For a first-time head coach that had some question whether he could lead from such a role, Mike McDaniel sure has the respect of some of the NFL’s top coaches that know him best.
With the league’s team owners, coaches, general managers and other executives gathering at The Breakers, many spoke highly of the Miami Dolphins’ coaching hire and believe he has the tools to excel in a lead role.
Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay had a six-game losing streak against San Francisco 49ers teams when McDaniel was either offensive coordinator or run-game coordinator, before McVay finally broke through in last postseason’s NFC Championship Game en route to the Super Bowl.
“Really smart coach,” said McVay, who also worked on the same offensive staff as McDaniel in Washington from 2011 to 2013. “Sees the game from an all-22 perspective. The things that they’ve done — [49ers coach Kyle Shanahan] is one of the best to do it — he’s got such a creative mindset, and their understanding how to move, manipulate some of the defensive structures and put their offensive players in advantageous situations.
“That’s exactly what Mike’s going to bring to Miami. There’s a clear-cut vision. He and [Dolphins general manager Chris Grier] have done a great job onboarding some really special players. Being able to address some spots, whether it’s up front or on the perimeter, add some playmakers in the backfield. It’s going to be fun to watch the Dolphins’ offense.”
The most noteworthy additions were speedy wide receiver Tyreek Hill, bringing a dynamic playmaker, and left tackle Terron Armstead, who begins to solidify his side of the offensive line.
McVay and McDaniel were on that loaded, young offensive staff in Washington about a decade ago, along with other current head coaches in Kyle Shanahan and Matt LaFleur (Green Bay Packers). They were all under Mike Shanahan, Kyle’s father who was head coach in Washington from 2010-13.
LaFleur noticed a strong work ethic in McDaniel during those years that was a telling sign he’d one day reach his current position in Miami.
“It’s really fun to see guys that work and grind and are so humble and you see that hard work pay off,” LaFleur said on Tuesday. “Certainly, I think he is a bright mind. I think he’ll do a phenomenal job because he cares about people and he’s genuine. I don’t ever see him losing that.”
Kyle Shanahan, who had 14 years on the same staffs as McDaniel with the Past five while Shanahan has led the 49ers, has made numerous remarks about his impact in San Francisco.
“His mind is always moving,” Shanahan previously told reporters. “The ideas he comes up with are so fresh and new. [He’s] a cool guy to have on the staff. He’s a lot smarter than most of us. He dumbs it down for us and kind of gets us all on the same page, and it’s just a good combination with him and all the rest of the coaches.”
Pete Carroll, a seasoned Super Bowl-winning coach with the Seattle Seahawks, has had his share of battles in the NFC West against the mastermind ways McDaniel gets playmakers the ball in space and creates an effective ground game.
“His name has been leveling up for some time now,” Carroll said. “A unique running football team when he was in charge of all that stuff. It was innovative, innovative to the point that you can tell that something was different, so I think all the scuttlebutt of his makeup and his unique aspects he brings, I think he’s shown it. There’s no telling how that’s going to show up in overall football effectiveness.”
Arizona Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury has not only had to go against McDaniel within his division, but he considered him for offensive coordinator when he got the job in Arizona in 2019, two years before he received the promotion for the same title in San Francisco.
“When I came into the league, I was interested in him possibly being our offensive coordinator,” Kingsbury said. “I heard such great things about him — run game, what he did there in San Francisco. … Very, very smart. I expect him to come in and create a great environment and really have a great offense.”
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