Money & Mike McDaniel
January 20th, 2026So how motivated by money is hot NFL offensive coordinator candidate/lukewarm head coach candidate Mike McDaniel?
It might not matter.
ESPN’s Jeff Darlington reported on the McDaniel contract extension following his first two seasons as Miami head coach. McDaniel got Miami in the playoffs in back-to-back years (2022 & 2023) and the Dolphins wanted to lock him down. So McDaniel got a new deal paying him through the 2028 season.
Of course, McDaniel was fired last week by Miami. That means Miami is paying him for three more seasons, per the report. As many NFL fans know, teams put “offset language” in contracts to prevent coaches from double-dipping. So if Miami is due to pay McDaniel $6 million annually over the next three years, for example, then they only have to pay McDaniel $6 million per year minus whatever he would be earning from a new team.
A year ago, credible reports claimed the Raiders broke the bank for offensive coordinator Chip Kelly to become the Las Vegas playcaller at $6 million annually. Allegedly, that was a new high for an NFL assistant coach.
So what might McDaniel demand to be the Bucs’ offensive coordinator? A report today referred to him as “the favorite” for the job.
Is Team Glazer willing to throw Chip Kelly money around? Will they have to go much higher than that given there apparently is competition for McDaniel?
The terms of Todd Bowles’ head coach salary have never been reported. However, Bowles did tell Joe last year at the NFL Scouting Combine that Team Glazer tore up his prior contract rather than just adding years to his original head coach contract. Bowles’ extension is through the 2028 season.
Is there a chance McDaniel could earn more than Bowles this year as Bucs offensive coordinator? That might be what it takes to get McDaniel. And that certainly would tell fans the Bucs are all-in for 2026.









January 20th, 2026 at 4:01 pm
Give Mike what he wants financially and tell him make this offense explosive again and you’re the coach regardless of what Bowles does next season
January 20th, 2026 at 4:01 pm
Is this the new special teams coach?
January 20th, 2026 at 4:05 pm
McDaniel has bought a house in Tampa.
January 20th, 2026 at 4:07 pm
If McDaniel chooses the Bucs money will not be an issue imo. I think the Glazers are trying to do right by Bowles this year since the last couple of years they’ve gotten good returns from limited investment in Canales and Coen.
If McDaniel doesn’t choose the Bucs we’ll know it was bc he valued friendships (Saleh) or being a HC
January 20th, 2026 at 4:17 pm
Feeling the Glazers will do right by Mike to get him here as OC. Mike will make it a family decision too. As they are a young family, the Glazers should throw in some yearly top tier Disney World, Busch Garden, and other area venue tickets too.
January 20th, 2026 at 4:23 pm
“McDaniel has bought a house in Tampa.”
Where is this information coming from?
January 20th, 2026 at 4:24 pm
‘And that certainly would tell fans the Bucs are all-in for 2026.’
If the bucs are all in for 2026 he would have been let go. What an all out propaganda blitz to snow the fan base
January 20th, 2026 at 4:24 pm
Idk Joes I feel like I can’t buy what they were selling during that documentary. How did Todd Bowles keep his job if that’s how they really operate?
January 20th, 2026 at 4:34 pm
8mill and the Phins pay 6mill of it
January 20th, 2026 at 4:44 pm
Jackson
I looked to see if I could find it. It’s on Facebook cannon fire nation.
I would only believe it if it comes from a reliable source. Not Facebook.
January 20th, 2026 at 4:46 pm
Not how it works – Dolphins pay $6M minus whatever we would pay him. If we pay him $5M, Dolphins pay $1M. If we pay $8M, Dolphins pay $0M.
January 20th, 2026 at 4:47 pm
@ – Johnny on the moon – any money the Bucs pay McDaniel is subtracted from the Dolphins amount – that’s how offset contract work
You don’t know what you are talking about. Obviously. SMDH
January 20th, 2026 at 4:47 pm
“Whoa Johnny the Moon, don’t get too carried away. I like your math though. It means IF a team paid him less than $6million a year, the fishies would pay him the difference through 2028. But, heck, we Culverhouses, I mean Glazerhouses, want you to be our accountant. Call me!” -Hugh
January 20th, 2026 at 4:49 pm
Timon, doing good by Bowles by addressing the side of the ball that was by far the most injured, yet played the best out of all there sides. In all 3 years you mentioned, the offense and by extension the OC were not the issue with this team, Bowles vaunted defense was. You want to do right by Bowles? Force him to give up defensive play calling and to hire a competent DC to handle that side of the ball. Otherwise we are just rehashing mediocrity
January 20th, 2026 at 4:52 pm
If I were McDaniel, I would be pushing really hard for that Raiders HC Job. You KNOW Brady, Spytec, & Mark Davis were all PUMPED on that plane ride back to Vegas early this morning! That would be LOTS OF FUN being in Vegas with that group of young executives, and helping rebuild that Raiders roster from scratch with Mendoza. That dude is SPECIAL. Generational.
