Read the full transcript from Mike McDaniel's press conference on January 1, 2025.
(Will QB Tua Tagovailoa, today and tomorrow, be a full participant, a limited participant or a non-participant in practice?) – "I guess that would be a limited participant. Today, I'm approaching it as though I think Snoop (Tyler Huntley) is starting today. And obviously, the team it's very easy for us to adjust as the week progresses but I think you have to approach it a certain way and then that's an easy adjustment that we're definitely open-minded to considering our timeline last week."
(Before we go any further, today being the last Wednesday of the regular season, I know it's awards day for you guys, and it is for us too. We give out our Good Guy Award later today and a lot of players got votes but one man stood way taller than the rest. So this is a good opportunity to thank you and the coaching staff and the communications staff, the cafeteria staff for your help this year). – "I appreciate it. I appreciate you guys, the jobs that you have to do, and it's not always easy, but I try to do my best up here and I appreciate you guys caring."
(Anything else on T Terron Armstead? I know that practice is later on today but are you getting more optimistic about his –) – "I'm optimistic that if he's not on the field in the game, it's because he can't. So we'll give him the rest, and he's really focused on the team and doing everything he can. What's cool about 'T-Stead' (Terron Armstead) is that he's done a great job of balancing as a competitor and just doing what he loves to do. The frustrations with injuries could consume somebody, but he's made the team better each and every day and really shows how important the team is and the locker room is because even when things are frustrating – he's frustrated coming out of a game, he in turn, when he does come out of a game, he is locked into every play and then talking to guys between series. It's a big deal to have your captain act like a captain in great times and in tough times. So I'm optimistic just by his nature, his ability to do his job, he will do everything that he can. So I am optimistic in that way and that's why I'm pretty hopeful every time that we have a week where he's working through it and getting some stuff on Friday and then giving it a go. He's one of my favorites."
(DT Zach Sieler was voted team MVP. How would you describe his importance to this roster?) – "He's a captain in more ways than one. He's a captain in how you conduct yourself. You want an example of how to flourish in the National Football League, how to go about the daily process, how to invest in your own game, he is a prime example. But it's not just in how he does stuff, it's how he performs and makes plays each and every week. It's been since I've been here; he continues to find ways to elevate his game which is why he's such an important part of what we do from a football team perspective and in particular, defensively. Some of the stuff that he does allows you to play different coverages. That's a pretty impactful player when your ability to do your job as an interior defensive lineman can give a defensive play caller freedom on non-pass exclusive downs to play all sorts of different things based on his ability to do his job and affect both run and pass. So I can't say enough good things about that guy and he continually lives up to the 'C' on his chest. He starts the season making plays and he ends the season making plays, that's just what he does."
(I'm doing something on the grind and what players go through at this time of the year. We know what QB Tua Tagovailoa goes through and what T Terron Armstead is going through, FB Alec Ingold two years ago with the broken thumb and the cast. What do you see from guys at this time of the year in the NFL trying to make it through the season and get to the playoffs?) – "The season is long and tenuous. Not like trying to generate tears from the audience of, 'oh, how hard you have it,' it's just simply, you're six days a week every week for like six months is basically how it plays out. So in this time, you really get a sense of people's true love for football and team, because you really at this point, to continually be able to produce and invest, it takes more time to recover from a game, more investment. You're on the heels from your six days a week for six months and you're having to add hours to that. So you can't really hide at this point in the season, if you're kind of into football, or you're kind of into the team, it exposes itself pretty quickly. At the same token, you also see guys like Alec Ingold's thumb a couple of years ago was a great example of he was playing – I remember, I think we were in New England and Skylar (Thompson) threw him a pass on accident and he had to dodge it because he only had one hand to catch. I really don't think – I at least know from my perspective, I played high school and college football, but I had no idea what a tall task it is to perform regularly at a high level and really what that investment takes. It separates the parity in talent really across the league, where the guys that can truly have the endurance and the drive to go above and beyond at this point in the season. The more of those players you have, that's how you win in December, January and into February football. Specifically the guys spending the hours in the training room on top of all the meeting time and all the all the other things that are asked of them and their lives, you really have an appreciation for their love. And just as a coach, it makes me have more of an appetite for the hours we keep because you have guys investing, everything's relative, and how many hours they invest on top of what you sacrifice ever week and Sunday. It's inspiring and really makes me lash myself for feeling tired, to be honest. We have a lot of those guys, and that's the only way you dig yourself out of a hole in a season, is all those types of people coming through when it matters most."
