Mike McDaniel was named head coach of the Miami Dolphins during the first week of February.
He had to travel across the country from San Francisco to Miami for his new role, one that he’d always dreamed about. After working his way up the coaching ranks in the NFL since 2005, he’s as experienced as anybody going for the chance to lead an organization.
While he’s been involved in every part of the process since his hiring, McDaniel is finally getting a chance to relax a bit during the time between the end of OTAs and the start of minicamp. The coach took some time to join “The Fish Tank” podcast where he answered a number of questions that hosts Seth Levit and Dolphins great OJ McDuffie had for him.
Although he’s spent a ton of time in the coaching ranks, McDaniel shared one of the surprises of taking over as a head coach.
“The realization when you have your footing within the building, and you’re getting to utilize all of these different relationships,” McDaniel said. “You work your whole career to get the opportunity to have this job. You’re going through the coaching ranks, and you have that pinnacle which is to be a head coach, and when you get to your dream job, the one that you’ve been preparing for your whole career, at that moment is when you’re the most dependant upon other people to do your job.”
McDaniel has done a great job surrounding himself with a great support staff. From the coaching perspective, he has guys like Darrell Bevell, Sam Madison, Patrick Surtain and Wes Welker to lean on who have spent their lives in the game.
Off the field, the coach has praised members of the organization who have helped him adjust to life in Miami, and he’s commented on just how hungry they are to see their team win a Super Bowl.
Having great people to rely on is one of the signs of a coach who knows his limits, and it seems like the Dolphins have that in McDaniel.