Darren Waller thought he was walking into a routine exit meeting. Instead, he got a front-row seat to a firing.
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Appearing on Glory Daze with Johnny Manziel, Waller recounted the moment Mike McDaniel was dismissed by Stephen Ross, while Waller was still in the room.
"I was at the scene of the crime," Waller said. "I think I was the last person that saw him before he got fired."
Waller explained that his exit meeting was scheduled for the morning of Jan. 8. It was supposed to be simple. Then Ross arrived.
"Stephen Ross kicked the door in at like 9:42," Waller said. "The conversation kind of hits a lull and I'm sitting across the desk from Mike and Stephen Ross is standing there kind of looking at me like..."
Manziel jumped in with the punch line. "It's time for you to get the hell out."
Waller said both Ross and McDaniel mentioned they hoped to have him back next season before the meeting abruptly ended. Waller then headed downstairs for a massage.
"When I come up, I look at my phone and he's fired," Waller said. "And I'm like, damn, this is cold."
🎥 Darren Waller reveals Stephen Ross walked into his exit meeting with Mike McDaniel to fire McDaniel: "I was at the scene of the crime... Stephen Ross just standing there just looking at me." (@glorydazepod) #PhinsUp pic.twitter.com/LbbzrTld3y
— FinsXtra (@FinsXtra) January 15, 2026
Waller, 33, had returned to the NFL this season after sitting out 2024 following his retirement with the New York Giants. He finished with 24 catches for 283 yards and six touchdowns for the Miami Dolphins.
McDaniel has since begun interviewing around the league, weighing coordinator roles and head coaching opportunities. Miami finished 7-10 in a season that saw Tua Tagovailoa benched in favor of rookie Quinn Ewers.
As for Waller, he did not get the pat on the back he expected. He got something far more memorable.
