By Frank Pingue
(Reuters) – Newly-hired Miami head coach Mike McDaniel said on Thursday that the lawsuit filed by his predecessor against the NFL and three teams, including the Dolphins, did not cause him to think twice about accepting the job.
McDaniel was hired on Sunday to replace Brian Flores, who was fired by the Dolphins in January and last week filed the lawsuit alleging discrimination against Black candidates for top level coaching and management jobs.
Flores also accused Dolphins owner Stephen Ross of offering him $100,000 for every loss in 2019 as incentive to help the team land a higher draft pick and said his refusal to throw games ultimately cost him his job. McDaniel said that in his experience, Dolphins ownership is focused on winning.
After delivering opening remarks at his introductory news conference, McDaniel was promptly asked whether the allegations raised in the Flores lawsuit raised any red flags.
“Red flags? I can honestly say there was absolutely no red flags, and the reason why was because I was stepping into an organization with a boss that – I don’t think people give it its proper due,” said McDaniel, who previously served as offensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers.
“When I walked in that door, you look at every single detail within this building, you look at the people that are hired, you look at just all the extents that there is nothing – there is no cost too high for winning for (Ross).”
“When you’re in multiple organizations, you realize that’s not always the case. The city of Miami really is lucky to have an owner that right, wrong or indifferent, all he cares about is winning. And as a coach, that’s all you’re literally looking for. That’s all. So red flags? No, there’s no red flags for me.”
Miami’s decision to fire Flores, who is Black, was one of the more surprising head coach decisions following the 2021 NFL season, given the Dolphins won eight of their final nine games after a 1-7 start.
In addition to the NFL and the Dolphins, the Denver Broncos and New York Giants were named in Flores’ lawsuit, which contended his interviews for their vacant head coach positions were a sham aimed at satisfying a league rule that minority candidates must be considered for top coaching and staff jobs.
The NFL, Dolphins, Broncos and Giants have all denied Flores’ accusations.
McDaniel, who is biracial and was the first minority head coach hire in the 2022 cycle, called it both an honor and privilege to be the 14th head coach in Dolphins history.
“Any man standing at a podium like this would be honored. It is a tremendous accomplishment and you’d feel great about that,” said McDaniel.
“But that’s not why you get into coaching – standing at this podium. You get into coaching because you love to coach football, you love to teach and you love to make people better. That’s exactly who I am, who I have been and who I will be as the head coach of the Miami Dolphins.”
(Reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto; Editing by David Gregorio)
