Miami Dolphins‘ Mike McDaniel is gearing up for a crucial divisional-round game against the Buffalo Bills but the first-year head coach seemed unfazed during a practice session on Wednesday.
McDaniel was seen casually walking through the Dolphins’ facility during warmups sporting a shirt that read “I wish it were colder,” in reference to the winter weather conditions Miami will have to play through in Buffalo on Saturday.
McDaniel, a fan favorite, told reporters during a press conference on Wednesday that mindset will be the biggest factor when considering what the weather will be like on Saturday.
Head coach Mike McDaniel of the Dolphins talks to the media at the Baptist Health Training Complex on June 7, 2022, in Miami Gardens, Florida.
(Joel Auerbach/Getty Images)
“You don’t really prepare for it besides mentally deciding if it’s going to matter to you or not,” McDaniel said, after noting that he’s not “monitoring” weather reports.
“It’s a mindset as well. So to me, you just decide if you’re going to let it factor in or not and then you adjust as best you can. There’s certain things that become harder when there’s moisture or it hits a certain level of frigidness, but the good news is there’s not different atmospheres on both sidelines. So we will be playing the game in the same elements and as a competitor, man for man for our football team; that’s the objective, is that are you going to let the elements matter more to you than them? It is the same field, the same elements, so you just decide mentally how much you’re going to let it affect you.”
Head coach Mike McDaniel of the Miami Dolphins during the Los Angeles Chargers game at SoFi Stadium on Dec. 11, 2022, in Inglewood, California.
(Harry How/Getty Images)
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According to the U.S. National Weather Service Buffalo, a storm system in the area is expected to produce a wintry mix of rain, freezing rain, sleet and snow beginning on Thursday night with heavier snowfall expected on Saturday.
Temperatures for the game are expected to dip into the 20s with the wind chill in the teens.
“It could be snowing. It could rain. I don’t know,” quarterback Tua Tagovailoa told reporters Wednesday.
Tua Tagovailoa of the Dolphins throws a pass against the Cleveland Browns at Hard Rock Stadium on Nov. 13, 2022, in Miami Gardens, Florida.
(Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)
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“I think for me at least, I can speak for myself, it’s a mindset thing. And if I’m too focused and worried about if it’s too cold, can I grab the ball, can I not, then I would say I’m focused on the wrong things. It would be hard to play that way going over there against a really good team.”
The Bills, on the hunt for a third straight AFC East title, will face off against the Dolphins Saturday at 8:15 p.m. ET.
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