Dolphins’ McDaniel mourns exits of legends Belichick, Saban, Carroll
MIAMI GARDENS — Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel paid tribute to Bill Belichick on Thursday, saying he is “mourning” the exit of the New England Patriots’ coach as well as Alabama’s Nick Saban and Seattle’s Pete Carroll.
“It’s really mixed emotions, I would say,” McDaniel said. “I’m more kind of just kind of taken aback by that in conjunction with coach Saban and Pete Carroll (also leaving this week). They have as much responsibility to what the game is right now as anybody that’s around. I have so much respect and regard for being able to do what they’ve done for that amount of time.”
Belichick was with the Patriots for 24 years, Saban at Alabama for 17 and Carroll with Seattle for 14. McDaniel, by comparison, is in only his second year as a head coach.
“I have a very close, firsthand experience on what it means, the sacrifice it takes, to do this job,” McDaniel said. “That it is a sacrifice, such a blessing, such an opportunity. But, you know, you really have to pour yourself into it. And when you do that for a quarter century, yeah, I have (that perspective).
“I can’t say enough positive words about coach Belichick and I lump coach Carroll and Nick Saban in there because it feels the same way.
“It’s a reminder to me that you know — I’m just going to be candid — that Father Time’s a (jerk), you know? Really, not a nice guy. But it’s real and it reminds you that everything is finite.”
McDaniel then joked, “He’s been at the chair for 24 years in one organization. And it wasn’t because of entertaining press conferences.”
Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who won a national championship with Saban at Alabama, called himself fortunate to have played under him.
“Very, very, very, very grateful to have been able to play under Nick Saban,” Tagovailoa said. “Obviously, I don’t know how he was able to find someone like me all the way in Hawaii, being in all the way out there in Alabama. So for me to have gotten that opportunity, I wouldn’t be here if I hadn’t had that opportunity. Obviously we know how that journey went.
“But there’s a lot of things that he’s helped me with and I’m very grateful, on and off the field. And he will be missed.”
Tagovailoa said he hadn’t yet had an opportunity to speak with Saban amid what he is certain are calls and texts flooding into his former coach’s phone. As for the future at his alma mater?
“We’ll have to see what that looks like,” Tagovailoa said. “Roll, Tide.”
Dolphins reporter Hal Habib can be reached at hhabib@pbpost.com. Follow him on social media @gunnerhal. Click here to subscribe.