Football players and coaches come in every season with the main goal of competing for a championship. But if there’s ever a way to bring some extra inspiration, Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel is going to give it a try.
That apparently applies to the specific schedule of coaching staff meetings.
It has been 24 years since the Dolphins last won a playoff game. And despite an impressive start last season, the Dolphins lost, 26-7, to Kansas City in a historically cold wild-card round game at Arrowhead Stadium. McDaniel went into the offseason hoping to drive forward the Dolphins’ goal of breaking that drought. That meant scheduling offseason staff meetings at the 24th minute of an hour just so his coaches don’t forget that it’s been 24 years between playoff wins.
Mike McDaniel is obsessed with achieving success. He’s scheduled every offseason staff meeting to start at the 24th minute of the hour (7:24am, 3:24pm, etc) to constantly remind everyone that it’s been 24 years since Miami has won a playoff game.
He wants this as bad as we do‼️ pic.twitter.com/jeHqxDcn7Y
— King of Phinland🐬👑 (@KingOfPhinland) June 6, 2024
McDaniel said to reporters on Thursday:
“Why not have for half the offseason, you’re trying to have staff meetings at different times during the day … Every staff meeting I put at like 7:24 or 3:24 or 5:24 — the number 24. To you guys, it means nothing. That’s how many years it’s been since this organization has won a playoff game. We are going to hear about it come playoff time. You think? So to me, you do that to empower guys to know what’s coming to understand it, to not run from it.”
It doesn’t get any more Football Guy than that. But as far as motivational tactics go, McDaniel is known to take unique approaches.
Fans had thoughts on the explanation as well.
This was how Twitter/X reacted
I love our coach man let’s run it up this year FINS UP 🐬 https://t.co/7h3AGOzTb1
— Michael French (@FinsMF) June 6, 2024
Playoff wins is the MINIMUM for this season
Anything short of that is a bust https://t.co/01nWSGhO5E
— Andrew Long (@ALonger13) June 6, 2024
Next year will be easier to remember because it’ll be 25 https://t.co/bKUI68dYGH
— go bills!!! whats beane cookin? (@BillsGal419) June 6, 2024
I love my teams head coach https://t.co/flpZUaE7WY
— Joe Hedberg (@JoeInOregon87) June 6, 2024
I love this but it hurts so much.. I was 3 years old the last time Miami won a playoff game. https://t.co/kziJtIoRdg
— Chad Farrell Jr. (@Drexsin_) June 6, 2024
I know its stupid, but this fires me up. https://t.co/1tugGKgZ0f
— 8-8 Forever (@Johnston2424) June 6, 2024