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LOOKING FOR FRIENDSHIP — Even professional athletes and coaches are just like the rest of us.
Before Miami kicked off against the Buffalo Bills Sunday, Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel had a pleasant exchange with the sideline referee. As is coming before NFL games, the official explained in-game protocol, including how to contact the refs for an explanation of a call or similar instance.
McDaniel, known for one of the quickest wits and arguably the driest humor in the No-Fun-League, didn't miss a beat.
"Phenomenal. I'm looking for friendship," McDaniel told the official before his team's 48-20 loss.
"All right, so am I," the official responded through laughter.
The hilarious exchange was caught through McDaniel's mic clip and will air on Tuesday night's "Inside the NFL" on the CW. But more importantly, it allowed two humans to be human — even when fans, coaches and players don't often see their officiating counterparts as such.
"I get it," McDaniel said. "That's why I don't try to meddle as best as I can, because your guy's job is ... I couldn't do it well."
Every Mike McDaniel mic'd up clip is better than the last. 😅
— NFL (@NFL) October 3, 2023
"I'm looking for friendship." (via @NFLFilms) #InsideTheNFL Tuesdays 8/7c on @TheCWpic.twitter.com/ymMYE5cEPG
Then things got real.
"Well look, I couldn't do your job, believe me," the official responded.
Again, McDaniel didn't miss a beat.
"Hey man, at least we made the right choice in professions," he said. "We've got that going for us."
The Dolphins, by the way, are 3-1 on the season. More importantly, McDaniel is becoming a national treasure with his immense dad energy and sprinting from halftime interviews to get to the locker room and address his team.
"He's a little weird," Dolphins star Jalen Ramsey said recently in describing his coach. "We're all weird in our own way. But that's cool, though. ... He's himself all the time. He's not fake."
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