January 20th, 2026 at 4:55 pm
johnnythemoon Says:
“8mill and the Phins pay 6mill of it”
Not how it works.
If the Bucs offer him $8m, they would pay all of it.
If they offer him $4m, the fins would pay him another $2m
January 20th, 2026 at 4:57 pm
buccintimeforchanges Says:
“@ – Johnny on the moon – any money the Bucs pay McDaniel is subtracted from the Dolphins amount – that’s how offset contract work
You don’t know what you are talking about. Obviously. SMDH”
Is that really necessary?
January 20th, 2026 at 4:57 pm
Joe, have you heard ANYTHING about a search for a DC?
January 20th, 2026 at 4:59 pm
I just saw this. It is unrelated to McDaniel, but maybe not. The Bucs just hired Danny Smith. It appears he is one of the best ST Coaches in the league. So maybe the message comes across that the Bucs are serious about making changes with the Coaches they hire!!!
January 20th, 2026 at 5:01 pm
McDaniel is getting paid $6 million NOT to work? Lol…now there’s definitely no reason for him to be the Bucs OC. He can sit on the couch for a year and get paid, watch the Bucs tank then interview for the HC job 2027.
January 20th, 2026 at 5:08 pm
Bowles is still the HC. The Bucs punted on the 2026 season. Might as well bring back Leftwich, he was the Todd Bowles of the offense.
January 20th, 2026 at 5:10 pm
“All In”…. 90% or more of Bucs fans know the Bucs are not giving full effort to win in 2026. There is no way Bowles would be the coach if the Bucs were going “all in”.
January 20th, 2026 at 5:10 pm
@ Eric Says: “Give Mike what he wants financially and tell him make this offense explosive again and you’re the coach regardless of what Bowles does next season.”
THE dumbest, weakest thing I’ve ever heard. Just the DUMBEST. Glad you’re not our Owner. Promising a guy the HC Job before he’s even called his FIRST PLAY. Hmmmm… LoL What could possibly go wrong with THAT!? Then, be STUCK WITH HIM without even being able to go through the process of having a real true legit head coaching search, in order to find and then land THE BEST available HC and ‘fit’ for your franchise. JUST to hire a freaking OC.
If YOU are that desperate, then you should just go ahead and sell the team. Cause, that is just embarrassingly WEAK AF. And, it’s STUPID. I would like think that I had a lot more ‘confidence’ in MYSELF as an Owner or GM, than THAT. I would have MUCH ‘higher’ expectations, in being able to land a MUCH BETTER STRONGER ‘top-tier’ level HC than HIM. 💯
January 20th, 2026 at 5:17 pm
@ Eric – It’s just completely irrational. It’s like in all-out panic/freak-out mode. It makes NO SENSE, whatsoever. And, it is lacking ANY real thought. 💯
January 20th, 2026 at 5:36 pm
@ Bee Says: “McDaniel is getting paid $6 million NOT to work? Lol…now there’s definitely no reason for him to be the Bucs OC. He can sit on the couch for a year and get paid, watch the Bucs tank then interview for the HC job 2027.”
Yeah, I said this in the very beginning, but not necessarily about the Bucs particularly. I said, that HE can afford to be very picky. And, he should be. I wouldn’t just accept ANY old job if I were him. It would have to be the ‘right’ fit and a GREAT opportunity. Otherwise, sit-back and take some time off to reset, and chances are there will be another half-dozen+ head coaching jobs available again, for NEXT SEASON. And, he will once again be a TOP candidate. There will be PLENTY of big-time college jobs and NFL coordinator jobs all throughout the next year or two, too! So, there is absolutely zero reason to rush. Take your time, and take your pick with what feels right. He doesn’t have to just jump right back in if it’s not the right place and time.
