere. The Miami Dolphins are no longer the league’s pushover or punching bag. They are a real contender, they are a destination spot for free agents seeking a championship, and that is largely due to McDaniel’s influence.

If he continues to evolve as a head coach, then Dolphins fans everywhere can expect to enjoy a very long tenure of success and excitement. The window to victory has never been more open.