PHOENIX — The Miami Dolphins have been on a strong run of reeling in top-tier veteran talent over the past two offseasons.
In trades for star wide receiver Tyreek Hill and cornerback Jalen Ramsey, each indicated Miami was where they wanted to go among teams that could build the framework for a deal. They and edge rusher Bradley Chubb, acquired at last season’s trade deadline, all signed up for extensions with the Dolphins upon trades.
Terron Armstead, the top available left tackle in free agency last offseason, chose the Dolphins. Linebacker David Long Jr. and others probably could’ve made more money elsewhere but wanted to be part of what’s being built in Miami.
Sure, even in the last two decades of mostly irrelevance, the Dolphins have landed their share of big-name veterans: Brandon Marshall, Ndamukong Suh, Mike Wallace, Karlos Dansby, etc. But the past 13 months alone probably rival the past 13 years.
It shows it’s not just because of warm weather or tax benefits — those have always been in South Florida.
The idea of playing for coach Mike McDaniel has to mean something to these star players. McDaniel, however, the swaggy, stylish, personable football whiz that he is, humbly passes on taking the credit.
“I really appreciate that. I do see it as, really, an overall organizational triumph,” McDaniel told the South Florida Sun Sentinel at the NFL annual meeting in Phoenix this week. “Naturally, when I got the job, I’m like, ‘It’s awesome to be in Miami.’
“People like Miami. So, while that opens the door for you to have an opportunity to create an environment that, all things equal, players will choose to come and play for the Dolphins. And then maybe even situations where we’ll be able to build a team and maybe certain players will say, ‘Hey, we’ll all go for the experience.’ ”
McDaniel operates with a consciousness that any interaction with one player, whether positive or negative, could lead to word of mouth spreading regarding what he’s like to play for.
“That’s something that not everyone thinks about,” McDaniel said. “I know I certainly think about it just because it is a small circle. It is a fraternity, if you will, of a finite amount of people, and word travels fast.
“Why? Because people are very much invested, and this is their lives. How you treat one person — I look at it like how I interact with a player will define me as how I am as a coach, in terms of my personal relationships. All of them are important, and that’s the way it should be. You should be held accountable with, in this profession, how you go about doing business, how much you invest in players. Because that’s what we’re in the business of doing.”
It helps that McDaniel is relatable with players, but the organizational triumph he mentions is about having the people willing to make it all come together at every level. It starts at the top with an owner in Steve Ross who is willing to spend money, invest in state-of-the-art facilities. Then, top football executives like general manager Chris Grier and senior vice president of football and business administration Brandon Shore, who execute the moves to embrace the current win-now mentality. McDaniel has his coaching staff around him, including the addition of veteran defensive coordinator Vic Fangio this offseason after revamping the offensive staff last year. Beyond that, there’s support staff at different positions that round out the quality of the whole operation.
“Those are the types of things that you’re trying to do as a head coach and as an organization, really, is to stand out, to be able to — in an evenly matched negotiation — get the player you want because of everything that you offer, not just the location,” McDaniel said.
“It’s really cool to hear that. I do attribute that to — yes, I’m the head coach — but it is so many people that are involved to make the culture what it is, including the active player participation.
“That is very important to me. That’s something that I hope to always be the case here with the Miami Dolphins, for sure.”
But McDaniels’ demeanor is part of it.
When Ramsey was introduced to Dolphins media two weeks ago, he labeled McDaniel as “weird” — but weird as in unique.
“We’re all weird in our own way,” Ramsey said. “He does things his way. And he’s himself all the time. Like, it’s not fake or nothing like that. So I know that’s one thing all the players have said that have talked about it with me.
“It’s different than what you would expect with maybe a head coach. He be fresh. Everything. He got the shoes. He loves shoes. All of that. It’s different.”
Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay, who previously coached Ramsey and has spent time as an NFL assistant with McDaniel, feels the two personalities will mesh.
“I think they’ll vibe really well,” McVay said at the NFL owners’ meetings. “You talk about two guys that are refreshingly secure in who they are. They both got a swagger, a confidence, a passion for this game.”
McDaniel instills confidence in his players, in part by the confidence in them he himself expresses. When people on the outside wonder if the Dolphins will move on from quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, he openly squashes the idea of pursuit of any other starting quarterback, including Lamar Jackson after the Baltimore Ravens star made his trade request public this week. Young offensive linemen Austin Jackson and Liam Eichenberg are often criticized? He notes how they need a second season in his system to be judged.
Now, the combination of the cool coach and most talented Dolphins roster in at least the past two decades must deliver for a franchise that hasn’t won a playoff game since 2000.
