Mike McDaniel
Michael Lee McDaniel (born March 6, 1983) is an American football coach who is the head coach of the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League (NFL). A former long-time assistant to Mike and Kyle Shanahan, McDaniel began his NFL coaching career as an intern for the Denver Broncos in 2005. As an offensive-minded coach for much of his 17-year coaching career, McDaniel has served as an assistant coach for the Houston Texans, Washington Redskins, Cleveland Browns, Atlanta Falcons, and San Francisco 49ers from 2006 to 2021, holding his first offensive coordinator position in 2021 . McDaniel has appeared in two Super Bowls, one each with the Falcons in 2017 and with the 49ers in 2020. McDaniel spent five seasons with the 49ers, mostly as the run game coordinator. His tenure concluded with their second NFC Championship Game appearance in three seasons; McDaniel served as the offensive coordinator that season before he left to become the Dolphins' head coach. Early life and playing career. McDaniel was born in Aurora, Colorado in 1983. He graduated from Smoky Hill High School in 2001. Coaching career. Denver Broncos. McDaniel was hired in 2005, at the age of 22 by  his hometown Denver Broncos as a coaching intern under head coach Mike Shanahan. The Broncos in 2005 finished with what was at the time their best record since John Elway's retirement 6 years earlier, at 13-3. In the postseason they defeated the defending back-to-back Super Bowl champion New England Patriots 27-13 in the Divisional Round before falling to the eventual Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers 17-34 in the AFC Championship Game. Houston Texans. In 2006, McDaniel was hired by the Houston Texans as an offensive assistant under head coach Gary Kubiak, whom McDaniel worked  alongside at the Denver Broncos a season earlier. California Redwoods / Sacramento Mountain Lions. McDaniel was hired by the California Redwoods as a running backs coach in 2009 under former Minnesota Vikings/Arizona Cardinals head coach Dennis Green. In McDaniel's 2nd year with the team, the team relocated to Sacramento and were subsequently renamed the Sacramento Mountain Lions. Washington Redskins. In 2011, McDaniel was hired by the Washington Redskins as an offensive assistant, reuniting with Redskins head coach Mike Shanahan, who was McDaniel's mentor 6 seasons earlier on the Denver Broncos. It was there where McDaniel worked alongside 3  other future head coaches; Kyle Shanahan, Sean McVay, and Matt LaFleur. In 2013, McDaniel was promoted to wide receivers coach following the departure of Ike Hilliard, who left to join the Buffalo Bills in the same position. McDaniel would not be retained under new head coach Jay Gruden. Cleveland Browns. McDaniel was hired in 2014 by the Cleveland Browns as their wide receivers coach under head coach Mike Pettine. Atlanta Falcons. McDaniel was hired by the Atlanta Falcons as an offensive assistant coach under new head coach Dan Quinn in 2015. McDaniel and the Falcons reached Super Bowl LI during  the 2016 season where they would fall to the New England Patriots in a 34–28 overtime defeat, after they were up 28-3 in the first half. San Francisco 49ers. In 2017, McDaniel was hired by the San Francisco 49ers as their run game coordinator under new head coach Kyle Shanahan, whom he worked alongside for a total of 9 seasons on the Texans, Redskins, Browns, and Falcons. During the 2019 season, McDaniel and the Niners appeared in Super Bowl LIV, where they lost to the Kansas City Chiefs 20-31. On January 18, 2021, McDaniel was promoted to offensive  coordinator, following the departure of passing game coordinator Mike LaFleur, who left to become the offensive coordinator for the New York Jets. The 49ers went 10-7 in 2021, and McDaniel's innovative usage of third-year wide receiver Deebo Samuel in the team's rushing attack led to Samuel being named a first-team All-Pro. McDaniel's tenure with the 49ers concluded with a loss to the eventual Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams 17-20 in the NFC Championship Game on January 30, 2022. Miami Dolphins. The Miami Dolphins hired McDaniel as their 13th head coach on  February 6, 2022. Personal life. McDaniel and his wife Katie have one daughter, Ayla June. He has a history degree from Yale.