Tag: Mike McDaniel

8 videos that prove 49ers OC Mike McDaniel is suddenly the NFL’s most interesting man

Someone hire this man as a head coach!

Remember Dos Equis’s “Most Interesting Man in the World” ad campaign?

Well, I’m here to declare that Mike McDaniel, the offensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers, is currently the most interesting man in the NFL.

Every time he steps to the mic to speak with reporters, he’s got something fascinating to say. His look screams hipster to so many on social media, and given his experience — he’s been a coach around the NFL with a bunch of teams already and he’s just 38 years old — there’s a lot of intrigue about him as the Niners get ready to try and upset the Green Bay Packers.

Let’s break down some McDaniel moments that have gone viral lately:

Here’s the Dolphins head coach interview schedule this week

All seven known candidates will be interviewed by the end of the week.

Since the Miami Dolphins fired head coach Brian Flores on the Monday following their Week 18 victory over the New England Patriots, they’ve conducted their search for the team’s next coach.

To this point, the interview requests that have been reported are with the Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, Bills defensive coordinators Leslie Frazier, Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, Arizona Cardinals defensive coordinator Vance Joseph, San Francisco 49ers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel, and Los Angeles Rams assistant head coach/running backs coach Thomas Brown.

We now know when these interviews will take place, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero. On Wednesday, the Dolphins are set to interview McDaniel. They have Quinn and Moore on Thursday. Joseph and Brown will interview on Friday.

Daboll and Frazier both interviewed this past Sunday, so that takes care of all of the current coaches that have been requested. If there are no surprises, the Dolphins could have this search wrapped up soon.

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Dolphins interview 49ers OC Mike McDaniel for head coaching job

#49ers OC Mike McDaniel interviewed for the Dolphins head coach opening Tuesday.

The 49ers began on-field preparations for the Green Bay Packers on Tuesday, and offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel had a job interview. Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer reported McDaniel interviewed for the Miami Dolphins‘ head coach opening Tuesday via videoconference.

McDaniel, formerly the 49ers’ run game coordinator, was promoted this offseason to the offensive coordinator role in San Francisco. While he doesn’t call plays, he’s credited with masterminding the vaunted 49ers run game that helped carry them into the divisional playoffs.

If Miami does hire McDaniel it would be the second top offensive assistant 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan has lost in as many years. Former passing game coordinator Mike LaFleur was hired as the Jets’ offensive coordinator last offseason when defensive coordinator Robert Saleh became New York’s head coach.

McDaniel has been on a coaching staff with Shanahan since 2013 when he joined Washington as a wide receivers coach while Shanahan was the offensive coordinator. He held the same position with the Browns in 2014 before joining Shanahan in Atlanta as an offensive assistant. In 2017 McDaniel became the 49ers run game coordinator in Shanahan’s first year as San Francisco’s head coach.

49ers OC Mike McDaniel not letting head coach interview distract from playoff preparations

#49ers OC Mike McDaniel is a candidate to fill the Dolphins head coaching vacancy, but he’s not letting it get in the way of his preparations for the Cowboys.

49ers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel could be the next coach to fall out of the Kyle Shanahan coaching tree. He’s a candidate to be the next head coach of the Miami Dolphins per NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero, but McDaniel isn’t letting his future distract him from his next task as the 49ers’ offensive coordinator.

While McDaniel could be on to bigger things in the offseason, he has a formidable job going into the wild-card round when his offense squares off against a very good Dallas Cowboys defense. That Cowboys unit is where his focus is despite some potentially life-altering changes coming down the pike.

“Yeah, it has. But as far as juggling, there is no juggling,” McDaniel on Thursday told reporters in a press conference. “It’s about the Dallas Cowboys and the 49ers offense going down there and performing and the 49ers team, doing whatever it takes to try and get a W against a very good football team. And that’s it.”

McDaniel is a key voice in the design of the 49ers’ run game, so it’s not a surprise teams are interested in his services.

There may not be a better audition for him than Sunday in Dallas. The 49ers will be the only game on, facing a Cowboys defense that finished No. 2 in DVOA against the pass and No. 16 against the run.

If San Francisco’s offense performs well in Dallas and the 49ers swing and upset, there could be more interviews for McDaniel to navigate throughout the postseason.

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Dolphins put in request to interview 49ers OC Mike McDaniel

That’s two potential candidates for the Dolphins.

