Mike McDaniel’s Candid Battle With Alcohol Abuse
How it makes him an even greater leader of men
Mike McDaniel, head coach of the Miami Dolphins, is known around the NFL for his innovative and cerebral approach to the game and his quirky and unique personality.
Once a Yale wide receiver and a lifelong student of the game, McDaniel pursued his dream of becoming an NFL coach right out of college.
Now that his dream has been realized, and the Dolphins are one of the more exciting teams in the NFL to watch, his post-game quotes are a weekly source of entertainment and insight for football fans and analysts alike.
They blend soft-spoken genius and everyman dialogue that sounds more like something a San Diego surfer would say than an NFL head coach.
For example, when asked about an ill-advised play call, he told the group of reporters that “I totally geeked,” with a mea culpa grin. Each sentence he utters feels like it should begin with “Dude” — reminiscent of a frat boy who sells mushrooms on campus.
What was not well-known around the league, and even less to the general public, was that…
