Should the Chargers DC Be the Miami Dolphins Next Head Coach?

The Miami Dolphins find themselves at a crossroads. After a winless start in 2025 — a blowout loss to Indianapolis followed by a gut-punch defeat against New England — it’s fair to question if head coach Mike McDaniel’s tenure is nearing its end. Despite some offensive fireworks in his first two seasons, McDaniel has yet to deliver a playoff victory. Meanwhile, locker room frustrations and inconsistent quarterback play have cast doubt over whether he’s the man to steer Miami back to prominence. If change is coming, the Dolphins should have one name at the top of their list: Jesse Minter.

Minter, currently the Los Angeles Chargers’ defensive coordinator, has emerged as one of the NFL’s brightest coaching minds. In just his first season with the Chargers in 2024, he turned the unit into the league’s stingiest defense, allowing the fewest points in the NFL. Now, two weeks into 2025, his defense has stifled Patrick Mahomes and frustrated Geno Smith, while elevating players across the roster. Under Minter’s guidance, Derwin James looks reborn, role players have developed into impact starters, and the entire unit plays with a discipline and edge that was missing under previous regimes.

What makes Minter an ideal fit for Miami isn’t just his résumé — which includes a national championship run with Michigan in 2023 and prior experience with the Baltimore Ravens — but his pedigree and style. He represents the best of the Jim Harbaugh coaching tree: tough, detail-oriented, adaptable, and capable of maximizing talent. At only 42 years old, he also fits the modern trend of franchises seeking younger, energetic head coaches who can lead for the long haul. For the Dolphins, the timing could be perfect. 

McDaniel’s tenure has produced diminishing returns, and Miami’s star-laden roster needs a leader who can bring accountability and toughness without sacrificing innovation. Minter’s defensive brilliance, combined with his experience working under Harbaugh, positions him as someone who could reshape the Dolphins’ culture and finally help them break through in the AFC playoff race. If Miami continues its early-season spiral, ownership should waste no time in identifying its next leader. Jesse Minter has checked every box as a head coaching candidate — and he might just be the perfect man to turn the Dolphins from pretenders into contenders.