MIAMI GARDENS — Mike McDaniel, the erudite, stylish, wise-cracking Miami Dolphins coach, was admittedly “pissed” after last Sunday’s 33-8 shellacking at Indianapolis.
That’s fine. But the question everyone wants answered is how did the Ivy League-educated McDaniel, who isn’t known for yelling, screaming or any other form of raising hell, let this group of high-testosterone alpha males know performances such as the one against the Colts won’t be tolerated?
I asked McDaniel on Wednesday, and then I asked Dolphins players in the locker room.
Here’s what McDaniel said.
“I think the biggest thing is, initially, as a coach and a leader, I have to teach,” McDaniel began. “What levels of anger does that bring out of me? Well, it’s about intent. Were you unprepared with a controllable? Were you unprepared for the game based upon assignment?
“That triggers me. So when that did happen, it wasn’t the major thing, but when it did happen, yeah, I was pissed because you are taking down everyone when you aren’t on your job responsibilities.”
That’s not exactly a response that inspires change or corrective action.
It’s not threatening, and it doesn’t convey anger or frustration.
But players said that’s not necessary. They said they know when McDaniel, who weighs maybe 160 pounds soaking wet, isn’t happy.
“He wouldn’t mind me saying this,” offensive tackle Kendall Lamm said, “he’s not the biggest guy, but you can feel his presence.”
No, McDaniel didn’t throw chairs in the postgame locker room Sunday or punch a wall or get in anybody’s face and curse them out. But he let players know in definite terms their performance wasn’t good enough.
“It was pretty much his tone and how he was addressing the team,” wide receiver Jaylen Waddle said.
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They said the message was received.
“We respect him,” outside linebacker Jaelan Phillips said, “so when he’s serious about something and he’s delivering a message, we definitely listen.”
Phillips’ words are important. There’s a narrative out there that Dolphins players don’t respect McDaniel, that they don’t listen to him, that he can’t inspire grown men.
Players told me that’s not true.
“Obviously, it didn’t go the way we wanted it to go,” said linebacker Jordyn Brooks, one of the most candid players on the team, “but no respect lost, nobody panicking. You’ve got to get back to work.”
Here’s the thing that I like and respect about McDaniel — he’s real. He doesn’t try to be someone that he isn’t. He’s not a fake tough guy. Players can sniff that out from a mile away.
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I’ll add this: players, on and off the record, said they still like McDaniel and still like playing for him.
Granted, I’ve often wondered whether McDaniel can coach.
Since 2023, the Dolphins topic I’ve probably written about most is whether McDaniel is a good coach. I found nine instances where I questioned his coaching chops before I stopped searching.
One of my big issues with McDaniel is his teams have never leveled-up. By now they should be in the category with Buffalo and Baltimore, two teams that haven’t been able to get past Kansas City to get to the Super Bowl, and the Dolphins are nowhere near the Bills and Ravens.
The Dolphins have continually lost to good teams and beat bad teams.
But that’s my personal thing with McDaniel.
Dolphins players said they still support McDaniel and have no issue with how he delivers his message. And there might even be a bit of appreciation there.
“If he’s bothered about something he’s going up close to the person and expressing it to the person he’s pissed with,” center Aaron Brewer said. “So he ain’t letting it be known to everybody.”
I know that might not be the message everyone wants to hear right now. I know many people want to hear that players are sick of McDaniel and he doesn’t inspire them and they want a change. People want blood. That’s not the case at this point.
Said Phillips: “I don’t even think about Mike getting pissed. It’s just, like I said, the message is different. He’s not going to sit there and try to sugarcoat anything. We were f—– up (against the Colts), we weren’t playing well, so he let us know. It’s just being real.”