The Miami Dolphins, after firing Brian Flores on Monday and requesting to interview Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, are continuing to add names to their coaching search.

According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the Dolphins have requested permission to interview San Francisco 49ers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel.

This is McDaniel’s first season as the 49ers offensive coordinator, but he was previously the team’s run game coordinator for the three years prior. He’s spent nearly his entire career around the Shanahan family. McDaniel came into the league as an intern for the Broncos under Mike Shanahan in 2005 and has followed him or his son, Kyle, everywhere they went with exception of the 2009 and 2010 seasons.

With nearly 16 years of experience working with and for the Shanahans, McDaniel’s knowledge of their scheme should be pretty strong.

This season, their newest wrinkle has been the usage of Deebo Samuel out of the backfield. He rushed 59 times this season for 365 yards and eight touchdowns. Samuel’s a dynamic playmaker who should have the ball in his hands as much as possible.

Maybe McDaniel could do the same with Jaylen Waddle in Miami.

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49ers OC Mike McDaniel on Trey Lance: ‘This isn’t the end result’

The #49ers knew Trey Lance was going to be a project, but offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel is happy with the early development.

The 49ers don’t need Trey Lance to be an MVP candidate right away. They do need to see him improve during his rookie season though with the expectation he’ll be ready to carry the offense in 2022. While he was thrust into action unexpectedly in Week 4 and struggled in some areas, offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel said there was a vital aspect to Lance’s development against the Seahawks.

McDaniel on Thursday told reporters in a press conference that Lance is still dealing with rookie growing pains, but the team hasn’t lost confidence in the No. 3 overall pick, especially now that he has a real two-minute drill under his belt.

“I feel like he’s in the boat with a lot of rookies, in terms of you’re looking at him and you’re like, ‘this isn’t the end result,’” McDaniel said. “I think every day he shows us that he’s wise beyond his years, much more mature than I was at his age. I can tell you that much. Very, very smart. And as far as expectations, we expected him to be a rookie who threw 300 and some odd passes in college. But you know what, in an NFL football game this season, he’s had more two-minute reps than he’s had his entire college career. I’m not sure if you guys know, but he’s really good at winning football games in high school and college, so he was never behind.”

Lance was undefeated in college at North Dakota State and dominated the FCS level while going 17-0 as a starter.

He entered to start the second half against Seattle in a tie game. The 49ers quickly fell behind 21-7, forcing head coach Kyle Shanahan to throw more than he might’ve liked with a rookie quarterback who threw only 318 passes in college.

San Francisco trailed 28-14 when Lance and the 49ers took over at their own 20 with 4:30 left. While an ideal scenario would’ve seen a quick offensive score, Lance navigated a 13-play, 90-yard drive that took 3:10 off the clock. It wasn’t a perfect two-minute scenario, but a hurry-up style drive with some urgency that didn’t afford Lance the luxury of huddling and taking his time was something he hadn’t done a lot in game situations.

Those are the exact things the 49ers need to see him do this year and get better at when he does play. McDaniel said the team knew Lance was going to be a project, but early returns on his growth are positive for the offensive coordinator.

“Just knowing that on the front end, you know there’s going to be a lot of things to grow on,” McDaniel said. “And he knows that as well, which is why when bad things happen he doesn’t blink. He had an incompletion on a four-yard throw and then throws a 76-yard touchdown pass. You know that there’s going to be some hiccups along the road. You accept that. But you just try to do the best you can and continue to improve. That’s the biggest thing, you just don’t want to regress. You want to find a thing, improve on it, fix it, go to the next thing. And he’s hungry enough to keep doing that, which is why we’re pumped to have him.”

49ers OC Mike McDaniel offers insight into Trey Lance’s development

#49ers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel had a positive update on rookie QB Trey Lance, but acknowledged there’s plenty to work on.

The physical traits with Trey Lance were never in doubt. His ability to run and make all the throws was apparent on his college tape as he dominated at the FCS level for North Dakota State. The question marks came in how he’d adapt to the NFL after starting just 17 college games. We’ll have to wait and see how he plays within the speed of an NFL game, but his mental acuity has him in a good spot to tie his physical traits with his high football IQ to quickly become the player the 49ers want him to be.

Offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel offered some insight into how Lance is doing off the field since his on-field feats have been readily apparent.