(Have you had a few quarterbacks since you started your coaching career with the ability to extend plays that QB Tyler 'Snoop' Huntley has?) – "Well, let's go back in the Rolodex. I think 2012, Robert Griffin III was the Rookie of the Year. He extended some plays and was fast while doing it. He comes to mind just in terms of really making – it has an effect on defensive play callers. One thing that you don't see as much when guys are able to extend plays and then convert third downs on the ground on an extended play, you don't see two-man nearly as much because you have to account for the quarterback or you see some more spot-drop zones. And it's also as a coach, you learn to adjust for that playmaking style – distribute eligibles in a certain way and then also embrace the out-of-timing of a play. I think that's something that Tua (Tagovailoa) has developed in his game. He's made a lot of plays off-schedule and so you just get used to that being a really shining spot in their game and embracing that and trying to lean into that when appropriate because it's an effective tool and something that's really hard to defend."
(Does QB Tyler Huntley have a green light to steal third base whenever he wants? You know what I mean – takeoffs, spin moves, whatever he's got to do.) – "I don't like, just in general, I don't like quarterbacks trying to be running backs 100 percent. So there's a time and place to be aggressive for yardage, but you still have to distribute the ball each and every play to all your other teammates and make a lot of decisions so you have to protect yourself. But he knows that I positively reinforce all plays that are made, so if he sees something and is aggressive to it, generally I'm supporting that because he does that in the right times. But I think he's done a great job working in the timing of our offense and then when maybe a throw is at risk of a turnover or it just doesn't feel right to him, he's done a good job not hesitating and utilizing his full skillset."
(QB Tyler Huntley's demeanor – he never seems to get rattled and he's always, you see him on the sidelines, when things are going well, he's smiling, he's happy. Is that the right quarterback to have right now in this situation that you are in?) – "I think it's very appropriate because you could make the opportunity into something that is stressful or burdensome and it shouldn't be. He's prepared a lot. There's been a lot of preparation that went into that Cleveland Browns game, I'll tell you that, and so he should be confident in his skills and he is. I think that was something that was pretty evident and obvious, how he boldly took control of the huddle being a couple weeks in earlier in the season. That was one of the things that really, really stood out. There's an 'it' factor you talk about with quarterbacks where you can galvanize and get people to believe that they're safe to or primed to have success with him leading. So I think he absolutely fits the bill for the timing of his ascension into playing and I think it helps him a lot in terms of dealing with the unknown as well where you don't overthink whether or not – last week he didn't overthink whether or not he was playing, he prepares as though he's going to play and as a result, he's prepared when he plays. And I think that's not easy for everyone, I think some people need to know exactly, 'OK, how's this week going to look?' And when you're dealing with injuries at times, you don't have a road map, and that hasn't made him worse. He's flourished in the unknown and just taken care of what he can control and is prepared each and every day which is what his teammates definitely regard and respect."
(As you guys get ready for the Jets, the regular season finale, what are you looking forward to with this week knowing that this group of players, you guys still have a chance and they're still buying in, they're still ready to hopefully control what they can control?) – "First and foremost, I was excited for my first Jets question. I love it and that's because as coaches and this team, that's where our focus has been firmly on. I just really like the way that our football has progressed during the season, and this game is another opportunity to put our best foot forward. We absolutely have an opportunity to play in the playoffs and we know that our part of the bargain, that opportunity does not exist unless we take care of it. There's so many good players with reasons to play and put together a great game for the Jets that they really require all of our attention and focus because that's our objective and that's what we can control. You're excited for the opportunity to play in 2025 and I think our team is in a very positive – you wouldn't know they've been listening to me for six months straight. They are pretty eager to go practice today, and I can tell that they feel that they have some more football to play and they want to do everything that they can control to make sure that opportunity is taken advantage of, if given."
