Tough time to be a Mike McDaniel hater. With the way Miami Dolphins fans were so eager to kick their offensive mastermind of a head coach to the curb, you'd think McDaniel would get zero bites at the apple this cycle for another top job.
Well, you'd think such a thing if you didn't know ball. Yours truly does not fall into that category and will die on the hill of supporting McDaniel.
While I can agree that the Dolphins needed a fresh start brand-wise, and that McDaniel would've been a tough sell to the fan base, continuity and patience would've gone a long way in Miami. Instead, the Fins are forging ahead without him.
Thoughts and prayers to Stephen Ross. And to the not-insignificant anti-McDaniel faction of Phin Phanatics.
Mike McDaniel has not one, not two, not three, but FOUR NFL head coaching interviews this week
Fascinating update here from NFL Media insider Tom Pelissero on Monday morning, mere days removed from when the Dolphins fired McDaniel on Thursday:
"Former Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel will interview this week for the Browns, Falcons, Titans and Ravens head coaching jobs, per sources. McDaniel also is scheduled to interview for the Lions OC job. One of the NFL’s top offensive minds is in high demand."
Talk about moving quickly! Not counting the Dolphins, seven other teams have head coaching vacancies in the NFL. Four of them are falling all over themselves to get McDaniel in their building for an interview.
As Pelissero observed, there's an obvious link between the Falcons and McDaniel. He was an assistant on Dan Quinn's staff during that infamous 28-3 Super Bowl.
Matt Ryan was the quarterback when McDaniel was in Atlanta. He is now the Falcons' new president of football operations in their front office. Atlanta is one of three ideal fits I see for McDaniel among the open head coaching positions — and I thought that before Matty Ice entered the equation.
Another excellent destination from that linked piece above is Baltimore. It'd be downright hilarious if the Dolphins and Ravens swapped McDaniel and John Harbaugh. That is very much in play at this point.
McDaniel getting the chance to coach a two-time MVP quarterback in Lamar Jackson is a tantalizing prospect on paper. Lamar has some playoff demons to overcome, and McDaniel is a master at building a QB's confidence. Just ask the $200+ million ways McDaniel helped Tua Tagovailoa in that department.
I feel like I'm out on an island here, as the only sportswriter in the Dolphins community who's gassing up McDaniel. Let's just say Pelissero's report is some pretty sweet vindication.
Not that McDaniel is guaranteed to get a head coaching job. It's just that, given how underwhelming this cycle of candidates is and McDaniel's track record of schematic success on offense, how is anyone surprised that he's suddenly the hottest candidate on the market?
Feeling nauseous yet, Fins fans? Letting McDaniel loose might've been an incalculable error.