Dolphins’ McDaniel addresses personal and personnel issues. Kohou spot filled
Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel mentioned at the end of last season that fining players for tardiness did not work in some cases.
So did McDaniel — who is naturally a pleasant, amiable fellow — give any thought this past offseason to becoming more of a disciplinarian and a screaming tyrant, something he has not done?
“You’re damn right I thought about it!” McDaniel cracked.
But if he did, it did not result in a significant change in his demeanor with players.
“If you are doing your job, you are assessing how you do things and how you receive things,” he said. “There are a lot of scars with professional athletes. To gain their listening, you have to earn their trust. It has been noted how I earn trust with players.”
McDaniel has continued to try to earn that trust with a calm, uplifting approach. Several players, including tight end Tanner Conner, said McDaniel has not changed, with Conner noting that the team dumped players who didn’t show the coach enough respect.
But, McDaniel said his measured approach is “not to be confused with setting our expectations and delivering those. Putting together the right group of people, it is very easy to hold players accountable.”
McDaniel suggested that yelling more at players would not gain the desired affect.
“In the vein of an adult temper tantrum, I would not be motivated by those things [as a player],” he said. “I am motivated by molding players and creating a winning football team. I’m the best version of me.”
McDaniel addressed other issues:
▪ The Dolphins opted not to bring in another cornerback to fill the roster spot of Kader Kohou, who went on injured reserve. Kohou will miss the entire season.
Miami used the roster spot to rehire rookie undrafted quarterback Brett Gabbert, who was released last month. Gabbert will give the Dolphins a fourth arm in training camp, joining Tua Tagovailoa, Zach Wilson and Quinn Ewers. Gabbert, who went undrafted in April, had 80 touchdowns and 30 interceptions in six years at Miami of Ohio.
Asked if he and general manager Chris Grier plan to bring in any of the handful of proven veteran cornerbacks still available — at least for a visit — McDaniel was noncommittal but said “we are constantly trying to improve the team... The way players are developing, I have more than enough to keep my attention.”
▪ Asked if he has thanked Zach Sieler for not holding a hold-in and instead practicing fully while he seeks a new contract, McDaniel said: “His actions speak. His teammates very much recognize how Zach plays football and contributes to the building every day. Zach understands as a leader, he’s trying to show guys how he wants teammates to play football.”
▪ On Tagovailoa talking about rebuilding trust with Tyreek Hill: “There’s a lot to be said for a leader saying the hard things,... to say those things and call a spade a spade. Those are grown-man stuff. It’s important... the players are connected to each other.”
▪ Cornerback Kendall Sheffield will return to practice on Friday after missing a day. Cornerback BJ Adams (concussion protocol) and safety Dante Trader Jr. remain out.
▪ On running back Ollie Gordon II: “He is in the rookie process, where he’s learning by mistakes and so far he has responded in a great way.”
▪ On offensive lineman Bayron Matos, who is out of hospital after being airlifted to the Ryder Trauma Center after an injury the first day of training camp: “He’s getting better and with his family and with the appropriate care. The recovery continues to progress. No timetable. Not concerned with timetable.”
▪ On new veteran running back Alexander Mattison, who has sometimes been pigeon-holed as a short-yardage player but who has displayed far more than that, including good speed: “Every run that he’s had in camp, you can hear me yelling, ‘Wait, this isn’t short yardage.’... Here, we allow your play to tell us who you are.”
▪ McDaniel said left tackle Patrick Paul “has had a very good camp.”
This story was originally published August 1, 2025 at 8:42 AM.
