Coach Mike McDaniel meets with the media | Miami Dolphins

Coach Mike McDaniel meets with the media | Miami Dolphins

I did it. Thinking about your traffic issues. So, uh, man, it’s nice to have a lot of people listen to me. Well, I didn’t want to interrupt if you had an opening statement, but it’s not. I was just going to ask on some of the opening statement. I’m sorry. Um, hello. Uh, uh, Aya, I love you. There it is. Yeah. What are you going to say to a good dad? So, three uh three guys is going to hit on uh with Liam and Melanu. Would you expect them back by the regular season? And then Sealer, do you expect him to practice this week? I know his agent left that open. Harder. We’ll get to the second one because I I got to focus, man. Um so your your first question was on two players. Wow. This is three, four. Okay. So, Liam, um, uh, Liam is week, what is that? Regular season. Um, I’m not going to put a timeline on it. Um, and, uh, I wouldn’t bet against, um, you know, arguably as tough of a player as I’ve been around. Um, he’s, uh, he’s played in football games that a majority of players that I’ve coached, um, wouldn’t be able to. So, um I’m I’m feeling good about an unknown timeline because of the player. Um but I don’t uh I I it’s not like a season ender or um anything like that. Now, um iffy was the next right. Um I would say it’s uh it’s nothing that I’m worried about and it’s rooted in a good amount of preventative nature. Cool. Um, then what else we got? If you and him have talked about after you do practice and what you’re able to share from those conversations. Well, um, so yeah, he’s going to play football. He’s a absolute stud. Excited um for uh, you know, every day that he’s on he’s on our team and him participating with the team. expect expecting him to play football. Um, and uh I don’t do I don’t do it out of any disrespect, but I don’t articulate on and and pliferate uh there we go. Um on business because that’s an opportunity cost takes my focus away from football and um that would be bad leadership, my friend. Mike, this normally wouldn’t be a question I would ask, but I given how yellow given how how uh Ma Fitzpatrick left here, I wondered at the time of the trade, and I still wonder, did the organization reach out to him either directly or indirectly with the Steelers approval to see how he would feel about coming back to my team? Yeah, thanks for the approval part because of tamper, all that stuff. Um, you know, I think as you enter in to uh negotiations of um, you know, any sort of trade, um, you you you try to identify first and foremost that the player receiving wants to play football for you. So, um, whatever that means, uh, yeah, I mean, we are excited. Um, I’m elated to have to add Minka to the team. Um because it’s an opportunity uh to have a player that I was that I’ve been coaching off of and plays the position the way that we here want to play the position that he gets to actually play the position. Um it’s a it’s a real good fit based on his skill set um both in um in athletically and and what he’s able to do with his transitions in the open field and then elite ball skills. Um and then leadership, you know, it was um something that you you know, National Football League is hard, especially when you’re a guy like Ma that puts everything into it. And so, you know, there’s a lot of things that go on when you’re allin with a team and then your team changes. Um, that being said, uh, you’re a football first guy that wants to be around teammates that care about football. Um, and you’re driven to, um, win and write your own story. Um, was very confident this would be a place that, um, he would fit right in. Know a lot of Bama guys. Um, know a lot of guys in the NFL. So, um had a lot of uh foresight into what the what he was coming back to and um shoot he couldn’t uh get in the 29 jersey fast enough. So, Mike, yesterday Tyreek Hill said that he’s matured a lot this off season, but he also mentioned that you’ve matured a lot. Has there been a different approach that you’ve taken towards the players as you get ready for a new season? Well, I I’ve kind of talked about this. It it’s hard to like totally um uh paint the picture but like inherent to my entire life is uh assumed improvement, development and growth. That’s how one goes from um on the outside looking in to figuring out a way to follow your dreams. So in that um my expectation for myself is that I’m never a finished product. um and that you’re always learning from life um because you’re uh gifted each and every day and um you’re trying to seize each one of them the better version of yourself. So I I absolutely agree with um Tyreek Hill in that um he has had some very very real reflection um and um you know up until this point um today all he’s shown me is relentless commitment to um you know dictating the conversation moving forward based on um being who he wants to as a father and a leader of the team. Um myself uh I can’t expect players to develop um for me I don’t see a world where I can um reliably expect people to develop if I’m not developing myself. So I don’t re result uh results don’t regardless winning season losing season my expectation is that the team is getting a better version of of myself and I demand um a a steady evolution for everybody involved including the fan base and and you uh sweet sweet reporters. How does adding Minka and deleting Jaylen impact what you trying to go headline on me? Huh? Let’s go. Let’s go. How does it how does it impact what you have in the secondary? I’m not giving you anything. Um I mean there’s So here’s the thing with human beings. Um