It’s Time to Begrudgingly Admit That Mike McDaniel Is Cool

For years people pined for a normal dude who hadn’t yet succumbed to the devastating effects of Football Brain to get a head coaching job and then succeed, proving that someone who looked like Adam Brody could be every bit the leader someone who benches 375 pounds can be. That moment has come with Mike McDaniel down in Miami. All he’s done since taking the reins is turn Tua Tagovailoa into one of the NFL’s best quarterbacks and win at a clip not seen down on South Beach in 20 years. Still, some had reservations fully embracing him and his unique style because it almost seemed as though he was leaning into the bit, trying to be immensely cool specifically by not being cool at all.

But like political reporters crunching the numbers on an election night, we’ve seen enough. Mike McDaniel is cool. Because ascending to the top of the masthead has not broken his independent and perfectly sane spirit. He hasn’t changed a bit, as proven by the myriad miked-up segments featuring his unique sideline spirit.

Listen to him toy with Tua repeatedly, busting his balls in good-natured fashion in a way that’s well-received.

We need an entire broadcast with access to McDaniels’ musings and we need it now. There are some logistical hurdles to overcome — like not giving the other side a schematic advantage — but if there are going to be seven million alternate feeds, why not have one that takes us behind the scenes with unprecedented access and a reliably entertaining narrator?