“There’s an element of confidence that is unique. I wouldn’t say he’s loud or boisterous. He has a calm confident swag that I think really appeals to players,” McDaniel told reporters Wednesday. “He knows the pressure that’s on him, like any other player. So he really is really comfortable in his own skin, I’d say. And he’s getting to the point where he can correct other players, which from a coach’s perspective is all you’re looking for. You want a coach on the field. The person that a receiver is going to listen to, much more than a coach, is the guy that’s throwing him the ball. So he’s been very good with that and I think a lot of the guys respond to that.”

Getting his teammates to buy into him is a sizable hurdle Lance already seems to be clearing. There’s a big difference between knowing what to do and being able to do it against an NFL defense, but given the available benchmarks in training camp, Lance appears to be on the right track.

McDaniel confirmed Lance still isn’t perfect, but he’s coming along the way they anticipated when they selected him.

“Well, it’s a work in progress, which is what you would, if you’re doing anything that’s really that difficult, you probably shouldn’t be elite at it right from the jump,” McDaniel said. “So that’s one of the reasons why we have to rep it so much, rep all the plays so much, is because it isn’t easy. So he’s right where we’d want them in terms of he’s in the developmental stage of all of it some plays are good, some plays are bad, but we try to focus on the bad, so there can be more good.”

While McDaniel was generally more complimentary of Lance than head coach Kyle Shanahan has been, the general theme is the same. Lance has all the tools, but there’s a ton of polish required to supplant a veteran starter at quarterback. The good news is Lance appears to have every tangible and intangible tool to be great, and that’s all the 49ers need from him whether he’s on the field in 2021 or 2022.

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2021 NFL coaching changes: San Francisco 49ers

The 49ers replace both coordinators for 2021

Coaching changes are usually related to a bad season and a team heading “in a different direction.” Not so for the 49ers, whose success opened their coaching ranks up to be raided by other teams looking to replicate their success. While head coach Kyle Shanahan remains for his fifth season, the 49ers lost defensive coordinator Robert Saleh to the Jets as their new head coach. And passing game coordinator Mike LaFleur left to join Saleh as the Jets’ new offensive coordinator.

Both changes are not likely to result in any significant changes to the offense or defense since both were promotions of position coaches already in place within the existing system.

Shanahan may be the head coach, but he installed his offense after spending ten years as an offensive coordinator for four different teams. He calls the plays and controls the offense. The 49ers were decimated by injuries last year but the same offense ranked No. 2 in points and No. 4 in yardage for 2019 when they went to the Super Bowl. No need for changes to what works well when the roster is healthy.

While Shanahan continues his firm hold on the offense, Bobby Slowick was promoted to passing game specialist after spending the last two years as the offensive assistant. Mike McDaniel was elevated from the run game coordinator to the titled offensive coordinator, though again – Shanahan calls the plays. McDaniel spent the last four seasons with the 49ers as their run game coordinator (2018-2020) and run game specialist (2017).

McDaniel spent the last 11 years in the NFL coaching running backs and wideouts before becoming the offensive assistant in Atlanta (2015-2016). He’s not there to change anything, but to learn and help Shanahan maintain one of the most diverse and productive offenses in the NFL when healthy.

The loss of Saleh has a more significant bearing. With Shanahan more involved in the offense, Saleh was in control of the defense for the last four years and was a very hot head coaching candidate. The 49ers’ defense is an elite unit when healthy and was the biggest reason why they advanced to the Super Bowl in 2019.

The 49ers promoted their inside linebackers coach up to being the offensive coordinator. DeMeco Ryans was a ten-year veteran of the NFL as a linebacker for the Texans and Eagles. Since he retired as a player in 2016, he’s been with the 49ers organization. He served as the defensive quality control coach (2017), and inside linebackers coach (2018-2020).

Ryans was a Defensive Player of the Year at Alabama and a First-Team All-SEC as a senior. He was the AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2006. He’s been successful at every level and job that he’s ever held in football. As the inside linebackers coach, he’s credited for developing Pro Bowler Fred Warner. Ryans is considered one of the sharpest minds and his quick ascension to defensive coordinator for a very talented defense shows the confidence that the 49ers have in him.

At 36 years old, Ryans is the youngest defensive coordinator in the NFL and within that, the least experienced. But he’s impressed in his four short years as a coach in his ability to development and communicate with players. With the entirety of his four years as an NFL coach being under Saleh, there’s no reason to expect any material changes to the scheme since it is the only one that he’s ever coached.

