Mike McDaniel admits to throwing ‘temper tantrum’ to block a trade

Dec 11, 2022; Inglewood, California, USA; Miami Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel reacts during the game against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Miami Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel on Sunday confirmed a report claiming he had stepped in to block a trade of one of his key veterans.

McDaniel told reporters that the Dolphins did receive an offer for defensive lineman Calais Campbell prior to the Nov. 5 trade deadline. The team was ready to pull the trigger until McDaniel stepped in and threw what he called an “adult temper tantrum” in front of general manager Chris Grier.

“The offer for compensation for his services was real,” McDaniel said, via Adam Beasley of Pro Football Network. “And I think it wasn’t like it was Chris versus me. … [We] work together and yeah, I may or may not have thrown an adult temper tantrum.

“That’s the tricky thing about Chris’s job. He has to look long-term and short-term at the same time with the best interests of the organization. We rely on each other for things that I need to be on top of and one is the locker room, and what one individual does for the entire team.”

NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported Sunday that the Dolphins had a deal in place to trade Campbell to the Baltimore Ravens for a fifth-round pick, but that McDaniel nixed it. By McDaniel’s retelling, any move involving Campbell was likely to be detrimental to the Dolphins’ locker room. Such a trade would have been seen as Miami giving up on the season, especially since they had just fallen to 2-6 at the time.

McDaniel’s instincts seem to have been correct in this instance. Campbell has two sacks in three games since the deadline, and the Dolphins have won three in a row to at least get themselves back into the playoff picture.