MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — The information convention room on the Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid is greater than the makeshift room at Laborious Rock Stadium the place Miami Dolphins gamers and coaches sometimes converse after a sport. This one is extra of an auditorium, full with a stage and about 100 ivory white chairs with Actual Madrid’s crest stitched into every seat.
It is the place Miami Dolphins working again Ollie Gordon II spoke following his group’s time beyond regulation win over the Washington Commanders in November. Whereas Gordon spoke, Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel snuck off the facet of the stage and sat in a chair within the second row.
When a member of the group’s communications employees referred to as for the final query, McDaniel spoke up.
“Discuss how properly you are coached,” he stated with a deadpan expression.
The reporters within the room laughed, having fun with a trademark McDaniel second.
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McDaniel has grown well-known for his viral moments, dry humorousness and dense sarcasm. However the individuals who have performed for him, previous and current, say McDaniel is a lot extra — a real, good and considerate coach who additionally occurs to be one of many NFL’s most influential minds.
“Mike is creating new methods to do the precise performs. Individuals are going to steal from him as a result of he is truly creating new issues which have by no means been accomplished earlier than,” Dolphins offensive lineman Dan Brunskill stated. “There’s quite a lot of coaches that do give you one thing new each every so often. However Mike might be probably the most progressive coaches the place it is not similar to, ‘Oh hey, we’re pulling this previous clip.’ It is like, ‘Hey, we’re splicing collectively a bunch of various clips to make one thing that no person’s ever accomplished earlier than.'”
9 video games into the 2025 season, following a 2-7 begin, the Dolphins fired normal supervisor Chris Grier, and McDaniel was the betting favourite to be the following coach fired. Soccer pundits speculated about whether or not these within the group’s locker room took him significantly, or if he’d misplaced them. He hadn’t — not simply due to his soccer acumen, in keeping with a number of sources throughout the group, however due to how properly he is linked with the individuals with whom he works. His bond along with his gamers has grown via a variety of interactions. Some have been as grandiose as a 700-play spotlight tape to rebuild a participant’s confidence, whereas others have been as innocuous as a quick chat behind the group’s chartered aircraft after an enormous win.
Since that rocky starting, the Dolphins have received 4 straight, together with a blowout of the Buffalo Payments in Week 10, and have an opportunity Monday to improbably even their file with a win over the Pittsburgh Steelers (8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN). McDaniel has stated gamers can all the time see via the facade if a coach is just not real. To date, he hasn’t had that challenge.
McDaniel’s authenticity was solid throughout his battle to turn into a head coach. He has been fired, informed he drank an excessive amount of and wanted to get his life collectively. He has been via worse than a 2-7 begin.
“Mike will get it. The s— that Mike went via made him to the place he understands individuals,” Dolphins offensive lineman Kendall Lamm stated. “Numerous occasions you aren’t getting that except you’ve got actually been via some s—, except individuals actually kicked you if you have been down. He understands.
“Some individuals cannot do this and whether or not you assume he is a great coach or not, it’s exceptional that he can really feel — as a result of lots of people on this league do not know how one can really feel.”
Listed here are some tales that specify the coach — and the person — who has helped flip across the Dolphins’ fortunes this season.
‘While you minimize it to the core, Mike’s an incredible man’
Of their 2023 regular-season opener, the Dolphins traveled to face a Los Angeles Chargers group that had totally overwhelmed them the 12 months earlier than, limiting Miami to solely 219 yards of offense and sacking quarterback Tua Tagovailoa twice in a 23-17 loss.
One dialog level within the days main as much as the sport centered on whether or not the Dolphins may maintain off move rushers Khalil Mack and Joey Bosa — particularly contemplating Lamm, the group’s backup deal with, could be enjoying rather than typical beginning left deal with and five-time Professional Bowl decide Terron Armstead.
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Within the rematch, Miami racked up 536 yards of offense, together with 466 yards passing, with out giving up a sack in a 36-34 win. Lamm, for his half, was the perfect lineman on the sector — registering the NFL’s Twelfth-highest move block win fee in Week 1.
On the group’s flight again to South Florida, McDaniel made it some extent to examine in with the then nine-year veteran.
“He stated, ‘In case you did not assume that I had belief in you, then you definately’re loopy,'” Lamm stated. “And I imply, I would all the time had belief in myself … However I simply bear in mind him strolling to the again of the aircraft when everyone was asleep. And naturally I used to be nonetheless awake, I am watching every little thing. And I may see the pure, real happiness [in McDaniel].
“He was like, ‘However it’s not since you confirmed everyone, however since you did what you knew you have been going to do … and I knew you have been going to do it, due to the way you approached every little thing [leading up to the game].’
“See, there are issues that [the media] will get caught up in and all of the hype and the hoopla, ‘Oh my God, he is the Miami Dolphins coach.’ However if you minimize it to the core, Mike’s an incredible man. He simply is able the place you guys critique all of it. But when I used to be to satisfy Mike on a each day out within the open, I would sit and kick the s— with Mike. I might love to choose his mind. You may really feel when it is an actual, true, real particular person. And at the present time, particularly in our league, you do not see that as a lot. However Mike has it.”