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Personnel changes

The offense struggled with injured players in 2020, so just having a healthy squad will make a tremendous difference. None of the top players are free agents this year other then LT Trent Williams, CB Richard Sherman and DE Solomon Thomas.

The 49ers own the 1.12, 2.11 and 3.39 picks over the first two days of the NFL draft. That 1.12 pick will be the key to the draft. The expectation is that they use that for either a cornerback or edge rusher to replace the potential loss of Sherman and Thomas. There is also a chance that they opt for a quarterback since they should be in striking distance of landing a Top-5 rookie in a quarterback-rich draft.

Despite rumors, the 49ers appear likely to stick with Jimmy Garoppolo as the starting quarterback though he may be grooming his own replacement. The 49ers’ offensive scheme has been very diverse and involves a high number of players. Raheem Mostert and Jeff Wilson should return as the primary running backs but the offense hasn’t produced a top back in years and that won’t change barring a surprising change.

George Kittle returns as the only lock to be a top fantasy option. The 49ers used high draft picks to select Brandon Aiyuk (2020 – 1.25) and Deebo Samuel (2019 – 2.04) but there hasn’t been any wideout to stay healthy, let alone dominate targets.

Fantasy football takeaway

The defense will miss Robert Saleh and it is surprising that the 49ers went with such a young, minimally-experienced defensive coordinator but the roster has plenty of talent and the scheme won’t change.

On offense, the plays are called by Kyle Shanahan so the same complicated and diverse scheme remains in place. Again – player health has to improve after a disaster for 2020. Kittle will continue to be the No. 2 fantasy tight end behind Travis Kelce. But the backfield will remain a mess to rely on with Raheem Mostert, Jeff Wilson and Jerick McKinnon set to return and may be joined by another free agent or draft pick. The backfield will continue to produce well in total, but lack consistency and reliability from the individual backs involved.

The most interesting feature of the offense will be the progress made by Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk as the starting wideouts. Both have flashed big-time ability and yet battled injuries and inconsistent play by the quarterbacks.

The 49ers’ offense needs consistency by the quarterback. They can have that if Garoppolo stays healthy, but if they draft a quarterback early, then they are setting up for 2022 and an eventual  quarterback change. The scheme remains the same and unfortunately, that’s been almost impossible to rely on individual players outside of Kittle.

49ers officially announce Mike McDaniel and DeMeco Ryans as coordinators

The SF 49ers have replaced defensive coordinator Robert Saleh with DeMeco Ryans and promoted Mike McDaniel to offensive coordinator.

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The San Francisco 49ers coaching staff has undergone a bit of upheaval since defensive coordinator Robert Saleh left the team to become the head coach of the New York Jets.

With Saleh’s departure and a number of other assistants going with him, including passing game coordinator Mike LaFleur, the 49ers have officially promoted run game coordinator Mike McDaniel to offensive coordinator and inside linebackers coach DeMeco Ryans as defensive coordinator.

McDaniel and LaFleur had previously been the highest offensive assistants under head coach Kyle Shanahan, but neither had the title of offensive coordinator until now. McDaniel has been an assistant on staffs with Kyle Shanahan since 2011 when he joined him in Washington.

Ryans has received rave reviews on the defensive staff and seemed destined for a defensive coordinator job in the near future. While the team obviously would love to have Saleh back, Ryans’ reputation as an up-and-coming coaching star makes the loss less worrisome than it could have been

49ers to promote Mike McDaniel to offensive coordinator

The San Francisco 49ers will keep run game coordinator Mike McDaniel by promoting him to offensive coordinator.

The 49ers won’t be losing one of their top offensive assistants this offseason. They’ll retain run game coordinator Mike McDaniel by promoting him to offensive coordinator accordingpromoting him to offensive coordinator according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

San Francisco will already be losing passing game coordinator Mike LaFleur to the Jets where he’ll be head coach Robert Saleh’s offensive coordinator.

McDaniel was a sought after OC candidate in part because of the 49ers’ very good rushing attack, and keeping him without a promotion didn’t appear likely. His move to OC represents a move up in title and perhaps some new responsibilities. However, it’s hard to imagine head coach Kyle Shanahan will hand over play-calling duties.

It’s unclear how the rest of the offensive staff will be filled in or if the club will forego having coordinators for each the run and pass games.

The 49ers will also promote inside linebackers coach DeMeco Ryan’s to defensive coordinator per NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport. Although that move was anticipated quickly following Saleh’s departure.