The Miami Dolphins are making waves in the NFL’s offseason, and the energy in South Florida is palpable as the franchise embarks on a dramatic new chapter. On January 8, 2026, the Dolphins fired head coach Mike McDaniel after four seasons, signaling a seismic shift in team leadership and philosophy. But that’s not all: the club is expected to hire its next general manager by January 9, 2026, with four high-profile candidates vying for the job and a coaching search that could reshape the entire organization.
Let’s rewind a bit. After a 7-10 season and a string of missed playoff appearances, owner Stephen Ross decided the time was right for change. McDaniel, who posted a 35-33 record with two playoff berths during his tenure, simply couldn’t lift the Dolphins out of the mediocrity that has plagued them for years. The team hasn’t won a playoff game since the dawn of the century—back in 2000. Fans are hungry for postseason glory, and Ross is clearly determined to deliver it.
"I'm told the Dolphins expect to make a decision on their new GM by tomorrow. They met with interim GM Champ Kelly on Wednesday, and the other three candidates (Chad Alexander, Josh Williams and Jon-Eric Sullivan) flew into South Florida last night for in-person interviews," ESPN’s Jeff Darlington reported, setting the stage for a fast-moving executive search.
The four finalists for the general manager position are an impressive bunch: interim GM Champ Kelly, Los Angeles Chargers assistant GM Chad Alexander, San Francisco 49ers director of scouting and football operations Josh Williams, and Green Bay Packers vice president of player personnel Jon-Eric Sullivan. Each brings a unique pedigree and perspective, but it’s Alexander who’s attracting the most attention—thanks in part to his deep ties with a certain high-profile coach now on the market.
That coach is John Harbaugh, who was let go by the Baltimore Ravens on January 6, 2026, after an extraordinary 18-year run that included 13 playoff victories and a Super Bowl title. Harbaugh instantly became the hottest name in the NFL coaching carousel, with the New York Giants reportedly “all-in” and no fewer than seven teams inquiring about his availability within hours of his firing. The Dolphins, despite not having contacted Harbaugh or his representatives as of January 7, are widely seen as a potential landing spot—especially if Chad Alexander, who worked closely with Harbaugh in Baltimore, secures the GM job.
“As of last night, the Miami Dolphins had had no contact with John Harbaugh or his camp, per sources,” Peter Schrager of ESPN tweeted, but he quickly added, “I’d expect that to change. And if you're connecting dots, Chad Alexander (interviewing for Dolphins GM job) has a long history with Harbaugh from their Baltimore days.”
The timing of the Dolphins’ GM search has fueled speculation. The team submitted five GM interview requests on January 5, but the request for Alexander wasn’t filed until January 6—the very day Harbaugh was fired by the Ravens. The connection is hard to ignore, and league insiders like Fox News’ Armando Salguero and NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport have noted that Miami’s interest in Alexander could be a strategic move to lure Harbaugh to South Beach. “With John Harbaugh available, and #Dolphins owner Stephen Ross' ties to the family, he now looms as a key candidate for Miami,” Rapoport observed. “A reason to fire a coach, with the thought that they could get Harbaugh.”
Owner Stephen Ross’s history with the Harbaugh family only adds fuel to the fire. While the Dolphins’ official stance is that the decision to part ways with McDaniel was made independently of Harbaugh’s availability—ESPN’s Jeff Darlington reported, “I’m told the Dolphins have not yet been in touch with John Harbaugh or anyone in his camp, and people close to the decision are adamant this decision to move away from McDaniel is independent of Harbaugh’s availability”—the stars seem to be aligning for a major organizational pivot.
For Dolphins fans, the prospect of bringing in Harbaugh is tantalizing. He’s a proven winner, a culture-setter, and exactly the kind of leader who could end the team’s 25-year playoff drought. At 63, Harbaugh will turn 64 during the 2026 season, so he may not be a long-term fix, but his track record suggests he could provide the immediate jolt Miami desperately needs. As one report put it, “Sitting on a playoff win drought that has stretched for a quarter century, bringing in a coach with 13 playoff victories and a Super Bowl title is the exact kind of move that can push Miami in the right direction.”
Of course, the Dolphins’ front office overhaul doesn’t end with the head coach. Whoever lands the general manager job will inherit a roster with talent but also significant cap challenges. Interim GM Champ Kelly brings continuity, but Alexander, Williams, and Sullivan each offer fresh perspectives from some of the league’s most successful organizations. Sullivan already completed a virtual interview earlier in the week before his in-person meeting, while this is Alexander’s first formal sit-down with the Dolphins brass.
“Chargers assistant GM Chad Alexander is a well-respected front office executive, so Miami's interest in him shouldn't be a surprise. But the timing of it, as laid out by Fox News' Armando Salguero, seems to line up with a potential interest in pursuing Harbaugh to be their next HC,” one analysis noted. If Alexander is hired, his experience navigating tough roster decisions and his relationship with Harbaugh could be exactly what Miami needs to reset its culture and build a winner.
As the search intensifies, the Dolphins are at a crossroads. The next 24 hours could define the franchise for years to come. Will they go with a steady hand like Kelly, a fresh face like Williams or Sullivan, or make a bold play for Alexander and, by extension, Harbaugh? The answer will have far-reaching implications, not just for the Dolphins, but for the entire NFL landscape as teams scramble to fill their own coaching and executive vacancies.
With a quarter of the league in the market for new head coaches, the Dolphins’ moves are under the microscope. The stakes are high, expectations even higher, and the pressure is on to deliver a leadership team that can finally bring playoff success back to Miami. For now, all eyes are on South Florida, where the next chapter in Dolphins history is about to be written.
As the dust settles on a whirlwind week, one thing is certain: change is coming to the Miami Dolphins, and the NFL world is watching.
