You don’t need to be a longtime or hardcore NFL fan to know that current Los Angeles Chargers offensive coordinator and former Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel is quirky at best.
In a recent press conference, that quirkiness re-emerged and caught the attention of a certain NFL podcaster, who didn’t exactly have the nicest things to say about the 43-year-old coach.
Mike McDaniel’s Latest Press Conference Draws Harsh Reaction
The clip that elicited a reaction from Scott Wetzel of “The Scott Wetzel Podcast” and SportsGrid was one posted by FOX NFL reporter Eric Williams.
“Chargers OC Mike McDaniel wore his shades to availability because he was unprepared for an indoor presser. But McDaniel said more importantly, he’s prepared for a second practice in San Diego: ‘Ron Burgundy wasn’t lying. This place is sweet.'” Williams wrote, relaying what McDaniel said.
Wetzel quoted the clip and said, “Once a geek, always a geek. Chargers won’t win 9 games with Dumb and Dumber running the show.”
Once a geek, always a geek. Chargers won’t win 9 games with Dumb and Dumber running the show https://t.co/2Jt5Ci6K1g
— Scott Wetzel (@OppositePicks) August 5, 2026
McDaniel was the head coach of the Dolphins from 2022 to 2025. Over that time, the Dolphins’ combined record was 35-33, and they made the playoffs twice but lost in the Wild Card round both times.
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In his first season, they played the Buffalo Bills in the Wild Card round and lost 34-31, with Skylar Thompson starting at quarterback in place of an injured Tua Tagovailoa.
Over his four seasons with the Dolphins, here were the Dolphins’ grades on PFN’s Offense Impact Metric:
- 2022: 80.5 grade (8th)
- 2023: 87.0 (2nd)
- 2024: 72.0 (19th)
- 2025: 70.7 (25th)
While his first two seasons with the Dolphins were excellent, including an 11-win 2023 season, things just continued to get worse amid declining play and injuries to Tagovailoa. Additionally, their No. 1 wide receiver, Tyreek Hill, got hurt early in the 2025-26 season.
In 2021, as an offensive coordinator with the San Francisco 49ers before joining the Dolphins, McDaniel helped the 49ers post a PFN Offense Impact grade of 81.0, which was inside the top 10.
Now, McDaniel will be working with quarterback Justin Herbert, who has a bunch of talent but has not recaptured his 2022 form when he threw for 4,739 yards, 25 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions, or his 2021 performance when he had 5,014 yards, 38 touchdowns, and 15 interceptions.
We’ll see if the “geek” can right the Herbert ship or if it’ll be a “total clown show” as other commenters have called McDaniel’s pressers.
