Mike McDaniel – ‘No red flags’ in taking Miami Dolphins’ head-coaching job amid Brian Flores’ lawsuit

MIAMI — The drama surrounding the Miami Dolphins group did not deter Mike McDaniel.

The staff’s new head coach, talking to the media about his dream job for the primary time since he was employed Feb. 6, praised Dolphins proprietor Stephen Ross for his dedication to successful regardless of allegations from former head coach Brian Flores that Ross provided Flores $100,000 for each sport the staff misplaced in 2019.

“I can actually say there have been completely no crimson flags — and the explanation why is as a result of I used to be getting into a corporation with a boss who, I do not assume folks give it it is correct due,” McDaniel stated Thursday. “The town of Miami is fortunate to have an proprietor that, proper, incorrect or detached, all he cares about is successful. As a coach, that is actually all you are on the lookout for.

“So crimson flags? No, there is no crimson flags for me.”

McDaniel, the 49ers’ former offensive coordinator, involves Miami as a first-time head coach after 5 seasons in San Francisco — the place he’s credited for his modern play design and his creativity.

Ross stated some folks confer with McDaniel as a “genius,” and that he obtained calls from coaches within the NFC West who praised his soccer acumen however finally “need him out of the division.”

A league supply instructed ESPN that Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay and Green Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur had been amongst these to name Ross and vouch for McDaniel.

Ross additionally established a sequence of command for the Dolphins, saying McDaniel will report back to common supervisor Chris Grier, who will report back to Ross and CEO Tom Garfinkel. Throughout earlier teaching regimes, Grier has reportedly left personnel choices to the staff’s head coach — however McDaniel stated working with Grier was one of many promoting factors of the job.

“He is not taken with ego and agenda,” McDaniel stated of Grier. “He’s taken with a bond with the pinnacle coach that excels and beats different peoples’ bond. He needs to gel as a unit.”

McDaniel affirmed that he would have some say in personnel choices, implying that it wasn’t Grier’s model to close out his head coach. He additionally confirmed the Dolphins will run a “distinctive design that is tailor-made to our gamers” when it comes to their offensive, defensive and particular groups schematics. One main growth for McDaniel — he stated he plans on calling offensive performs.

He was not the first playcaller in San Francisco regardless of being the offensive coordinator, however a league supply instructed ESPN that the method was collaborative and resulted in McDaniel periodically calling performs towards the tip of the season. However his choice to take action in Miami is not based mostly on ego; he stated he is realized lots in regards to the course of beneath 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan.

“One factor I’ve seen in my journey is that profitable playcallers do not isolate themselves — they make the most of the folks round them,” he stated. “If you happen to’re a head coach and calling performs, you higher really feel superb in regards to the folks in your offensive employees.”

The offensive guru takes over an offense that ranked twenty second in complete offense in 2021, together with thirtieth in speeding — which was McDaniel’s specialty in San Francisco.

He additionally inherits the fifth-overall choose in 2020, quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who comes off an injury-riddled second season. When requested about his new quarterback, McDaniel described Tagovailoa as a participant who’s “attempting to get higher,” however insisted that he is finally a part of the staff as an entire.

“I am not sitting right here involved with how good Tua might be,” he stated. “I am involved with, as a collective unit, what we will develop collectively, as a result of that is what wins. It is my job to ensure he has one of the best likelihood to showcase his skills.”

Miami has put collectively its finest two-year stretch since 2003 when it comes to complete wins, with 19 over the previous two seasons. However the Dolphins haven’t made the playoffs since 2016, received a playoff sport since 2000 nor received the AFC East since 2008.

Ross referred to as Thursday an “thrilling day” — one which brings the Dolphins a step nearer to ending these aforementioned droughts.

“We wanting ahead to [McDaniel] working with us and making a staff that may win Tremendous Bowls,” Ross stated. “First we have got to start out successful our convention and division. … That is what we have all the time stated that we wished, a staff that may win constantly.”