Coach Mike McDaniel’s Miami Dolphins’ disastrous 2-7 start has led to the firing of long-term general manager Chris Grier. The decision has put the franchise under scrutiny. Speaking on Friday’s episode of “The Herd,” Colin Cowherd laid out a surprising plan for Miami’s next move.

Cowherd said Miami should replace coach Mike McDaniel with Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin, one of college football’s highest-paid coaches at roughly $14 million per year.

Cowherd criticized Miami’s lack of leadership.

“They got no alpha, they got no culture,” Cowherd said. “Mike McDaniel’s a great offensive coach? Ehh, come on.”

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“Here’s why you go hire Lane Kiffin,” he said. “No. 1 offense in college football last several years. Half the SEC quarterbacks this year, all that first-round draft quarterbacks everyone’s talking about … four of the eight best quarterbacks are from the SEC. Lane recruited them, Lane faced them. Lane’s looked at film of them. Nobody knows the SEC quarterbacks better than the current best offensive coach.”

Cowherd added that Kiffin brings the edge and presence that the Dolphins lack.

“He’s both an ‘alpha’ and a ‘guy’s guy’ — two things Miami doesn’t have right now. And that their offense is all empty calories.”

He also cautioned against an interim replacement.

“If that person reels off five or six straight wins then fans would want that person to stick around, which apparently would be a bad thing.”

While McDaniel is expected to finish the season, Cowherd believes Miami should look for a long-term solution. Kiffin, who has revived Ole Miss into a national contender and leads one of college football’s most explosive attacks, fits that mold.

Stephen Ross still believes Mike McDaniel is the right coach for the Dolphins despite a 2-7 start

Despite the Miami Dolphins’ 2-7 record, owner Stephen Ross reportedly remains confident in coach Mike McDaniel.

According to The Athletic’s Diana Russini:

“Ross remains committed to head coach Mike McDaniel.”

A team source said Ross isn’t keeping McDaniel just to fill time before making bigger changes, but because he believes McDaniel can still get this team back on track.

NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero also noted that McDaniel’s future is tied to quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, whose contract limits trade flexibility, and that McDaniel has been the coach best suited to utilize Tua’s skill set.

Still, critics warn the team’s continued decline could make the possibility of a comeback in 2026 a major gamble.