Mike McDaniel addresses practicing with Tom Brady after tampering scandal
Feb 10, 2022; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel speaks during a press conference at Baptist Health Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports
The Miami Dolphins were hit with massive sanctions last week after an NFL investigation determined that they illegally tried to recruit Tom Brady. As luck would have it, the penalties came just before the Dolphins and Tampa Bay Buccaneers were set to hold joint practices. Mike McDaniel insists that is not an issue, however.
McDaniel was asked on Wednesday if it is uncomfortable to scrimmage against Brady a week after the NFL stripped the Dolphins of multiple draft picks, fined the team $1.5 million and suspended owner Stephen Ross. The coach downplayed it.
Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel on the awkwardness of scrimmaging the Bucs a week after the club was sanctioned for tampering with Tom Brady in 2019 and 2021. “For me, nothing happened. Everyone else is making it awkward.”
— Rick Stroud (@NFLSTROUD) August 10, 2022
McDaniel was not with the Dolphins when any of the tampering occurred, so the violations have nothing to do with him. Still, the joint practices have to be at least slightly awkward for some people given the timing.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell described the Dolphins’ tampering violations as “of unprecedented scope and severity.” The investigation determined that they spoke with Brady about joining their franchise both in 2019 when he was with the New England Patriots and again last year. We can’t imagine the Bucs are happy about that, but McDaniel is right that none of it is his problem.
