Mike McDaniel reached an agreement with the Chargers earlier this week to become their new offensive coordinator. He remains on the market for a head coaching gig at this point of the hiring cycle, however. 
McDaniel will conduct an interview with the Bills today for their HC vacancy, as first reported by Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated. This in-person summit will come in the wake of McDaniel withdrawing from the Browns’ search. That seemed to leave him short on head coaching opportunities, but at least one of the league’s five remaining vacancies could be a possibility in his case.
McDaniel’s job security with the Dolphins remained a talking point through the end of the 2025 campaign. A relatively strong finish to the season appeared to help his standing in the organization, but having already moved on from general manager Champ Kelly owner Stephen Ross elected to clean house not long after Week 18 wrapped up. The Dolphins have since brought in Jon-Eric Sullivan and former Packers colleague Jeff Hafley to lead the way.
The Bills, meanwhile, will continue to have Brandon Beane guiding the front office. The veteran general manager was promoted to president of football operations shortly after the decision was made to fire head coach Sean McDermott. A number of familiar names – such as current offensive coordinator Joe Brady, former OC Brian Daboll and ex-Josh Allen teammate Davis Webb – have been strongly linked to Buffalo as the search for McDermott’s replacement unfolds.
The Bills went up against McDaniel’s Dolphins eight times in the regular season and once in the playoffs during his Miami stint. There is of course a high degree of familiarity already in this case as a result, but it will be interesting to see what takes place following this interview. Buffalo has other meetings set for this weekend, so a small group of finalists should emerge relatively soon.
Buffalo owner Terry Pegula along with Beane and executives Brian Gaine and Terrance Gray are present for the upcoming set of interviews, Breer notes. He adds Allen will take part in the interviews as well, confirming Pegula’s comments on that matter from earlier this week. Per Dianna Russini of The Athletic, Allen will have a “significant say” in the Bills’ ultimate HC decision. Buffalo’s McDermott replacement will be the second head coach of the 2024 MVP’s NFL career.
Via PFR’s HC Search Tracker, here is an updated look at where the Bills currently stand:
- Lou Anarumo, defensive coordinator (Colts): Interviewed 1/22
- Joe Brady, offensive coordinator (Bills): Interviewed 1/21
- Brian Daboll, former head coach (Giants): Interviewed 1/22; prefers Buffalo gig
- Klint Kubiak, offensive coordinator (Seahawks): Rumored candidate
- Anthony Lynn, run-game coordinator (Commanders): To interview 1/24
- Mike McDaniel, former head coach (Dolphins): To interview 1/23
- Grant Udinski, offensive coordinator (Jaguars): To interview 1/25
- Anthony Weaver, defensive coordinator (Dolphins): To interview 1/24
- Davis Webb, quarterbacks coach (Broncos): Rumored candidate
Sweet then he could run up the score on Miami twice a year
Not sure who is the best fit here. Maybe Kubiak? I think McDaniel could do well with Josh Allen. Or maybe Allen really likes Brady or Daboll and in that case it would be one of them I am sure.
Only like McDaniel as an OC, which he can’t be for the Bills since he signed with the Chargers. He showed no ability to manage the defenbsive side of the ball, even with one of the best DCs…who he fired after his players complained about working to hard.
If McDaniel does go Chargers as OC, Herbert is going to be late round steal in Fantasy lol.
I thought Josh was really pushing for Daboll
Just heard and read where the Buffalo Bills are going to interview Phillip Rivers for the HC position. Talking about digging deep a High School Head Coach, Cmon!!!!
Nothing wrong with kicking the tires on someone, just because he interviews doesn’t mean he’ll get hired.
Win / win.
Its good experience for Rivers, and gives Beane and co. an opportunity to pick his brain a little about the state of the Bills. Helps show him what teams are looking for in an HC interview, and maybe they get some insight from his, experienced, third party eyes they haven’t considered. Might be a nice resource for Allen, if hes in on the interview. Rivers has a lot of connections, too.
I highly doubt he gets hired, but definitely see mutual benefit to the interview.
This is right up there with what Josh McDaniels did to the Colts. How are you gonna interview for a head coaching job when you just got hired to be an OC less than a week ago?
If I’m the Chargers, I’m filing a grievance if he leaves before the season.
There would be no grounds for a grievance. Monken also kept his name in the ring for Browns HC after heading to the Giants. This is different than McDaniels, who had already hired coaches, which is a whole other level of screwing people over.
They may very well have discussed this possibility, up front, at signing.
Flores just did something similar. Extend his DC contract if he doesnt land a HC job somewhere.
The difference is Flores wasn’t just hired and was in fact their DC last year.
How come the bills couldn’t reach out to him immediately when their opening came up? They waited till after he became an OC with a new team.. only bills and their incompetent ownership
Maybe they did. Apparently Terry isn’t great at disseminating information quickly.
Gee, I thought he cancelled the Browns interview last week because he was taking the OC job in LA. Hmmmmmmm….Mike, if you’re not interested in coaching the Browns, just say it. Don’t tell them you’re taking another job only to interview for the same position with another team a week later. Regardless of the differences in the Browns’ and Bills’ roster, that’s lame.
“Regardless of the differences in the Browns’ and Bills’ roster, that’s lame”
No, you can’t just hand-waive that gigantic sticking point away. One team has an MVP-level QB, while the other — does not. After having to deal with Tua’s noodle arm for years, McDaniels will probably only take a job that has an above-average QB in place.