Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel will just so happen to coach against his former co-worker and friend when Miami takes on the Washington Commanders on Sunday. Commanders head coach Dan Quinn and McDaniel worked alongside one another on the Atlanta Falcons’ staff years ago, and it seems as if the former is at least partly responsible for the latter overcoming his alcohol issue.
McDaniel said that Quinn helped him become sober and he’s “forever indebted” to the 55-year-old for that very reason.
“Dan Quinn holds a special place in my heart and my career,” McDaniel said. “I think he was there at ground zero when I became sober and supported me and gave me the opportunity to continue what I love to do. So for that, I’ll be forever indebted to him.
“I think it speaks to the type of leader he is—I know he really touches every player he coaches from a true, authentic standpoint. I think the Commanders are very fortunate to have him.”
Quinn was allegedly one of three former Falcons coaches who together sat McDaniel down back in early 2016 and said they thought he was drinking all too frequently. That conversation happened after McDaniel was let go from his job as an offensive assistant with the Houston Texans in part because of his habit of consuming alcohol.
Supposedly, ever since the trio of coaches sat him down, McDaniel has been sober.
While the Dolphins have gone through easily their most trying season of the McDaniel era in the 2025 campaign, the level at which they’ve played lately has given fans some hope that they can maybe turn around their season.
After Miami dropped all but one of its first seven contests, the team has a 2-1 record since then and put together dominant victories over the Falcons and even Buffalo Bills of late. The Dolphins snapped their seven-game losing streak against the Bills with their 30-13 victory on Nov. 9.
For the sake of his job security, McDaniel is likely hoping that Miami can overcome the odds to get back in the playoff race. His Miami future might hinge on whether the team can accomplish that feat, as the squad is trending towards its second consecutive losing season. The Dolphins underperformed back in the 2024 season as well and ended up with an 8-9 record.
A win for McDaniel against Quinn’s Commanders would be a step in the right direction towards the Dolphins getting themselves back in the mix for a playoff spot, and hopefully they can do just that.