‘Feels cool that I need not act a sure approach’
Tagovailoa’s confidence was wavering after his first two seasons within the NFL, which have been highlighted by a harsh relationship with then-coach Brian Flores and commerce rumors that lasted into his first offseason with McDaniel.
When McDaniel was employed in February 2022, he rapidly started the method of rebuilding his quarterback’s confidence — beginning with a telephone name at what turned out to be an inopportune time for the previous Alabama star.
When McDaniel’s name got here via, Tagovailoa was on a golf course. The Dolphins’ QB took the decision and provided to depart his sport to speak to his new coach.
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McDaniel, although, informed him to not fear about it.
“He is like, ‘Nah, dude, go take pleasure in. Do not take into consideration the rest. Go golf,'” Tagovailoa stated. “And it was form of cool as a result of in that sense it is like, man, it sort of feels cool that I need not act a sure approach with a head coach.”
As soon as the 2 have been lastly in a position to get collectively in the identical constructing later that offseason, Tagovailoa was shocked to search out McDaniel had put collectively a 700-play spotlight tape that showcased his greatest traits as a passer — particularly his capability to throw with accuracy and anticipation.
Tagovailoa stated that was a foundational second of their relationship.
Tagovailoa went on to guide the NFL in passing in 2023, their second season collectively, and was named a Professional Bowl starter. The next offseason, Tagovailoa signed a 4-year, $212.1 million contract extension, the richest in franchise historical past.
After signing, Tagovailoa informed reporters he’d heard McDaniel had been a loud advocate for him behind the scenes.
“I used to be like, ‘This dude is completely different. That’s completely different,'” he stated of that telephone name on the golf course. “I’ve by no means skilled that with anybody else; I solely had one head coach prior, however that was completely different for me. I believed that was a cool alternative for him to have taken that, to construct me up and get me stepping into a approach, and see the potential that he’d seen and form of acquire that confidence again that I had in school.”
‘He is all the time a optimistic spirit’
The Dolphins spent this previous offseason centered on altering the tradition throughout the constructing. The group reemphasized accountability, letting go of a variety of gamers it felt weren’t contributing to success, and introduced in others it felt would put the group first, amongst different measures.
So an unsightly 33-8 loss to the Indianapolis Colts to start the 2025 season was one thing Dolphins gamers did not see coming.
After the sport, linebacker Jordyn Brooks stated he anticipated McDaniel to tear into the group; as an alternative, McDaniel did the alternative.
“After that first sport — the best way we misplaced that first sport, I am pondering, [here we go],” Brooks stated. “However he actually form of pulled me to the facet and simply reassured me that we have got a protracted season, bought to maintain believing, bought to maintain going. Principally, shrug that one off and hold shifting.”
That is to not say McDaniel is incapable of criticizing gamers when he must, however the coach’s optimistic perspective resonated with Brooks — a Miami captain who entered Week 15 main the NFL in tackles — then and now.
“He is all the time a optimistic spirit in that it doesn’t matter what’s happening and what’s being stated in regards to the group or him personally — he is all the time the identical man,” Brooks stated. “I believe his optimistic perspective is one thing that I all the time discover for myself. And when he goes about his enterprise, he isn’t like a traditional head coach. You already know what I imply? He is very a lot with the occasions.
“He is bought a brand new pair of footwear each day. You may all the time inform how he is feeling by what kind of footwear he is sporting and no matter outfit he is bought on.”
‘From that second on, I am like, “He’ll be good in my guide perpetually”‘
After three seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals, vast receiver Andrew Hawkins signed a proposal sheet with the Cleveland Browns in 2014; the Bengals didn’t match the supply and Hawkins left one AFC North group for an additional.
It wasn’t the cleanest breakup, he stated. Hawkins was excited to play his former group in Week 10, a prime-time sport on “Thursday Evening Soccer,” however he was thought-about a game-time determination due to a knee harm he’d suffered the earlier week.
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Hawkins tried to play however by no means bought previous his pregame warmup — by order of his then-position coach McDaniel.
“He simply form of stops me and was like, ‘Look, man, I do know you need to play on this. I perceive, however I bought to do what’s greatest for you, man. You can not do that,'” Hawkins stated. “‘You are going to put your self in danger.’
“He simply sits there and begins crying, tears in his eyes like, ‘Look, man, it sucks, however I’ve bought to be sincere with you.’ I felt it, I knew I could not play, however he knew I wished to … from that second on, I am like, ‘He’ll be good in my guide perpetually.'”
Hawkins set a profession excessive with a team-leading 824 receiving yards in his lone season with McDaniel — which he stated nonetheless resonates with him due to how detailed of a coach McDaniel was.
He even likened McDaniel to a health care provider, due to how personalized his teaching factors have been.
