Mike McDaniel spent five seasons on the San Francisco 49ers coaching staff before leaving to become the head coach of the Miami Dolphins in 2022. This season has been disappointing for both teams, as they enter Week 16's interconference matchup with identical 6-8 records.
Despite the struggles, McDaniel isn't underestimating the 49ers. Drawing on his experience with the team and familiarity with its core group of players, he expects San Francisco to give its best effort on Sunday at Hard Rock Stadium as they look to finish the 2024 season strong.
"The NFL is hard," McDaniel told reporters on Wednesday (h/t Tristi Rodriguez of NBC Sports Bay Area). "The success breeds tough times ahead because when you're a good team, especially for as long as the San Francisco 49ers have been, there's not one team that lines up on Sunday and takes them lightly. It's a litmus test of sorts for every team you play."
Injuries have been a significant obstacle for the 49ers this season, with several key players sidelined. The team will likely be down to its fifth running back against the Dolphins. However, McDaniel emphasizes that no one is making excuses ahead of this matchup.
"Every team has different sorts of injuries," McDaniel explained. "And you have different sorts of consequences because of those injuries. I know one thing about the San Francisco 49ers, having worked there for five years, knowing the coaching staff and a good amount of the core of players there. It's a very, very prideful team in playing good football."
McDaniel recognizes the challenges of maintaining success in the NFL, but he also understands that the teams that push through adversity are the ones that typically emerge stronger.
"Do you let things define you or do you take from things so that you can further define the future?" McDaniel said. "I think they're certainly frustrated, as we are. It's been a trying year. But in no way shape or form do I expect anything but their best.
"Ultimately, just knowing the quality of people, they'll get through it and find a way to make their best version of themselves moving forward."
The 49ers are currently favored by one point in the game, a shift from the Dolphins' one-point advantage on Wednesday.