Second-year Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel will never forget his first practice working for new Texans coach Gary Kubiak in 2006.
A year earlier, McDaniel had started his coaching career as an unpaid intern under Denver coach Mike Shanahan. Kubiak was the Broncos’ offensive coordinator. When Kubiak returned to his hometown for his first head coaching job, McDaniel was part of his staff. In that draft, the Texans used a second-round draft choice on Alabama linebacker DeMeco Ryans.
“I think the first practice I’ve ever had as a coach (where) I was paid was DeMeco’s first practice,” McDaniel said Wednesday when the Texans and Dolphins had the first of two joint practices at Houston Methodist Training Center. “It’s really cool to see him where he's at. It doesn't surprise me in the least.
“He’s one of those guys that was a veteran the second he walked into the locker room and has really held himself to a high standard. He's held himself to a head coach-type scrutiny his whole career. I can't say enough good things about him.”
Ryans and McDaniel were reunited with the 49ers in 2017. Kyle Shanahan, who spent four years working under Kubiak with the Texans, hired Ryans and McDaniel when he got his first head coaching job. McDaniel was the run-game coordinator and offensive coordinator before the Dolphins hired him last year. Ryans worked in defensive quality control and coached inside linebackers before being promoted to defensive coordinator in 2021.
“He's one of the best coaches I have been around and one of my favorite people,” McDaniel said about Ryans. “I'm really excited to see his team take on his personality, which I know is the mindset of a winner, the mindset of a competitor. And he's all about maximizing a player's talent. He has that classic balance of he's such a well-intentioned, nice guy you gravitate toward on a personal level. But then he has a fire I think players can really relate to and respond to.
“He's had leadership in his blood from the day we saw him as a 22-year-old. Then to watch right alongside him (his) progress in the coaching field – it didn't surprise me. It was so impressive (But) I'd be at a loss to say I expected it. I think he's exceeded expectations in everything he's done. And I think the Houston Texans are very lucky to have him."
McDaniel wouldn’t trade his three seasons in Houston, working for Kubiak and watching Ryans develop into one of the NFL’s best linebackers.
"It's a huge part of the journey to be a part of Gary Kubiak's staff,” McDaniel said. “To get my first taste of working in a position group, the receiver room, to have Andre Johnson as a 25-year-old. I had to quickly learn something to offer him as far as value of coaching. I had to know what I was talking about really quick because you choose your words wisely, and if you don't have anything to offer Andre Johnson, stop wasting his time.
“That got my start real fast, and it’ll always have a place in my heart. It's the first place I lived right after college. And that journey has highs and lows, but it's always rooted in the place where you started.”
McDaniel also worked with the Texans’ first-year offensive coordinator, Bobby Slowik, for three years at Washington with Mike and Kyle Shanahan and for five years at San Francisco. Slowik’s father, Bob, and his older brother, Ryan, were on Denver’s staff in 2005 when McDaniel was an intern. Ryan Slowik coaches outside linebackers for the Dolphins.
“The Slowik family has been near and dear to my heart,” McDaniel said. “I got the chance to work with Bobby in Washington, where he started, like we all do, on the ground floor and worked his way up to outside linebackers. Then I got a chance to work with him again in San Francisco and was part of the crew with myself and (Kyle) Shanahan and (Mike) LaFleur -- training him when he came to offense.
“He's a true coach, a true student of the game. I think it's incredibly advantageous that he spent time working on the (defensive) side of the ball. That really helps shape your mind in how to be an offensive coordinator.”
Talking about Ryans and Slowik, McDaniel said, "They're very deserving of both roles they have. We all learn from each other.
“We’re all aided by our peers, watching them go through their process. I think we're all tools for each other. In a way, we helped each other get here. I still learn from DeMeco and Bobby from afar. I think we have a cool relationship that way and truly root for each other's success."
Ryans joined in the coaching lovefest, describing their relationship and their backgrounds in Houston and Santa Clara, Calif.
“Our offices were right next to each other, so I spent a lot of time with him,” Ryans said about McDaniel. “One thing I know about McDaniel is he’s the first guy in the building. He’s always grinding on tape, always looking for different ways to try different runs and attack in a different manner.
“Working with Mike, he’s like in his black hole. He’s quiet, not a lot of people going in (and) messing with him. His office was dark, and the film was running. And I see the wheels are turning, ‘What motion can I do to run the same play?’ He’s always thinking, forward-thinking in the way he approaches the game, the way he watches film and the way he teaches. His players love playing for him. It’s fun that a guy can be himself and still lead a team the way he does. It’s worked out great for him in Miami. I’m proud of Mike and the position he’s in.”
Looking back at his three years with McDaniel in Houston, Ryans said, “He was a young assistant and kind of tied with coach Kyle Shanahan and doing anything that was asked of him. I think working hand-in-hand with coach Kubiak and Kyle and the offense -- that’s where he cut his teeth and learned this offense.
“He’s a tremendous coach, brings great energy to this team. These guys are prepared. He’s always looking to push the envelope as far as how offense is (played). He’s not just going to do it how it’s always been (done). He’s always looking to gain an edge, always on the cutting-edge side of things.”
Because of their familiarity with each other and how they play offense and defense, joint practices seemed like a natural occurrence.
“We scripted a pretty good portion of practice,” Ryans said. “There were things they wanted to work on offensively (and) things we wanted to work on. At the end, we allowed for unscripted periods, so we were able to get the best of both worlds.”
Practice ended with safety Jalen Pitre’s pick-six running down the right sideline after intercepting Tua Tagovailoa. The defensive players celebrated in the end zone.
“It’s fun always to go against Mike because he’s going to prepare you for things you’d probably never see from other teams, so it’s very challenging,” Ryans said. “That’s why I wanted the opportunity to practice against him.”
Ryans, McDaniel and their coaches and players will have another practice Thursday when they take another step closer to their preseason game Saturday at NRG Stadium.
(John McClain can be heard Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday on Sports Radio 610 and before every practice during training camp on Texans Radio. He also writes three columns a week and does two Houtopia Football Podcasts for SportsRadio610.com.)
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