LAS VEGAS — This has to be a bittersweet week for Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel.
Surely, he’s thrilled that his former San Francisco 49ers colleagues and players are in the Super Bowl. But he isn’t thrilled that he’s not there as well, representing the AFC.
McDaniel is 0-2 in playoff games since taking over as Dolphins head coach in 2022, including a 26-7 loss to the eventual AFC champion Kansas City Chiefs last month.
That’s going to change soon if the testimonials from current 49ers players are true.
San Francisco 49ers Praise Miami Dolphins’ Mike McDaniel
“Least surprising thing I’ve ever seen,” 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk said of McDaniel’s early success in Miami.
Juszczyk, who worked with McDaniel in San Francisco for the first five years of his career, continued:
“I absolutely knew he was gonna succeed no matter where he went. I have so much love and admiration for Mike. He’s one of the smartest football minds I’ve ever been around in my life. And he is truly a great leader and he leads in a different way, but one that I think, you know, we’ve seen is successful and, and works at this level.
“And even talking to some of his players, nothing but good things have been said about how he leads his team,” Juszczyk added. “And I’m so happy for him because he’s just such a great person. He works his absolute tail off, and he deserves all the success.”
McDaniel is at least partially responsible for Juszczyk’s success. McDaniel’s focus was on the run game in San Francisco, and he schemed up creative ways to maximize the 49ers’ versatile fullback.
“Michael McDaniel, he was awesome over here, man,” said 49ers running back Elijah Mitchell, who rushed for 963 yards and five touchdowns with McDaniel as his offensive coordinator his rookie season.
“He was the guru of getting our run game, man. It’s unbelievable. And like I say, man, what he’s doing in Miami? It’s not surprising. He’s smart, smart as hell. A great coach.”
MORE: Tony Romo’s Advice for Mike McDaniel’s Miami Dolphins
McDaniel in his two seasons has a 20-14 regular-season record and has been largely responsible for the big leap in Tua Tagovailoa’s performance the last two seasons.
McDaniel worked alongside longtime friend and associate Kyle Shanahan in San Francisco from 2017 through 2021.
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