Mike McDaniel Takes Step Toward Saving Job While Daboll And Morris Are In Trouble

The NFL coaching hot seat is starting to warm up as the country begins to cool off, and you can be certain it isn't any hotter for anyone than New York Giants coach Brian Daboll.

And, yes, we'll get to another coach sitting on the hot seat — Atlanta Falcons coach Raheem Morris.

And, yes, we'll get to someone whose posterior cooled off Sunday because Mike McDaniel's Miami Dolphins won a game against the Buffalo Bills and suddenly things are looking better for him.

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - NOVEMBER 9: Brian Daboll of the New York Giants stands on the sideline during the second half of an NFL football game against the Chicago Bears  at Solider Field on November 9, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Todd Rosenberg/Getty Images)

Brian Daboll In-Season Dismissal?

But we begin with Daboll because the Giants have reportedly not wanted to make a coaching change in-season. It's not their ownership style. The last time the Giants made significant changes to their top football leadership in-season was Dec. 2017 when coach Ben McAdoo and general manager Jerry Reese were dismissed with the Giants 2-10.

The Giants are 2-8 today and Sunday was, to use a football term, a disaster.

What else to call it when the team melts down, blowing a 10-point lead with under four minutes to play? What else to call it when this happens a lot?

That's right. The Giants, you see, led by at least 10 points against Dallas, led by 10 points against New Orleans, against Denver and in this one against the Bears. And they lost all those games.

Jaxson Dart Injury Looks Bad For Coach

It gets worse because Daboll's management of budding star quarterback Jaxson Dart looked questionable. Because he's calling a ton of runs for the rookie quarterback who left the game with a concussion.

And since Dart became the starter in September, he has been hit more often than just about any quarterback in the NFL.

And when the coach was asked afterward if all the hits were catching up to Dart, Daboll agreed.

"Yeah," he said. "It's unfortunate but, unfortunate he got hurt."

This became a theme because Daboll was also asked if Dart's play-style is sustainable?

"I'm not sure exactly of the play that it happened," Daboll said of the concussion. "No, I'm concerned for the kid."

Look, the Giants can probably wait until the end of the season to make a decision about a head coach's future. But when that coach, who admittedly loves his new quarterback, doesn't protect that quarterback, that threatens the franchise's future.

So ownership will have to think about whether that's a real danger by keeping Daboll or not before the season ends.

Nov 9, 2025; Berlin, Germany; Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris reacts against the Indianapolis Colts during the NFL Berlin Game at Olympic Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Morris Clock Management Questionable

The Falcons lost to the Indianapolis Colts in Germany. It wasn't a great showing by Daniel Jones or even new cornerback Sauce Gardner. 

But it was a terrible showing by Morris, the Falcons coach.

Let's just agree it's a bad day when the NFL Network is having multiple conversations about a coach's clock management. That was one of Morris's problems this game.

He didn't take a timeout right before halftime to save time so his offense could potentially score before intermission. But he did take a timeout before the Colts got off the game-tying field goal when icing the kicker was less likely than having Indy execute a fire drill kick with 21 seconds to play without having a time out of their own.

The Falcons have lost four consecutive games, including a blowout against the 3-7 Miami Dolphins.

Falcons fans are also over Morris, who has a 15-22 record as Atlanta's head coach.

Nov 9, 2025; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel before the first half against the Buffalo Bills at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Mike McDaniel Makes His Case

Finally, there is the apparent resurrection of Mike McDaniel. 

The Dolphins won on Sunday. They hammered the Buffalo Bills. And they came to play when it seemed the Bills were sleep-walking throughout.

So kudos, to McDaniel, who is trying to save his job by winning games because that's what he's been told he must do to stay beyond this season.

The Dolphins are headed to Spain for a game against the reeling Washington Commanders. And that will be followed by games against the New Orleans Saints and New York Jets – two teams with worse records than Miami.

So, McDaniel is understandably upbeat about the upcoming trip. 

"I'm very confident in the locker room that we're going to Spain for a football game, and they will be chomping at the bit to have another game where they get the opportunity to try to put something together and win as a team," McDaniel said. "It was a good day at the office, for sure."