Read the full transcript from Head Coach Mike McDaniel's press conference on September 3, 2025.
Q: You gave a good comprehensive answer right after the season about the drop in passing plays of 20-plus yards or more. You mentioned, we have to take advantage of what defenses are not taking away. So obviously a lot of the vertical passing game is execution. That being said, how much schematically can you do to get that part of your game, which was so key 2022 and 2023, back in your game? How much time did you spend thinking about that and working on that this offseason?)
"Specifically – you can tweet this to the opponents – we haven't worked on it at all and I don't plan on doing anything down the field. I think all things – what is still true is that plays don't stand alone and a lot of times vertical passing game has to do with your pockets, your run game, things that have to be on point. Specifically when you walk into the stadium, defenses are ready to prepare (for) your speed and prepared to defend it and make you earn it. So there's a lot of execution that goes into it. What we do know is that until we threaten people in different ways, that they'll try to take that away, so much of our focus has been both on those throws that you crave, as well as every other aspect of the game because our team likes faster drives and shorter drives, as well, that equal points. I think it's all related but not exclusive to that down the field passing, because you have to control the line of scrimmage and give guys a reason to defend space that's lower or closer to the line of scrimmage, and when you do that, things will open up."
Q: On that front, we heard from LB Jordyn Brooks that WR Tyreek Hill was catching touchdowns at Monday's practice. How have you seen him coming off from the oblique and also how have you seen the rebuilding of the chemistry going with QB Tua Tagovailoa?) – "I think really overall what can be said about any of our leaders and how they're communicating expectations and then how people are more invested toward each other, you can exemplify that by Tyreek Hill's ownership of his job and his commitment to his teammates, so as we kind of forecasted, that extra investment helps guys be a little more connected specifically the way they need to be. There's been a lot of growth across the board. I think the captains and the leadership council – there hasn't been a day that they've allowed to go by that – the standard is that you focus on that day and practice means something different to our guys now. I think it's more meaningful. There's a closer intensity to that of a game which is the whole point and I think there's been growth from Tyreek and Tua (Tagovailoa) to our center with a rookie guard or a new person on our team. You can talk 'T. Dot' (Tyrel Dodson) and Jordyn Brooks. There's a lot of connectivity in that. In a team sport where 11 people are in charge of one result, it's super important that they're connected and all the things that they've done I think have been a positive investment."
Q: So his oblique is coming along well?
"Yes, it is. You couldn't tell that he had a fresh oblique? (laughter) I think the process has been very good where there has been – as we've talked about – there's opportunity on the other side of the adversity of him not playing where our offense is distributing the ball in different ways and forcing execution in other ways. Well, as long as the player who's out is preparing on the heels of really, really good technical work, he can come back and not only be healthy but be better-suited to do his job. I think Tua (Tagovailoa) put on a clinic last year after he got hurt. When he came back for Arizona and Buffalo, he played his best football putting forth, from a captain's position, what it looks like to be out but still be in. So today – like several guys – we are managing that ramp up where you'll probably see him in team but you won't see him in indy. That is calculated because his indy is so good that he's going to do indy in team and that's the same for a couple guys that we are ramping up for Week 1."
Q: How much on maybe a personal level do you enjoy the transition from training camp to now the chess match of game planning?
"I think every year it's exciting for different reasons. This particular year, the game planning for Week 1, there's always the problems that the opponent presents specifically like the Colts and what I've talked about what Lou (Anarumo) does, is challenging. But when you're game planning through the technique and fundamentals of your players and you know what it is, it is fun to get into the routine of the specific assignments that you're going to ask guys to do against their specific opponents. I think it's actually on the heels of probably the last two weeks of training camp. It is a sigh of relief for the players in some way, shape or form because you have the whole playbook at your disposal for once you guys past like, Day 9, of training camp and you don't know what's coming and you're responsible for rules, game plans – you get kind of tightened down to what you need to focus on and that's always fun. Week 1 is always fun because have you guys ever noticed that the results don't match preseason predictions? That's because a bunch of people working in the offseason. It's fun to see how that shapes out Week 1 specifically."
Q: Will TE Darren Waller be one of those guys that kind of ramps up in practice with no limitations this week? And I guess as a follow up, when you guys first brought him in, how prominent of a role did you envision him having in the offense?
"The first question, we're being very intentional with how we practice with Darren (Waller) to do right by the Dolphins and do right by him. We have not pressed the threshold of three days consecutive intentionally. Tomorrow's practice is third down followed by the red zone emphasis, so it was intentional for him. You won't see him today, but that's not because of a setback. I think kind of along the lines of the conversation about 'Reek,' (Tyreek Hill) I've been fortunate enough to be in the NFL a long time and as a result, I've found there's been multiple different ways for players at different positions to impact the game. The intentionality of bringing Darren here was real, but we're also working through the process of playing good football, not depending on Darren. So what does that mean? That means just like the situation with Tyreek Hill where him not being on the field allows for other evaluation and growth of the team, although you don't perceive it immediately as ideal, there's good residuals and Darren is the exact same way. I think in that, there's stuff that we're working on that we feel very comfortable with and while he adds a significant value to our team, I think our team feels very strong as we've practiced without him, so he's a residual gain to coaches and players. As we work through that and his assimilation back into professional football from the sofa, he's done a great job protecting what we need him to protect, which is challenge himself to not put himself in harm's way with overcooking. Fast guys love to show how fast they are, and you're trying to have a long season vision. He's very locked into the gameplan, and we're only going to use him as a blocker so make sure you tell the Colts that."
