Mike McDaniel – December 6, 2024
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Friday, December 6, 2024
Head Coach Mike McDaniel
(Three defenders – is CB Kendall Fuller out of concussion protocol? How’s it looking for CB Kader Kohou and LB Anthony Walker Jr.?) – “(Kendall) Fuller first – Fuller, he is appropriately within it, hoping that practice and then the part of the process after practice, hopeful that he’ll be through it this afternoon, so we’ll wait and see on that. Then Kader (Kohou) and Anthony Walker will both – I’m optimistic about both but I say ‘optimism’ and ‘pessimism’ when I’m trying to be clear that’s assuming that there’s no setbacks and how they feel after. But it’s been positive for them this week and we’ll see what that lends.”
(How about your two tackles, T Terron Armstead and T Kendall Lamm?) – “They love football and they find different ways to prove it. I think I’ve felt good about Terron (Armstead) in much more physically dire situations. I think that being said, we’ll make sure that he’s feeling good and I’m not going to put him out there if he’s not capable, but I feel optimistic about it, whatever that means. And then Kendall Lamm had a very good week in terms of getting his body right. I feel optimistic about him, too, but in the process, we’ve also been able to get some guys some reps, much needed reps in case my optimism is in vain and one or both can’t go.”
(LB Bradley Chubb?) – “Bradley Chubb. Him – we’ll call them the ‘window dudes.’ The window dudes – we had three of them this week – and you want to talk about needing all three days. It’s one thing if you’re in-season, you’ve played football during the season and whatever. We’re talking about just today being a third of the evaluation process, so going into it, Chris (Grier) and I had been very firm with ourselves and disciplined to, all right, let’s let Friday go through. Let’s talk to the players and then we’ll have concrete discussions on what that means, but I think it is a lot to expect. I think you don’t expect any one of those three guys to be able to play; however you leave it open because again, you let the process play out with a third of that process left and then we’ll assess from there.”
(This year against the Jets you won’t get to see your old coaching mate, Robert Saleh. What did you think of how that all went down?) – “I get to see – I coached with Jeff Ulbrich as well. Did you know that? In Atlanta. I’m old. I have so many of my own problems for me to weigh in on anything that’s outside Dolphins. I think it’s kind of worthless because it’s not very educated; I guess I’m assuming that everybody else is having a glorious sunny day all the time, so I don’t really have much to say other than that. I want to beat the Jets regardless of whatever coach is coaching there, and I think our team does as well.”
(Just a little housekeeping, a word we like to use, the LB Tyus Bowser and CB Cam Smith injuries. Were they season-ending or if you need them back could they play again this year?) – “At the beginning of December it is always tricky; however, it’s up in question because it’s around that time – basically will you do the follow-up question, ‘Will they be ready for training camp?’ I think they’ll be ready for training camp. (laughter) But whether or not they’re back in the season, we’re leaving that up open to their bodies.”
(With RB Raheem Mostert has the hip impacted how many carries you and Associate Head Coach/Running Backs Eric Studesville have given him? I think it’s been 10 these last four weeks. Has that been a factor at all with him?) – “I think there’s a lot of factors at hand. I think he’s been an unbelievable teammate in the process. He’s had a couple things pop up that it wouldn’t be fair to his body to over-press him. I think it’s important to me that with a very talented backfield that everyone gets opportunities; sometimes they come in waves. I think again – I’ve said it before – but there’s a lot less to do with Raheem’s not doing something or can’t and much more to do with multiple talented players that are taking advantage of opportunities as well. I wouldn’t ever – specifically with Raheem Mostert on this team – I wouldn’t ever put him in a box in terms of ‘this is what his contribution will look like always’ and I know he can help us win this season. So when and what that looks like, there will be a lot of factors that I can’t give up the game plan.”
(One matchup for Sunday – LB Chop Robinson for the first time will go against his former college teammate Olu Fashanu. What do you think of how Chop is progressing now going into that matchup?) – “That will be a cool. That’s a cool situation that you just bring light to in terms of you have guys that are used to practicing against each other and then the National Football League demands a lot of different adjustments in technique and play. So any time you get rookie college teammates going against each other, it’s easy to assume you know exactly how the other person plays and then you get to the game and see how the NFL season has adjusted their game and where that puts them matchup-wise. I think it’s a competitive situation with two talented players that should be a fun matchup within the matchups for this game.”
(What do you think of the Jets pass rush?) – “It’s ever-present. Like I said, I have a high regard for Coach (Jeff) Ulbrich, worked with him, and same as Coach (Aaron) Whitecotton; in San Francisco, I worked with him as well. They do an unbelievable job of getting guys to fully commit to a relentless approach at pass rush. So they present two problems – early in the down and late in the down. Their get off is as good as it gets in terms of coming off the ball and utilizing their technique. And then the one thing that is pervasive is they make a lot of plays in the run and pass game, but as pass rushers, they make a lot of plays late in the down as well and those are generally the most impactful in games because that’s where turnovers, whether that be sack-fumbles or pressure interceptions; this system of defense thrives on it. It’s almost a non-negotiable for that scheme is to have a pass rush that can go, and they are well-equipped to be a dominant phase of football at any given time because that pass rush.”
(Did you see the game last night? Detroit Lions Head Coach Dan Campbell fourth and inches call to run out the clock before the game winning field goal?) – “I did not see it, but I’ve heard Detroit has gone for it on fourth down. Were you debating him? Did you think he should do it?”
(A lot of people have.) – “Did it work out?”
(It worked out, yeah. Got the first down.) – “At the end of football games, I think it’s important, at least for me, to understand that the only right answer is the one that works. So in that, you have to stay true to what it takes to win the game, and I regard and respect people that understand that they’re probably going to get some heat if it doesn’t work out. But if you stay connected to the idea of ‘whatever it takes to win the game – you’re always going to get the heat as a head coach or a play caller or a decision maker when it doesn’t work out, so to prioritize that not being your motivation, which it doesn’t seem like it’s Coach (Dan) Campbell’s.”
(We haven’t had a chance to talk to you yet since FB Alec Ingold was nominated as the Dolphins Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee. I just wanted to get your perspective on what makes Alec a good candidate for that?) – “Well the Man of the Year; I think Alec Ingold best embodies how to succeed in life and how to take things that on the front end, for sure, he had a lot of adversity interwoven into the way he started in the world. And so adversity is ever-present to everyone, it’s all relative, but one or two things happen. Generally it’s very difficult to take that adversity and make it purposeful and that’s what he has done by taking all of his time, his services and giving back into the community to those that he knows that – in the least, it’s someone that has taken some obstacles and flourished in them. I think he’s a motivating and inspiring person and I’m just so glad that a guy that I didn’t know personally, that came to us in 2022, the more people that can know about Alec Ingold and what he has to offer this world; if we could all take a good measurement as if we could all do like Alec and take perceived adversity and make it the engine that drives your life force into making the world a better place. I mean he fits the bill and on top of that, he’s a captain at a position that you have to earn those stripes with nothing other than daily accountability, effort, mentality, toughness. I can’t say enough good things about the human being, the player and I’m just glad he’s – he needs to be a focal point for what professional athletes are capable of and can do for their community and the sport and leaving the sport better than when he got to it.”
