The Miami Dolphins have unveiled Mike McDaniel as the successor to sacked head coach Brian Flores. The 38-year-old was the offensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers last season. He is only the fourth National Football League (NFL) head coach to belong to a minority group.
McDaniel defines himself as multi-ethnic. He succeeds Flores, who was fired by the Dolphins and subsequently filed a racial discrimination lawsuit against the NFL. The league is made up of 32 teams, but alongside McDaniel there are only three other minority head coaches in Mike Tomlin (Pittsburgh Steelers), Robert Saleh (New York Jets) and Ron Rivera (Washington Commanders).
The 49ers receive two third-round draft picks under the “Rooney Rule” as compensation for training a minority assistant. McDaniel has been under contract at San Francisco for the past five seasons.
Last Tuesday, Flores sued the NFL, the Dolphins, the New York Giants and the Denver Broncos, where he was a candidate. The league is “in a way racially segregated and run like a plantation,” the indictment said: “The 32 team owners – none of them black – benefit significantly from the work of the NFL players, 70 percent of whom are black. ” The NFL initially defended itself against the allegations.