Mike McDaniel: Texans Coach DeMeco Ryans Was 'Unique' Rookie in 2006
Miami Dolphins second-year coach Mike McDaniel may only be 40 years old, but his NFL resume launched a couple of years after this year's draft class was born.
At just 22 years old in 2005, McDaniel was a Denver Broncos coaching intern under coach Mike Shanahan. However, in 2006, he was hired by the Houston Texans as an offensive assistant under coach Gary Kubiak.
Despite having a central focus on the offense, McDaniel couldn't take his eyes off of a rookie linebacker.
"(Texans middle linebacker) DeMeco Ryans was such an impressive dude as a young rookie," McDaniel said during the Dolphins-Texans joint practice on Wednesday. "He was the quarterback of the defense. He had a unique reset after internal combustion when he messed something up...as he'd literally implode and then move onto the next snap."
Ryans, who is now the coach of the Texans, played for them from 2006-2011 and the Philadelphia Eagles from 2012-2014. Ryans was a two-time Pro Bowler and the Defensive Rookie of the Year.
The game McDaniel mainly referred to was against Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts in Ryans' rookie season. The Colts won the Super Bowl later that year, but Ryans led Houston with eight tackles for Indianapolis' fourth-and-final loss.
McDaniel explained how Ryans was a leader from the start of his NFL career and how it's translated while coaching the Texans thus far.
"No news is good news and he's one of those guys," McDaniel said. "He was a veteran the second he walked into the locker room. He's really held himself to a high standard as a player and coach. He scrutinizes his players well, he's fired up and has great head coaching skills."
The Texans will face the Dolphins in Week 2 of the preseason on Aug. 19 at 4 p.m. ET.
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