Dolphins elevate WR River Cracraft, S Verone McKinley, McDaniel won’t be fazed by his debut

MIAMI GARDENS — Here’s hoping Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel’s rookie debut as coach Sunday against New England isn’t anything close to linebacker Jerome Baker’s rookie debut.

McDaniel has already had a mental dress rehearsal of sorts. He’s pictured himself during the national anthem, taking in the moment, just as he’s done for every game since 2011.

Aside from that, it’ll be just another football game.

“My role has changed,” McDaniel said, “but I don’t expect my emotions to change because if I got a hint of that I would get really pissed at myself because this is not about me, this is about the Miami Dolphins.”

Expect McDaniel to be chill during pre-game and the game. True to the mentality he’s showed so far, he views himself as a cog in the wheel.

McDaniel said if he approached the game as though it’s a big game it would be straying from his “true beliefs” that says this has nothing to do with him, that he’s part of a team and must execute his job.

Whatever happens with Sunday’s outcome, it better not be anything close to the 2018 opener.

Baker, the Dolphins’ fifth-year linebacker, has an excruciating recollection of his first NFL game.

“I just remember sitting around and waiting and waiting and waiting,” Baker recalled with a smile.

Actually what Baker recalls is waiting to continue playing. Baker’s NFL debut came in the longest game since the 1970 AFL/NFL merger. The Dolphins hosted Tennessee in the 2018 season opener at Hard Rock Stadium, and two lightning delays that totaled three hours and 59

minutes made the game last for seven hours and 18 minutes.

At least the Dolphins defeated the Titans 27-20.

By the way, this is the 11th time the Dolphins open the season with a new coach and they’re 75-81 in those seasons, and they’ve made the playoffs in four of the previous 10, most recently with Adam Gase in 2016.