each and everyone like fingerprints are unique. So uh you change any sort of combination and it’s going to be um different. Uh you know I think um uh Jaylen Ramsay is a Steeler. Um I like to talk about Dolphins. Mafitz Patcher is a Dolphin. and I’m super pumped about his specific skill set and what um motivates him and how he can affect his teammates. Um everything right, wrong or indifferent um is pretty consistent with me. Uh my devotion to do the best thing for the team will never change. Uh we are we are trying to win football games and each and every day um we are trying to earn the right to be in the in that win column. And um we have a lot of lunch pale um day by day, hour by hour, meeting by meeting, practice by practice um to uh have our say in in in the results, but until then we are busy at work. What did he tell you about? Um he told me uh his first onfield impression, which was hilarious. um as a freshman they’re running um uh gasters at the end of the practice and they’re they’re gutted and as a freshman you have a bunch of peers upper classmen that you’re trying to prove yourself um towards and and then Minka just this silent dude in meeting rooms just all of a sudden blacks out starts talking about overtime and talking all sorts of um uh not a bad word but stuffy um all sorts of that uh and pushing his entire team um and to was like who’s this psychopath? I fear him first day on the job before any practice before you got to condition you got to see where people are at and it took one team moment to uh for him to feel his impact. So I that was a cool story um because it was like one of his first me memories as a college football participant. He they weren’t playing football. It was just um conditioning. But um I think it speaks to the type of impact that a player um who uh reserves his work. He’s a soft spoken guy, but um he plays the game the way we envision playing it. Are you still looking to add one of the top remaining free agent quarterbacks? Are we um are we resisting um getting better? We are not resisting getting better. Um but the key part of um any sort of roster, um addition, um subtraction, anything is getting better. Um, I understand completely. Um, there’s a lot of tweets, words, um, articles, uh, for people that care about the Dolphins about the the, uh, um, a position that it will never change. If you have youth at a position that’s developing and you’re developing it, and you have confidence in it, um, you’re going to have confidence in it before the people that haven’t seen it do. So, we’re confident in the group. That being said, not closing the door for anything. Um, there’s multiple players we talk about each and every day. Um, but we’re also, uh, very excited with, um, you know, some guys that, uh, have a lot to prove and and know that and are excited for the opportunity. joke about beating traffic, you know, getting here at 8:00, but what was the actual thought process in moving practice times up from where it’s been in the past? Um, you know, I was bored. No. Uh, it was there’s a lot of reasons um that are very specific um to this particular team and um this particular um training camp. um you know with you know you get used to a a ramp up period um in in reps and stuff and and being able to do that um and and really in the most vulnerable portion of camp try to minimize some soft tissue a little bit. maybe avoid some um uh you know some days where you’re having to stop practice in the middle of things and go from grass cleats onto turf, you know, weather stuff. And then, you know, we also have some challenging things that I’m factoring in um moving forward in the uh you know, within the pre within the preseason where you have um we’re going on the road and spending some time away and having some joint practices and um you know, several several competitive physical practices and games in in a 10-day period. Um so we need all hands on deck and then uh you know by that by that point where we’ve gone on the road and we come back to um Florida we’ll we’ll adjust the time keep things fresh and and uh compete against the heat as we always do. So a lot of things um at play. It was very very um thought out and I’m excited for um uh the lack of traffic. Uh you’re welcome. What do you like about Daniel Brunskill and and how valuable is that experience that he has playing with you for four years back in San Francisco? Yeah, know it’s uh uh it’s cool to have relationships with players where you’re fortunate enough to really see the the whole journey. Um and you know with with Brunskill in particular, you know, I remember watching um man what what was it? Um there was a there was a league that he was playing in that um wasn’t college and it wasn’t the NFL and it escapes me right now, but don’t judge me. And he uh I got to watch him um you know be a new guy on the team and earn a roster spot um and wi with nothing promised. and then to watch him develop his game so that he can start in the National Football League and have a real career at several positions. Um that’s a it’s cool to add a guy that you get to be a part of the process. So, um, what we’re getting, uh, is, um, an, uh, a guy that not only helps the offensive line, but helps the whole whole team and in that the more guys you add that that are really focused on being a part of a winning football team and put prioritize that over everything else, that the the the strength and of the masses um, is real. And you know, I I know one thing from Dan Brunkill is the dude’s going to be overprepared, competitive. He’s assuming right now that um you guys have nothing good to say about