Mike Shanahan reveals he tried to make Mike McDaniel reconsider taking up coaching: "You're too smart for that"
Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel and former NFL head coach Mike Shananan have a unique realtionship. McDaniel got his first NFL coaching job with the Denver Broncos as Shanahan's intern.
After working with the Broncos under Shanahan during the 2005 season, McDaniel became an offensive assistant for the Houston Texans. His coaching career would take off from there.
Before McDaniel decided to pursue a coaching career, Shanahan tried to make him reconsider. Shanahan thought with McDaniel receiving a degree from the prestigious Yale University, that he was "too smart" to coach football.
Shanahan said via "The Adam Schefter Podcast":
"I was teasing Mike. I said, 'Mike, you're going to an Ivy League school. You sure you want to get into coaching? You're too smart for that.' And he said, 'No, I really want to get in coaching.' I said, 'Well, I'm gonna put you with Alex Gibbs for two years.'"
"'I want you to be by his side and you know, through two summers.' And I said, 'If you can make it through with Alex for two summers and kind of be as an assistant, and you can make it through that, you know, month, month and a half that it takes,' I said, 'You'll be ready for the National Football League.' And he lasted and did a great job with Alex."
Alex Gibbs was an assistant coach with the Broncos before passing away in 2021. McDaniel had nine different coaching stints with seven different teams before becoming Miami's head coach in 2022.
The Miami Dolphins have a key game this week against the Seattle Seahawks
The Miami Dolphins are in one of the most competitive divisions in football. Being in the AFC East, all four teams have a chance to compete for the division with a few teams possibly being in the run for wildcard spots.
As things stand through Week 2, the Dolphins are in a three-way tie for second place. The Dolphins, New England Patriots, and New York Jets are each 1-1 with the Buffalo Bills at the top of the division with a 2-0 record.
This week, the Dolphins face the Seattle Seahawks on the road against a gritty Seattle team that is 2-0. A loss could easily place Miami in last, or a Miami win and Buffalo loss could tie them for first place in the division.
With Tua Tagovailoa still in the league's concussion protocol, the Seahawks currently sit as -4.5 point favorites.