"I knew one day it would happen" - Mike McDaniel shares his journey to becoming an NFL head coach

Mike McDaniel finally got the head coaching job he craved

New Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel has given an insight into his thinking of becoming a head coach.

The 38-year-old spent several years in the NFL as an offensive assistant for several teams, offensive run game coordinator for the 49ers, and the team's offensive coordinator last season.

McDaniel was a guest on The Pat McAfee Show and detailed how he saw all his colleagues get head coaching positions and not him. His mindset was to be ready for the chance when it came.

He said:

"So, it's always been on my mind, because I knew one in one way, shape or form. If I got the op (opportunity to be head coach), the worst thing in the world would be to not be ready for it. So that would be something I wouldn't be able to live with and before you know you're ambitious to do it, and then guys that you're working with start getting them. And so it was just important to me to pay attention to what was in front of me."

At what point did you know you were gonna be a Head Coach??

"It has always been on my mind because if I got the opportunity the worst thing in the world would to not be ready for it" ~Mike McDaniel

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The new Dolphins head coach continued by saying that he was focused entirely on his job, but at the same time, putting himself in other people's shoes who had gotten head coaching roles. He also stated that he stopped worrying about what he could not control as time went by.

He said,

"So like to witness it (others get head coaching roles), because there's a lot of times you can get it. Just get caught up in your own job and stuff. And you have to do a good job to progress in your career. So you're focused on your job, but I was just doing my job while also paying attention, putting myself in their shoes. But that goes over time.

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"Unless I want to go crazy and think about the wrong stuff that you go. It's hard enough if you think about what you can't control for one day that can set you twisted. If I'm worried about what I can't control over eight years. I will be absolutely insane. And so that at some point, I just stopped thinking about it."

McDaniel takes over Dolphins team on the up

The first time head coach is taking over a team that ended last season in a severe run of form, winning eight out of their previous nine games to miss out on a playoff spot narrowly. The Dolphins did start the year 1-7 with Tagovailoa struggling before finding form towards the end of the season.

With a defense that proved to be a serious unit at times last season (five times keeping teams to 10 points or under) and an offense that got better the longer the year went with Tua Tagovailoa, there is a lot to like about Miami heading into next season.

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With a good running game led by Duke Johnson and Phillip Lindsay and other weapons in Mike Gesicki, Jaylen Waddle, and DeVante Parker, the Dolphins have some serious talent to build around.

There will no doubt be changes from a scheme point of view under McDaniel, and with the 38-year-old finally getting the head coaching job he craved, now is the time to show the Dolphins fans that he is the man to lead them back to their glory days.