him and he’s and he’s going to work to prove you otherwise. That’s how he operates and that’s a mentality I think is important in the NFL. Coach, um how is now in your fourth year as a head coach, how is your view on natural talent versus deliberate development going? Well, um, you know, entering in the whole deal, I mean, I, uh, I read the book Talent is Overrated. Is that No, it was a fan for most of the sound and then I questioned if it was a it if it was a blowing of the nose and it I had to look. Um, so what were we talking about about uh your vlog? Um, so you know I I read the book talent is overrated maybe in um I don’t know 12 2012 or 13 and first uh was exposed to deliberate practice and have been um looking through the lens of coaching through that that nature. So, I I had a tremendous regard for um that going in into being a head coach, like as much um quite honestly, if you’re around me, I owned about 70% of the phrase deliberate practice um with 30% other people their whole lives ever saying it. So, like I was saying it a lot and I believed in it. Having said that, as a head coach, um, like it I I’m more of a believer, um, just because you, uh, are more privy and you really feel the the team, the nucleus of the team, and how how people’s habits affect other people. um how uh there’s all the pressures along the entire field of people trying to perform and the only way to get the results that you you really really are trying to manifest um is that you put yourself in in the closest thing to that situation. Um, always believed that. Um, but in practice, I’ve watched it. Um, and I think, uh, this team has a firm understanding of what that what that is based on the spring. Um, because, uh, you you learn that anything that’s good in athletics is a product of deliberate practice, quite literally. So, uh, yeah. Yesterday, Tyreek said that he hasn’t been giving the best version of himself his entire career. I’m curious, was that a self-reflection of his point that he shared with you or was that something you guys spoke about together? Well, absolutely. Um, he’s he’s been within this building. He you can see thus far um the three months that the team has been working at it that he means exactly that. That’s a surprise to no one in the building that that he’s saying that publicly. Why do I say that? Because he’s come to work every day with vigor and determination. Um that uh I think I’m I think the first and foremost the only way that you can dictate the terms in life is you have to take a realistic evaluation of of what’s going on. on if you’re not happy with certain things, you have to put in the work to change it. Um, you know, I think uh the whole point um you know, if I can affect um the team and the players on it in any way um you know, the one thing that I think is ever pervasive is adversity is adversity. you have the choice of making it an opportunity or you can um make it your whatever you don’t like about it, you can live that into existence. So um humble um uh accountable uh deliberate, intentional daily focus. Um that that’s what we’re looking for. Um and I’m excited for him to get the another opportunity to stack another day um today which is Wednesday practice one. What were your initial thoughts about the addition of Darren Waller and why will we start the season with the I had a lot of positive thoughts. I was very happy um just because you know I I I feel like I have a I’ve I know a lot more um I mean I feel like I I I know a lot about Darren based on my relationship with Frank and how big a part they played each uh played in each other’s careers. Um and you know I I I know one thing um the life is not about avoiding um trauma or or or problems. And I I think um the opportunity to have a a player um that is hungry that is healthy in mind, body, and spirit. and um wants to um do something for uh reasons that you know are appropriate based on he has had time to reflect. Um I mean I couldn’t be happier uh to have an a guy that just walks in the day uh or walks in the door as a daily inspiration. um because uh the a lot of people have problems. Typically people uh that he’s um shared problems with aren’t we’re not talking about in a press conference. Um there’s a lot of uh a lot of people hide from things he doesn’t he’s uh he’s already built relationships within the team. Um which doesn’t surprise me. And um it it was I was pumped that the the Miami Dolphins had the opportunity um for him to uh put the finishing touches on his career here. More of a bunker mentality than previous scenes when Bradley Chub and Alec Engel talked yesterday. Uh Chub shared the what they talk we do thing that he said you told them. Um Alec Ingold said, “I don’t give a bleep what other people think.” Uh, is there more of a bunker mentality with this team and does that matter in wins and losses? No, I think um there’s clarity and and people really caring and and you know, you have a team that um uh you know, minus the last game of the season uh finishes the in in a very frustrating season, six and two. Um, and you know, I think I I tried my best to paint a clear picture of what their expectations should be on what the stuff they’re going to hear until we play games again. And when you instead of fighting stuff that’s based on stuff you can’t control um you know understanding that uh the only thing we can do is the the daily um investment into each other there’s just supreme clarity of focus of what matters and what doesn’t. I think um and you know you want to avoid stuff a lot and it it it sucks when teams have to learn lessons unless those le it it just sucks even