Mike McDaniel Threw An ‘Adult Temper Tantrum’ To Stop Dolphins GM From

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PublishedNovember 25, 2024 10:54 AM EST|UpdatedNovember 25, 2024 10:54 AM EST

Mike McDaniel was not letting Calais Campbell go without a fight.

The Miami Dolphins received an offer for the 38-year-old defensive tackle ahead of this season’s trade deadline. In fact, a deal was in place to send Campbell to the Baltimore Ravens, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. But that’s when McDaniel stepped in and threw a “temper tantrum” in front of general manager Chris Grier to stop the trade.

“The offer for compensation for his services was real,” McDaniel said. “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’ 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.”

At the time, the Dolphins were 2-6 with not a lot of hope for a turnaround. But the head coach wasn’t ready to throw in the towel, and McDaniel believed Campbell’s veteran leadership was pivotal for Miami to save its season.

“It speaks to how he’s playing,” McDaniel said. “It speaks to what he means to the team, that teams would be willing to do that, and there was some competition for that. But yeah, my job is to speak on behalf of what’s the best thing for the 2024 Dolphins. I’m just fortunate to work in an organization where myself and the GM can be transparent and work together, and he didn’t want to see any more adult temper tantrums.”

Since then, the Dolphins have been on a tear. They’ve won three in a row and now have a reasonable chance at contending for a Wild Card spot if they keep it up. Campbell has recorded two sacks over the past three games.