MIAMI GARDENS — Mike McDaniel, the erudite, fashionable, wise-cracking Miami Dolphins coach, was admittedly “pissed” after final Sunday’s 33-8 shellacking at Indianapolis.
That’s effective. However the query everybody needs answered is how did the Ivy League-educated McDaniel, who isn’t identified for yelling, screaming or every other type of elevating hell, let this group of high-testosterone alpha males know performances such because the one towards the Colts gained’t be tolerated?
I requested McDaniel on Wednesday, after which I requested Dolphins gamers within the locker room.
Right here’s what McDaniel mentioned.
“I feel the most important factor is, initially, as a coach and a frontrunner, I’ve to show,” McDaniel started. “What ranges of anger does that deliver out of me? Nicely, it’s about intent. Have been you unprepared with a controllable? Have been you unprepared for the sport primarily based upon task?
“That triggers me. So when that did occur, it wasn’t the most important factor, however when it did occur, yeah, I used to be pissed as a result of you take down everybody while you aren’t in your job tasks.”
That’s not precisely a response that conjures up change or corrective motion.
It’s not threatening, and it doesn’t convey anger or frustration.
However gamers mentioned that’s not needed. They mentioned they know when McDaniel, who weighs perhaps 160 kilos soaking moist, isn’t glad.
“He wouldn’t thoughts me saying this,” offensive deal with Kendall Lamm mentioned, “he’s not the most important man, however you possibly can really feel his presence.”
No, McDaniel didn’t throw chairs within the postgame locker room Sunday or punch a wall or get in anyone’s face and curse them out. However he let gamers know in particular phrases their efficiency wasn’t ok.
“It was just about his tone and the way he was addressing the group,” huge receiver Jaylen Waddle mentioned.
They mentioned the message was acquired.
“We respect him,” outdoors linebacker Jaelan Phillips mentioned, “so when he’s critical about one thing and he’s delivering a message, we undoubtedly pay attention.”
Phillips’ phrases are essential. There’s a story on the market that Dolphins gamers don’t respect McDaniel, that they don’t take heed to him, that he can’t encourage grown males.
Gamers instructed me that’s not true.
“Clearly, it didn’t go the best way we needed it to go,” mentioned linebacker Jordyn Brooks, one of the vital candid gamers on the group, “however no respect misplaced, no person panicking. You’ve bought to get again to work.”
Right here’s the factor that I like and respect about McDaniel — he’s actual. He doesn’t attempt to be somebody that he isn’t. He’s not a faux robust man. Gamers can sniff that out from a mile away.
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I’ll add this: gamers, on and off the document, mentioned they nonetheless like McDaniel and nonetheless like taking part in for him.
Granted, I’ve typically questioned whether or not McDaniel can coach.
Since 2023, the Dolphins subject I’ve most likely written about most is whether or not McDaniel is an effective coach. I discovered 9 situations the place I questioned his teaching chops earlier than I finished looking out.
One in every of my large points with McDaniel is his groups have by no means leveled-up. By now they need to be within the class with Buffalo and Baltimore, two groups that haven’t been in a position to get previous Kansas Metropolis to get to the Tremendous Bowl, and the Dolphins are nowhere close to the Payments and Ravens.
The Dolphins have regularly misplaced to good groups and beat dangerous groups.
However that’s my private factor with McDaniel.
Dolphins gamers mentioned they nonetheless help McDaniel and haven’t any situation with how he delivers his message. And there may even be a little bit of appreciation there.
“If he’s bothered about one thing he’s going up near the particular person and expressing it to the particular person he’s pissed with,” middle Aaron Brewer mentioned. “So he ain’t letting it’s identified to all people.”
I do know which may not be the message everybody needs to listen to proper now. I do know many individuals wish to hear that gamers are sick of McDaniel and he doesn’t encourage them and so they desire a change. Individuals need blood. That’s not the case at this level.
Mentioned Phillips: “I don’t even take into consideration Mike getting pissed. It’s simply, like I mentioned, the message is completely different. He’s not going to take a seat there and attempt to sugarcoat something. We have been f—– up (towards the Colts), we weren’t taking part in effectively, so he tell us. It’s simply being actual.”
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Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel throughout apply on the Baptist Well being Coaching Complicated in Miami Gardens on Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2025. (Carline Jean/South Florida Solar Sentinel)
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Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel throughout apply on the Baptist Well being Coaching Complicated in Miami Gardens on Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2025. (Carline Jean/South Florida Solar Sentinel)