more if those le lessons are in vain. Okay. What can you do? Well, you can learn from lessons. Um, we we’re over talking because what is there to talk about? We have to do work and it’s about today. And what does that mean? It means today we give ourselves an opportunity to build upon the last time we practiced the whole off season and maybe set ourselves up for the opportunity of something cool to improve upon the next day. But beyond that, um, I think it’s maturity. the leaders are wise um and they’re driven uh to do stuff today that everybody’s very well-versed in. No one’s going to care about what we do today. And um I think there’s power in understanding the realities of the world we live in. Um, and you know, I I’m thankful that for guys like Bradley Chub and Alec Engold, that’s why you’re in it because they they’re trying to affect change and um they everything they’re telling you, it’s because they believe with their soul and we got a a lot of purposeful people. We’ll see what happens. Um, if you guys have to buy tickets, I’d buy a ticket for practice. It’ll be fun. Dolphins have one of the youngest rosters in the NFL. Last year, Dolphins had one of the oldest rosters in the NFL. How do you navigate the change? Um, well, I I guess it’s by nature what my job is in that I am adjusting. I I don’t try to um hammer. I’m not like hammering home. All right, this is who I am. I’m not going to care about the listener. Um, and adjust. I’m always adjusting to the listener because my job is to reach the listener and produce the best product. Um there it is there’s different conversations when your team’s overall average age changes. Um but a conversation needs to be had with both parties regardless. Um it’s just a different conversation. I think you have to be very um uh aware of your audience. um to uh give them the proper leadership, know what to focus on um and know what um they don’t need to hear or is too much. So um it’s it’s been um an exciting process because I think we have a lot of young guys that are embracing um the the toutelage from the older veterans. Um, and there’s a there’s a team component of recognition of, hey, I don’t care how it happens. If everybody gets better, we’re all um uh closer to what we’re trying to do anyway. You uh talked about sucks to learn lessons, but worse in vain. What going into year four, what is there one or two you learned from the last year or two that stand out that you’re carrying into this season? Um well I I guess I look at it as my challenge and where my competitive spirit comes out is um I I look at my job and our team’s job is to beat people in the lesson learning game like I’m not running le let’s be overly accountable and let’s hold each other accountable and identify what isn’t good enough and fix it. um as opposed to um running from nonsense. So, uh I like where our team’s at um today and it’s going to get you’re going to be able to copy paste this in a tweet and I’m excited to see what happens tomorrow. That’s my bellism. some new faces offensively this year and earlier this spring you mentioned that Tua is working on his consistency of the mastery of the offense in your mind. How do you walk the line of balancing those two things and how can those two dynamics help one another? Well, there it’s an interesting question because the the hardest part in developing I don’t know um rapport with a receiver and a quarterback for instance. All right. You have a a route that’s run a throw and it’s incomplete. Well, it’s the why. Is that incomplete? If you don’t establish the why, well, the quarterback’s going to change what he did. The receiver will change what he did, and you won’t have connectivity. You need to know um and you have an understanding of the wise of everything. Once you establish that, then you can get into the finer nuances of tailoring your game to the specific player. For Tua, who has unbelievable ball placement, he can um you know get more confident throwing lower to one guy, higher to another, a lot of and feeling a guy’s body movement and all that. But you have to start the the tricky part is not overcorrecting on both sides by result. You have to have a coaching staff and players that understand what you’re asking of them so that when there is when there’s failure, there’s not overcorrection in the in the wrong way. Um and and that comes with trust and um guys getting used to um I really don’t get upset if there’s a um an incompletion on day one. I get ex upset if guys weren’t prepared to execute the play and no one got the look to even see if it was completion or incompletion. So, um I think that is you just hit a nail on something that you can extrapolate that to all all um units that are working together in football. You have 11 people trying to work as one. And in that process, um you you can’t just be result based. You have to uh dig a little deeper. Last question. Being put on the pup list, what led to Waller being put on the pup list? Um, well, you didn’t know my my standard procedure for out of retirement players? Well, I you know, you’re you’re trying to be responsible. Um, l there’s no gravity to it. It’s just that um this is a a a very well-cond conditioned athlete who’s in great shape. Um there’s a 0 to 60 element in science um in general that you you try to avoid and so uh uh being preventative and responsible um as he gets his feet wet. That was our motivation. Um and uh excited to um not be mad at myself on day two when I was like what am I doing? Thank you guys.

Coach Mike McDaniel meets with the media on Wednesday, July 23.

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