Erik Spoelstra
Getty
Miami Heat Head Coach Erik Spoelstra sent a message to Mike McDaniel after he was let go by the Miami Dolphins.
The Miami Dolphins became the latest NFL head coaching job to open after firing McDaniel on Thursday, January 8.
Miami Heat Head Coach Erik Spoelstra, who coaches just 14 miles from Hard Rock Stadium, sent a message to McDaniel after hearing the news.
“I feel for Mike and his family,” Spoelstra told Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel. “I’m a fan of his. I really enjoyed our interactions together. Just a really sharp, bright and creative mind. I learned a lot from those interactions. It’s a tough business. It’s a tough day for him, but he’s a talent, so he’ll find his way back somewhere with some organization, and I wish him the best.”
On Halloween in 2023, Spoelstra made headlines in Miami when he decided to dress up as McDaniel.
His sons were dressed up as Dolphins football players and his daughter was dressed up as a Dolphins cheerleader.
Spoelstra has been the head coach of the Heat for 18 seasons, while McDaniel was the Dolphins’ head coach for four seasons. His regular season record was 35-33.
Mike McDaniel Strongly Supported the Miami Heat
Mike McDaniel
GettyMike McDaniel was a strong supporter of the Miami Heat.
Mike McDaniel was a regular attendee at Miami Heat games, often showing his support for the team.
In 2023, the Heat faced the Denver Nuggets in the NBA Finals. Despite McDaniel growing up as a Nuggets fan from Denver, he openly supported the Heat in the series.
“Realistically, when it comes down to it, the stuff that I’ve been able to really get access to with the Heat coaching staff led by Spo (Erik Spoelstra) last summer,” McDaniel said. “Getting to know them, following their journey and getting to know the people you know, I’ve become extremely invested. So I don’t lose any sleep by saying, you know what, Denver Nuggets, why don’t we wait 48 years? Not 47. So that’s kind of where I stand on that.”
“I think from a sports fan perspective, it’s as cool as it gets and I’m excited to see what the Heat can do,” McDaniel added.
The Heat went on to lose the series in five games, but McDaniel’s support of all South Florida sports continued. He also regularly attended games for the Florida Panthers.
Erik Spoelstra was a Believer in the Mike McDaniel Coaching Tenure
Erik Spoelstra
GettyMiami Heat Head Coach Erik Spoelstra is a Miami Dolphins fan and supported Mike McDaniel.
Even before commenting on Mike McDaniel’s firing, Erik Spoelstra was a strong supporter of McDaniel’s.
Following the Dolphins’ 26-7 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the wild-card playoff game two years ago, Spoelstra shared his thoughts on the Dolphins’ season.
“I watched the game last night, probably like a lot of us in South Florida,” Spoelstra said. “They’re building something and you feel that something really good is happening and they’re not skipping steps with it. There’s a lot to be proud of from the season they had, and you definitely get the sense they’ll be able to take another big step forward next year.”
While McDaniel and the Dolphins weren’t able to build off the wild-card game into sustained success, he brought Dolphins fans playoff football, which is not common in Hard Rock Stadium.
McDaniel led the Dolphins to the playoffs in 2022 and 2023, his first two seasons as head coach. Before 2022, the Dolphins had only made the playoffs once in 14 previous seasons.