Darren Waller said he was booted from exit meeting right before Mike McDaniel’s firing
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
The Miami Dolphins fired head coach Mike McDaniel last week, and Darren Waller almost found himself in the middle of the incident.
“I was at the scene of the crime, bro. I think I was the last person to see him before he got fired,” the Dolphins tight end said during a recent appearance on Johnny Manziel’s podcast.
Waller said in his exit interview with McDaniel that he discussed possibilities for the 2026 season before team owner Stephen Ross “kicked the door open” about 10 minutes later.
CLICK HERE TO GET MORE SPORTS NEWS ON FOXNEWS.COM
Miami Dolphins tight end Darren Waller (83) catches the ball in the first quarter at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina on October 5, 2025. (Bob Donnan/Imagn Images)
“He comes in and joins the conversation.” Waller said. “We’re all just talking, thinking about the year, and Stephen Ross said: ‘I’d love to have you back next year.’ Then the conversation kind of falls into silence.”
Waller said Ross gave him a special look and Manziel picked up on it.
“It’s time to fuck off,” Manziel said, laughing.
“I look at Mike and he says we’ll finish the conversation later… I leave the meeting, get a massage, check my phone and see he’s been fired. I said, ‘This… is so cold.'”
Ross stated that “comprehensive change” was needed after the team went 7-10 this season and missed the playoffs for the second consecutive year.
Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel runs to the locker room after halftime of an NFL football game on Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025, in Miami Gardens, Florida. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
FOX SUPER 6 CONTEST: CHRIS ‘THE BEAR’ FALLICA’S NFL DEPARTMENT ROUND PREDICTIONS
The Dolphins made back-to-back playoff appearances in McDaniel’s first two seasons as head coach but were eliminated in the first round both times. The following season, they were eliminated after suffering an unexpected loss to the New York Jets in the team’s season finale.
McDaniel’s final season in Miami was tumultuous, as emphasized by quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.‘s their struggles and their eventual benching for the final three games of the season.
In one of his last big moves as head coach, McDaniel said this week that the Dolphins will hold a quarterback competition for the 2026 season; Tagovailoa welcomed the decision this week when he confirmed he was open to a “fresh start” elsewhere.
Dolphins general manager Chris Grier and coach Mike McDaniel address reporters. (HAL HABIB / The Palm Beach Post / USA TODAY NETWORK)
CLICK TO REACH THE FOX NEWS APPLICATION
In addition to replacing their head coach and finding a reliable candidate for the quarterback position, the Dolphins will also search for a replacement for longtime general manager Chris Grier after he was fired midseason.
Fox News’ Paulina Dedaj contributed to this report.
Follow Fox News Digital Sports streaming on Xand subscribe Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
