Mike McDaniel is now fourth head coach from Washington’s notorious staff

Mike McDaniel is the new head coach of the Miami Dolphins. The 38-year old is the fourth member of the 2013 Washington Football Team’s coaching staff to become an NFL head coach.

Thanks to their success as head coaches, many football fans know Kyle Shanahan (San Francisco 49ers), Sean McVay (Los Angeles Rams) and Matt LaFleur (Green Bay Packers) were on that Washington staff. McDaniel was also on that staff.

McDaniel was the wide receivers coach in 2013 for Washington. He joined Washington in 2010 as an offensive assistant. McVay was the tight ends coach and LaFleur was the quarterbacks coach. All served under Shanahan, who was the offensive coordinator.

McDaniel got into the NFL as an intern with the Denver Broncos in 2005. Kyle’s father Mike Shanahan was the head coach there.

A year later, McDaniel became an offensive assistant with the Houston Texans. There, he joined up with Kyle, who was the wide receivers coach.

When Mike Shanahan became Washington’s head coach in 2010, Kyle followed his dad to become the offensive coordinator. McDaniel also followed.

Following the Shanahans’ dismissal from Washington in 2013, McDaniel followed Kyle to the Cleveland Browns as the wide receivers coach in 2014. He did so again with the Atlanta Falcons in 2015, as an offensive assistant while Shanahan was the offensive coordinator. 

They were on the coaching staff that blew a 28-3 lead to Tom Brady and the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LI.

When Shanahan was named head coach of the 49ers, McDaniel followed him once again as the run game coordinator from 2017 until 2020. He was promoted to offensive coordinator for this past season. The 49ers reached their second NFC Championship Game in three seasons this year.

McDaniel will now get his opportunity away from Shanahan. Who would have thought that staff would be sensationalized, as NFL teams seem to be trying to pick up the understudies of Shanahan and McVay.

ANd with good reason. McVay, Shanahan and LaFleur have each reached two NFC Championship games in the past four seasons. McVay will face one of his proteges, Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor in Super BOwl LVI next Sunday. 

McDaniel will hope to accomplish similar success as his three peers. So that in the near future, networks around the league will remind Washington fans of the days the four were on the same staff.