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Mike McDaniel memes, explained: 'Miami-fication' glasses photo shows transformation since being hired in 2022

When Mike McDaniel was hired as the Dolphins' head coach in 2022, his signing was anything but certain.

McDaniel was only 38 at the time and hadn't yet taken the reins of Kyle Shanahan's offense in San Francisco, but his creative offensive mind earned him a chance to lead a franchise. The Dolphins still have a lot of work to do to get where they want to be, but it's clear the team is happy with what it's seen from its head coach over the past two years.

McDaniel apparently likes Miami, too. His fans have been highlighting his transformation from 2022 to 2024 — a “Miami-ification,” you might say — through memes leading up to this season.

Here's a look at the best McDaniel memes and how his gold glasses and shoes sparked them.

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Mike McDaniel Memes

In August, a photo of McDaniel at a press conference during training camp went viral, showing the Dolphins coach looking carefree with sunglasses, grown-out curls and a gold watch that matched his beard.

Here is a selection of some memes:

McDaniel was the focus of a few more memes during his time as coach of the Dolphins, due in part to his hilarious soundbites during press conferences, but also to a clip of him sprinting to the locker room after an in-game interview.

The Dolphins have one of the NFL's craziest coaches, but what they really want is an AFC East title and, ultimately, a deep playoff run. They can take a first step toward those goals with a win over the division rival Bills on Thursday.

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Golden glasses by Mike McDaniel

McDaniel has worn a variety of glasses over the past three years, including the rose-colored lenses that highlighted his meme-worthy appearance in August.

Some of his gold-rimmed glasses attracted particular attention and even led to a funny conversation with a reporter at the end of last season:

Mike McDaniel Shoes

McDaniel's shoes aren't featured in any of the “Miami-fication” memes, but the Dolphins coach is a true sneaker fanatic. He was spotted at a game last season wearing Off-White Air Force 1s, just one example of a few different signature sneakers he's worn in Miami.

McDaniel’s in-game sneaker history is also said to include:

  • Adidas Yeezy
  • Adidas NMD
  • Adidas Alphaedge 4D
  • Nike Air Force 1
  • Custom Nike Air Flight Lites

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Mike McDaniel Salary, Net Worth

McDaniel agreed to a contract extension through the 2028 season in late August. As is often the case with coaches, however, his salary has not been disclosed. This makes it difficult to determine McDaniel's net worth, but it is unlikely to exceed a few million.

McDaniel certainly didn't come from a wealthy background, as he began his career as a ball boy through a wild twist of fate. His NFL story began when he lost his cap at age nine during Broncos practice. A team employee went and replaced the cap, which led to the employee meeting and later beginning a relationship with McDaniel's mother.

One day, McDaniel became a ball boy for the Broncos and worked his way up the NFL career ladder until he became Shanahan's right-hand man in San Francisco before taking the job with the Dolphins.

The contract extension is a great reward for McDaniel, but the pressure on the 41-year-old to lead the franchise to its first playoff victory since 2000 is growing.

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