HOUSTON — Miami Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel’s ties to Houston Texans coach DeMeco Ryans go back much further than their time together on the San Francisco 49ers coaching staff over several recent years.
And their memories made together began in the city that has reunited them this week with the Texans hosting the Dolphins for a pair of joint practices ahead of Saturday’s preseason game at NRG Stadium.
In 2006, when McDaniel had his first true coaching job in the NFL following an internship with his hometown Denver Broncos the year before, Ryans was a rookie linebacker for the Texans.
As Ryans had a 10-year playing career between the Texans and Philadelphia Eagles, McDaniel went through a football coaching tour across the country in various offensive roles.
Once the two arrived in San Francisco in 2017, they rose quickly through the coaching ranks under Kyle Shanahan — with McDaniel becoming offensive coordinator and Ryans defensive coordinator in 2021. The next season, McDaniel got the head role in Miami, and now, Ryans gets his head coaching start back with the organization that drafted him out of Alabama 17 years ago.
“The first practice that I’ve ever had a coach that I was paid was DeMeco’s first practice as a player in the National Football League in 2006,” McDaniel said Wednesday ahead of the first of two joint practices. “So it is really cool to see him where he’s at. It doesn’t surprise me in the least. I mean, shoot, that day where our journeys were beginning, so to speak, he was with the first group as a starting Mike linebacker as a second-round draft pick.
“He’s one of the best coaches I have been around and one of my favorite people. I’m really excited to see his team take on his personality, which I know is the mindset of a winner, the mindset of a competitor. And he’s all about maximizing players’ talent, which is something that I firmly believe in and we hold in step.”
Said Ryans of McDaniel: “I’m proud of Mike and the position that he’s able to be in now. He’s a tremendous young coach, brings great energy to his team. His guys are prepared.
“He’s always looking to push the envelope as far as how offenses are run. He’s not just going to do it how it’s always been. He’s always looking to gain an edge, always on the cutting edge.”
Ryans’ defense had two pick-sixes against Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa in Wednesday’s first joint session, but McDaniel’s Miami offense also had plenty going his way, especially with star receiver Tyreek Hill seemingly open at will. McDaniel knew he was in for competitive coaching this week.
“He’s such a well-intentioned, nice, really a guy that you gravitate towards, on a personal level,” McDaniel said of Ryans. “But then has a fire that I think players can really, really relate to and respond to. He’s had leadership in his blood from the day we saw him as a 22-year-old, and then to watch him progress in the coaching field right alongside him, it didn’t surprise me.”
Houston itself is important to McDaniel in his early development that eventually led him to the helm of an NFL franchise, and another Miami-Houston connection was at the forefront of it, as McDaniel coached former Hurricanes standout receiver Andre Johnson.
“It’s a huge part of the journey,” he said. “To get my first taste of working in a position group, the receiver room, to have Andre Johnson as a 25-year-old — I had to quickly learn something to offer him as far as value of coaching. I had to know what I was talking about really quick. Because you choose your words wisely, and if you don’t have anything to offer Andre Johnson, stop wasting his time. So that got my start real fast, and it will always have a place in my heart.”
McDaniel, this week, is also is opposite Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik, whom he worked with in Washington and San Francisco. Dolphins outside linebackers coach Ryan Slowik is Bobby Slowik’s brother.
The Shanahan coaching tree runs deep this week in Houston after two joint practices ahead of Saturday’s preseason exhibition.
