New Miami Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel — with his unique, joyful and enthusiastic personality — pushed across a passion for football and desire to be great in his official introduction to South Florida at a Thursday morning press conference at the team’s training facility adjacent to Hard Rock Stadium.
It’s a shared drive the 38-year-old said he saw in the Dolphins as he interviewed for his first head coaching position, eventually landing it. Joined by his wife, Katie, and their young daughter, Ayla, on Thursday, the resounding sentiment from McDaniel was how he falls in line with the Dolphins’ vision of turning into a winner under him.
“A dream of mine,” said McDaniel at the lectern after words from owner Steve Ross, general manager Chris Grier and a photo opportunity with the two plus Dolphins CEO Tom Garfinkel. “As I walked through this building, the gorgeous building we stand in, saw the people, looked at their eyes, felt their passion, I quickly realized that this was my dream job, and I had to go get it.”
It’s why McDaniel, who is now the Dolphins’ 11th head coach (not counting interims) and comes to Miami after being the San Francisco 49ers’ offensive coordinator, didn’t have any reservations about taking the job despite what’s been in the news lately.
Ex-coach Brian Flores claiming racially discriminatory hiring practices against Black coaches in the NFL. In it, Ross offered him financial incentive to tank games in his first season leading the team in 2019 and pressured him to tamper with a player before his free agency, both which would be against NFL rules and the integrity of the game. Ross and the Dolphins have since released statements the allegations.
“I can honestly say there were absolutely no red flags,” said McDaniel. “The reason why is because I was stepping into an organization with a boss that — I don’t think people give it its proper due.
“When I walked in that door, you look at every single detail within this building, you look at the people that are hired. There is no cost too high for winning for him. When you’re in multiple organizations, you realize that’s not always the case. The city of Miami, really, is lucky to have an owner that — right, wrong or indifferent — all he cares about is winning. As a coach, that’s all you’re looking for.”
Ross said he wants the Dolphins, under McDaniel, to become a franchise that begins winning in the division, the conference and, ultimately, that wins a Super Bowl. He said the qualities he found in McDaniel were leadership, intelligence, innovation and an understanding of what it takes to win in the long run.
“He is probably one of the brightest coaches that I’ve spoken to,” Ross said. “He is really known for his innovation on the field, and many people, in talking to them, actually even call him a genius. That’s a big word and a lot of pressure on him.”
McDaniel, at times appearing mildly nervous in his first interview setting of such magnitude with roughly 100 media members present, offered his trademark wit several times on Thursday. He poked fun at how often he was welcomed to Miami to start questions. He quickly replied, “why not?” when asked why he views himself as the coach that can lead the Dolphins to a first playoff win since the 2000 postseason.
With taking on the Dolphins job comes the notion that the new coach would have to nurture quarterback Tua Tagovailoa heading into his third season. The organization let it get out, during the coach interview phase, that it was sticking with Tagovailoa next season and wouldn’t pursue a high-caliber quarterback via trade or otherwise.
McDaniel didn’t exactly offer a rousing endorsement of Tagovailoa on Thursday, but it’s clear he sees him as a piece that can help accomplish greater goals.
“My belief in Tua is that he’s a football player on this team that’s trying to get better,” said McDaniel, who had a FaceTime call with the quarterback on his private flight to Miami on Monday. “It’s really about the team, collectively, getting better, and there’s a responsibility of the quarterback to do so.”
A telling remark McDaniel made about his coaching style: “You’re going to see a unique design that’s tailored to our players.”
Later, on the side with reporters, he expressed excitement about getting to work with wide receiver Jaylen Waddle after Waddle broke a rookie receptions record in 2021 under the previous regime. McDaniel said he plans on calling offensive plays, although he has not done that before in his career. 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan called plays in San Francisco as McDaniel coordinated the offense last season.
McDaniel wasn’t shy about manifesting how he’s ready to take on the role of head coach.
“Every single head coach in the history of football has never been a head coach until they’re a head coach,” he said.
With questions surrounding whether he’s capable of leading, McDaniel looks back at an early instance in his career, as an assistant with the Houston Texans in which he earned the trust of wide receiver Andre Johnson in his prime, as the earliest point where he learned how to lead in the NFL.
“You find out it’s the simplest formula,” said McDaniel about leadership. “You establish with them early that you can help them with your dream.”
McDaniel appreciates the Dolphins for believing in him. Miami was the only team to interview him for a head coaching job this hiring cycle.
“They looked at me for me, and that really galvanized my interest in this organization,” McDaniel said. “It didn’t take me long to realize this was the place I was meant to be, so I better not screw this interview up.”
McDaniel is excited to work with Grier and said it was something “attractive” about the position.
“I couldn’t create an avatar better for my working relationship than Chris Grier,” he said. “He’s of the same vision of he just wants to win football games.”
Grier noted how many people came forward to the Dolphins with genuine support for McDaniel in the process, and he also seemed intent on getting across that many highly qualified candidates were calling the Dolphins inquiring about the position, trying to get in on it.
Neither Ross nor Grier took questions from the media on Thursday.
