On Sunday, it will be the first time that an NFL game is played in Spain. It will also be the first time that Miami Dolphins‘ head coach Mike McDaniel and Washington Commanders‘ coach Dan Quinn will face off against one another.
Quinn has meant a lot to McDaniel over the years, dating back to when he helped steer him towards sobriety.
“Dan Quinn holds a special place in my heart and my career,” McDaniel said on Wednesday, per ESPN. “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.”
Mike McDaniel hasn’t had a drink since 2016
McDaniel should be praised for staying sober for nearly 10 years now. It almost destroyed his career and he knew something had to change. ESPN’s Marcel Louis-Jacques writes that McDaniel had to be taken aside for a little tete-a-tete.
“On Jan. 4, 2016, then-Atlanta Falcons coaches Quinn, Kyle Shanahan and Raheem Morris all sat McDaniel down and told him they believed he was drinking too often — an assessment McDaniel said he agrees with,” Louis-Jacques writes. “The conversations came after he was fired from his job as an offensive assistant with the Houston Texans, in part because of his drinking and how it was impacting his performance. He spent 865 days out of the NFL before Shanahan brought him onto his offensive staff with Washington in 2011.”
McDaniel discussed it on HBO’s “Hard Knocks” back in 2023.
“It was that moment that I said, ‘I will never drink again,’” he said.
Quinn says he’s proud of the work Mike McDaniel has done/h2>
On Wednesday, Quinn said that he’s proud of Mike and the work that he put in to turn his life around and straighten himself out.
“For all of us, when there’s an issue, sometimes you don’t want to let someone you’re with know,” Quinn said. “You’re counting on them, they’re counting on you. But leaning in is the biggest strength you can do. In that space, all you want to do is help and give support, and then the real work begins for the person in that spot.
“That’s exactly what Mike did. He said this is what I’m working on and how I’m going to do it, and that’s when the real work begins. Part of the reason I’m so proud of him is this is something that’s happening and this is how I’m going to deal with it, and I’m going to stay connected to that. … It takes a lot of guts to do that, and that’s one of the reasons I’m real proud of him.”
Spanish fans can’t be thrilled about this, but Sunday’s game between the Dolphins (3-7) and Commanders (also 3-7) should be a real barn burner. For those fans here in the United States, you can watch the game on NFL Network.
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