January 20th, 2026 at 5:40 pm
If I were McDaniel I would demand final say on draft picks and right to choose free agents, relegating Licht’s overrated and arrogant aas back to assistant coffee boy like he was when Tom Brady was there running the show and winning championships.
Licht is the real problem on this team, not Bowles. Wake up fanboys.
January 20th, 2026 at 5:44 pm
Well do the interview with the Bengals guy because he was second to Mike in my opinion. The guy from Atlanta nope, same with Clevelands ex loser. Monken might have started out being the one I liked because of his past with Mayfield. McDaniel has a good offensive game plan with tricks as well.
January 20th, 2026 at 5:45 pm
@ Timon Says: “If McDaniel doesn’t choose the Bucs we’ll know it was bc he valued friendships (Saleh) or being a HC.”
But, what if he chooses NEITHER!? Then, what would that mean!?
January 20th, 2026 at 5:48 pm
The Glazers are all in for 2026????
All in for what exactly???
We now know the defense will not change since Bowles is still employed.
An OC will not change that as witnessed by the last four years.
This is just more happy talk by the same people who tried to tell us Bowles would win double digit games in 2025.
Care to revise that pile of Todd statement for us???
January 20th, 2026 at 5:52 pm
Dream on me buccos.
January 20th, 2026 at 5:52 pm
‘what might McDaniel demand to be the Bucs’ offensive coordinator?’
A competent HC if he is wise!
January 20th, 2026 at 5:54 pm
Fire Bowzo and hire Gruden….problems solved.
January 20th, 2026 at 5:54 pm
Come on, Jude… Nobody is concerned about Disney and Busch Gardens tickets LoL. I’m pretty sure they can afford to go there anytime they want… By Limo, or private helicopter. So, that will not be an issue one way or the other. Now, if you were talking more about giving them their own condo on the beach, or courtesy beach house, that comes with free memberships at Belleair Country Club AND The Pelican, then you’d be talkin. But, DISNEY TICKETS… Come on.
January 20th, 2026 at 5:55 pm
Fire Todd
January 20th, 2026 at 5:56 pm
We need a ton of new players too. Our roster is not above average.
January 20th, 2026 at 5:58 pm
McDaniel has withdrawn his name to be HC of the Browns
January 20th, 2026 at 5:59 pm
6 million for nothin
And the checks are free
This ain’t workin
January 20th, 2026 at 6:02 pm
Why is Dean still on the roster?
January 20th, 2026 at 6:03 pm
mike has demanded that he wants to live in the underbelly of the stadium ship, that fires the cannons when the bucs score…
he wants it to be his own personal play space, and full time man cave X rubber room…
he says if baker can live under the stadium in the boiler room, he can chill out on the ship, in deluxe fashion, and live the pirates life
January 20th, 2026 at 6:07 pm
Melvin – Top tier Disney tickets for a year are pretty pricey. I bet their daughter loves Disney like the rest of us. Yeah, throw in a nice condo on the beach too. A package for everyone in the family.
January 20th, 2026 at 6:11 pm
So I see where McDaniel withdrew from the Cleveland interview which I don’t blame him for that however, I wonder if the Bucs have wooo him enough to take the Bucs OC job or is he headed to Tennessee
January 20th, 2026 at 6:12 pm
@ heyjude – you’re talking about ‘someone’ with a net worth of somewhere in the 8-FIGURE RANGE, at a very minimum. That ‘individual’ isn’t worried bout how they’re going to afford to pay for their kids tickets to Busch Gardens. They could seriously PAY FOR SOMEONE to take their kids there EVERY single day of the week and be just fine. LoL. It’s another world from regular people. That’s what drives me CRAZY about all these people who worship all these ELITE’s and celebrities, while literally ‘thinking’ they are living in the same UNIVERSE. They have NO IDEA of ‘their’ reality, versus their own. And, they believe THEM and listen to THEM on their world view, and their politics. When, those people are NEVER affected by their own POOR policies. It is absolutely ABSURD.
January 20th, 2026 at 6:16 pm
He just withdrew from the browns job 👀
January 20th, 2026 at 6:21 pm
@popmike
he interviewed with chargers today. could be bad news the chargers wooed him
January 20th, 2026 at 6:21 pm
just do it
January 20th, 2026 at 6:35 pm
What happened to Lavonte David’s IG