“It is easy to play laborious for him as a result of enjoying laborious for him is like enjoying laborious for your self within the sense that he actually designs his technique round everyone else being their greatest,” Hawkins stated. “Mike particularly would change issues for me as a participant as a result of he would watch, he would listen and he would say, ‘Hey, you will do higher doing it this fashion’ … it was nearly like this very personalized prescription for my sport that helped me be the perfect that I might be. And I had by no means actually had a coach do this.
“For me, it was all the time the alternative. I am spending nights making an attempt to do what this man desires or what this coordinator desires to attempt to get a glance, to be on his good facet, to get some targets. And it was the primary time in my profession I had somebody say, ‘Oh, here is what you do, here is what’s greatest for you.'”
Banging on the desk for Kittle
San Francisco 49ers star George Kittle is a six-time Professional Bowl tight finish and so keen on McDaniel that he as soon as jokingly requested for a clause in his contract that stored groups from poaching his then-offensive coordinator.
However the former fifth-round decide would not have even made it to the fifth spherical if McDaniel had his approach.
“I is probably not right here if not for Mike. He informed me he stood on the desk and pushed to choose me,” Kittle stated. “He stated, ‘I used to be making a idiot of myself demanding that they draft you within the fifth spherical.’ He wished me within the fourth they usually have been like, ‘Oh, he’ll be there later.’ After which he was proper, as a result of Seattle referred to as me they usually have been going to draft me with the following decide.
“[Seattle] referred to as my agent and have been like, ‘Hey, we will draft George’ after which I bought drafted by the Niners.”
Coming into Week 15, Kittle had 7,776 receiving yards since his rookie season in 2017 — second solely to Travis Kelce amongst NFL tight ends.
A Dolphins group supply stated McDaniel was closely concerned within the scouting course of; primarily based on his analysis of Kittle, he did not simply decide up that behavior in Miami.
“Good man,” Kittle stated. “I believe I used to be like their third or fourth tight finish on the board and so when the opposite three guys have been gone, he was like, ‘I am making a idiot of myself simply screaming at everyone.’ I used to be like, ‘Thanks, Mike.’ Appeared like a sensible thought.”
Shut connections
Talking at his locker contained in the Dolphins’ facility in early December, Alec Ingold plucked a brown index card from his shelf.
Printed on the cardboard, in a small typewriter entrance, was a quote from motivational speaker Tony Robbins:
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“If we need to direct our lives, we should take management of our constant actions. It isn’t what we do every so often that shapes our lives, however what we do persistently.”
Ingold stated McDaniel arms out comparable playing cards routinely and it helps remind gamers that there is extra to their occupation than the wins and losses.
“He is an enormous stoic dude … the stoic philosophy — he lives that s—,” Ingold stated. “These are the varieties of issues and reminders that we’re all the time getting hit with. He’ll present these in group assembly rooms, he’ll hit guys with it, signal them, give ’em out. However I believe these are reminders if you’re within the deep finish of a tricky season or pulling your self out of stuff to say, ‘Oh, that is life too.'”
Ingold stated he and McDaniel have bonded on a private degree throughout their 4 seasons collectively in Miami, stemming from their comparable childhood. Each Ingold and McDaniel are biracial. Ingold grew up along with his adoptive white household in Wisconsin, and McDaniel grew up along with his white mom in Colorado.
Ingold, who is without doubt one of the Dolphins’ captains, stated McDaniel has discovered methods to narrate their experiences throughout what he referred to as their “annual telephone name,” by which McDaniel usually discusses potential offensive adjustments.
“Once we’re on the telephone and he can relate it to our story rising up and being extraordinarily susceptible, I believe he attaches quite a lot of persona and his personal shared trauma,” Ingold stated. “What he is been via, and he can actually relate and storytell to me. So it could be a five-minute telephone name turns into 35 minutes, however I believe the best way that he is a human being and really susceptible permits for guys to attach.
“And when you’ll be able to join on the human degree, I believe that is when over time you see the run sport and the X’s and O’s come to life, as a result of he is actually artistic that approach.”
‘He lives and breathes soccer’
Arguably the largest change to the Dolphins’ season following their 1-6 begin was the implementation of offensive lineman Daniel Brunskill as an eligible receiver on sure performs.
Doing so gave Miami a sixth offensive lineman on the sector, which creates advantageous matchups within the run sport. The group has received 5 of its previous six video games; in that span, it ranks second within the NFL in dashing with 166.2 yards per sport.
Brunskill complimented McDaniel’s work ethic as a part of the driving drive behind the Dolphins’ four-game win streak — however even in the course of the group’s sputtering begin to the season, he may inform McDaniel was working tirelessly to proper the ship.
“You guys do not see on among the days the place he got here in, particularly early within the season — I imply you can inform the dude has not slept,” he stated. “He is a kind of hardworking guys. … I imply he spends each second in regards to the sport of soccer. He got here again from bye week, he is like, ‘Yeah, I did the dad stuff. I took my daughter to highschool,’ after which he is like, ‘All proper, now we’re again to soccer.’
“He lives and breathes soccer and I believe that emulates him essentially the most.”