Q: You have quite a few rookies who stand to have a pretty good impact on this game if they perform well. What sort of message do you give them in terms of managing their emotions, the welcome to the NFL moment, all the things that go into a rookie's first NFL game?
"Well Week 1 is challenging for veterans, so my message has been to the veterans they're on double duty for you need to go to the game and channel all of the things that we've focused on and play football, and they need to set the example for the rookies because the rookies have – on top of that – it's their first NFL game, not just of the year, with a packed stadium that is only cheering when the result doesn't fall in your favor. That's a different atmosphere. We were very intentional by the guys that we brought here that we thought there might be an opportunity to earn significant playing time or a starting role and we did that for a reason. That being said, I don't really put it on the rookies for the rookies to just assimilate into the National Football League. There's a standard that needs to be set and veterans have that much more on their plate with regard to how and what they focus on when you're preparing for an opponent. Unfortunately guys, it's not anything that you guys write or where it's at, it's about our jobs as they relate to each other in executing to a standard that we've created within this locker room and put forth on the practice field each and every day."
Q: I wanted to ask about a specific rookie, RB Ollie Gordon II, just what are your goals for him this season? I was doing some research and I saw that all the Doak Walker award winners of the last decade, if they played one game have at least 900 yards in one season. So I'm just curious what you're–
"Oh man, my street smarts. This smells like a fantasy football question. (laughter) I appreciate your creative nature. I'm employed by the National Football League, so I'm not against fantasy football and I apologize to anybody out there who I'm not helping their team, but Ollie Gordon II is a rookie who's doing a great job, and who knows how much he'll get used? It probably won't be an intentional – I know he'll have zero plays or all the plays, zero yards or all the yards, or somewhere in between."
Q: I'm wondering how much offensive carryover there will be from last year's game with both these teams considering you've got key players, they've got a new tight end, you've both got new quarterbacks, you've got new guards. I don't think RB Jonathan Taylor played last year. How much will last year's film help scouting for this game?
"Scouting, I think it helps players to know individual opponent a little bit relative to, 'OK, I played against that guy.' There are a lot of moving parts to it. It's a very different team from our standpoint, the Miami Dolphins, as I'm sure it's very different for the Indianapolis Colts. Both teams are trying to grow and you have different players in the mix to try to institute that or facilitate that. We did play a game last year in Indianapolis and I think that's probably where the carryover stops. It's a funny thing, but it boils down to the same thing that I've been talking about all offseason. It's a 45% roster turnover across the league. Not that I'm undercutting predictions, but I find it hard to predict – that's why Week 1 is so fun. If you're trying to stand on last year's business, you're probably going to get a rude awakening, some humility and have to go back to the drawing board because the NFL reminds you it's all about what you're doing today and you can't rely on yesterday's work for today's output."
Q: Speaking of just the output, I'm curious with it being game week, how much of a heightened feel or sense of things do you think the players have this week versus training camp being that it is finally Week 1?
"You don't get into football to practice and meet. Although my meetings are great and very fun, and hopefully there is a lot of information and things gathered from those and practices and building camaraderie, but you do it for these moments. There are 17 known opportunities a year and they are all very, very special. To say that there is not an energy of excitement, I mean you get to play a game for four quarters that you prepared for a lot. That being said, I'm hoping to have as minimal of an adjustment from our current pulse or resting operation; our standard if done right is closer to that of a game and a game week, the practice energy, the way we play football hopefully is as close to a regular season practice week and the game as possible. But there is nothing that replicates 17 opportunities for 160 plays that end up in a black and white win or loss. It is an energy and it's the dream. Recognizing that is on our fingertips is very exciting, but hopefully each and every player and coach is solely worried about today, because as you guys have heard me spew before, you can win games on Sunday on Wednesday. That's the biggest thing is what we're trying to do is focus on football and making sure that our standard is upheld or increased, and nothing in the opposite direction. I'll be excited for Thursday, then Friday, Saturday, and Sunday."
Q: Now that we can finally ask you about another team's players in a game, the Colts obviously have a new starting quarterback under center. QB Daniel Jones has a lot of tape with the Giants, I don't know if he actually played in Minnesota. But what do you expect him to bring to this Colts offense considering it's really the first time we'll get to see him?
"I think you're expecting to see someone's best. Any time you have a guy go – nothing was handed to him, he earned his job. You know on the horizon you're going to get his best foot forward. They're excited to do things tailored to his skill set, I'm sure, and some things we've seen him do, some things we haven't seen him do. That's part of the deal. I think the biggest thing is there's a certain amount of conviction that a person brings towards his game when he's gone into a situation where it's a competition, he's earned the job. Just earning the job creates confidence. I'm expecting to see the best version that I've seen. The only thing stopping him from being the best player on the field is the 11 people he's going against. We have a tough job in front of us, but one I think that guys are excited about because of the challenges he presents in this game."
Q: When it comes to K Riley Patterson, obviously K Jason Sanders you were very comfortable with him, you knew him very well. With Riley, do you rely more on Special Teams Coordinator Craig Aukerman or do you go on what you've seen from him, feel? How is that going to work out? What's the dynamic?
"I think everything that I've seen of him thus far, he's given me no reason not to fully entrust. That's why he has the job. 'Auk,' (Craig Aukerman), Jake (Bailey), Joe (Cardona) and really the whole team has made sure that he doesn't feel like he's anything (less) than one of the 48. In those situations where you have a guy come to your team, you never make his team to save. He's here to do his job. He's done his job outstanding since he's been here, so it's exciting for him to have the opportunity. Albeit at Jason's (Sanders) expense, it is still an NFL opportunity that he is very much deserving of and we feel very confident in everything he's done with us thus far."
