Washington Commanders fans went into collective delirium when the Miami Dolphins fired head coach Mike McDaniel. Given his close bond with Dan Quinn and his exceptional offensive innovation, this was the guy most wanted to replace Kliff Kingsbury.
That may still be the case. However, anyone who thought the Commanders were going to get a free run at McDaniel was out of luck almost immediately.
According to Ian Rapoport from the NFL Network, the Detroit Lions have already reached out to McDaniel about their vacant offensive coordinator position. Fellow league insider Mike Garafolo from the same organization added that there is a laundry list of teams that have him on their shortlist, with some wanting to examine his credentials in greater detail to become a head coach again immediately.
Commanders face a fight for Mike McDaniel, but they have to try
The Lions' interest is bad enough. Their offensive playmakers are far superior, and they look much better placed than Washington to contend next year. But with a relatively dry pool of offensive-minded head coaching candidates this year, it's not hard to see why McDaniel would be high on shortlists.
Washington must make a bid for McDaniel. Anything less is organizational malpractice. He feels indebted to Quinn, who helped him through some tough times and never stopped believing in his capabilities. The Commanders need to reach out and see what his plans are. If he wants to step back from being a head coach and focus more on play-calling, they need to give him whatever he wants.
Others will be thinking exactly the same thing. Quinn has a fight on his hands if he makes McDaniel his top priority. The Commanders don't want to be caught short. At the same time, this stunning development deserves the team's urgent attention.
The Commanders have an ascending offensive line. They have a superstar quarterback in Jayden Daniels. They have wide receiver Terry McLaurin and possibly Deebo Samuel Sr., who knows McDaniel well from their time together on the San Francisco 49ers. That's also where the coach developed a relationship with general manager Adam Peters. He's also worked for Washington before under the great Mike Shanahan.
His connection to Quinn will be the most important thing. That might not be enough, especially if another head-coaching opportunity presents itself. Therefore, anyone who thought this was a done deal needs to pump the brakes.
It's a fluid situation. There will be plenty of twists and turns to come. But make no mistake; the Commanders must throw their hat into the ring.