National Football League

Shanahan-McDaniel history; Sam Darnold's moment? Schrager's Cheat Sheet

Updated Nov. 30, 2022 4:48 p.m. ET

If it wasn't an enticing enough matchup because of the records and both teams being red-hot, the Dolphins-49ers game on FOX Sunday has a big Thanksgiving family feel to it — even if it's taking place 10 days after the holiday. Going through the Dolphins coaching staff, you'll see more than just a few familiar former 49ers names. Add a handful of players to the list, and there's a real feel of that San Francisco influence.

The Mike McDaniel-Kyle Shanahan connection dwarfs any McVay-LaFleur, any LaFleur-Shanahan and any Shanahan-LaFleur relationship in sheer years having worked together. McDaniel, who I think still is the favorite for NFL Coach of the Year, spent 14 years working under Kyle Shanahan in some capacity, and those jobs ranged from the early years in Houston, to the Shanahan years in Washington, to Cleveland, to the Falcons' Super Bowl run in Atlanta — and to five seasons as the No. 2 on an offense that saw a myriad of quarterbacks, running backs and wide receivers come and go. It also saw two NFC Championship Game appearances and a Super Bowl.

McDaniel's roots to the Shanahan family go even deeper, as he famously grew up a die-hard Broncos fan, attended training camps as a kid and was a Denver ball boy when Mike Shanahan was the coach.

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When McDaniel got the Dolphins job, he quickly assembled his staff. He brought in John Embree, Kyle Shanahan's recently let-go tight ends coach and former assistant head coach in San Francisco, as an initial hire. Wes Welker, the wide receivers coach in San Francisco and a former Dolphin, came too. I remember speaking to McDaniel as he was assembling his staff, and it was a delicate dance of going with the guys he knew, keeping some holdovers from the previous regime and not frustrating Kyle too much by raiding what his former boss had worked so hard to build up. He also tapped into former 49ers players like Mike Person, who'd help the offensive line in an assistant role. Aldrick Robinson, who played in Shanahan/McDaniel offenses in Washington, Atlanta and San Francisco, was hired as an assistant, too.

Then came free agency, where Raheem Mostert — the 49ers running back who gashed the Packers for 220 yards and four touchdowns in the 2019 NFC Championship Game — was one of the prize pieces of the Dolphins' free agent class. At the trade deadline, the Dolphins went back to the 49ers well again, trading for Jeff Wilson, a dynamic running back. The move is already paying dividends.

Kyle Shanahan and Mike McDaniel have coached just about everywhere together, and have done so in a variety of capacities. After 14 years as a tandem, they'll finally go against each other as opponents on Sunday. But it's not one on one. McDaniel's got a whole crew of ex-49ers coming with him.

The Sam Darnold redemption tour

There may be no bigger Sam Darnold fan than me. I thought he was thrown into the fire too soon in New York, had a few rough moments, got Mono, said he saw ghosts and was ridden out of NYC faster than he got there. After a 3-0 start last season for the Panthers, his season went awry, he was benched and the team traded for Baker Mayfield. In Week 12, Darnold started his first game since last year, did so on a bad ankle, and came out firing in a 23-10 win. Am I crazy to think Darnold is allowed to feel some pride and puff his chest out a bit?

Ok, ok. I'll calm down. But the truth is we can look at this in one of two ways. 1) A free agent at the end of the 2022 campaign, the weight of the world and his future career reputation and earnings depend on these next four games. 2) A free agent at the end of the 2022 campaign, there's absolutely nothing to lose and a good stretch can lead him to a QB1 role somewhere.

Sam Darnold talks after the Panthers' 23-10 win over the Broncos

Panthers QB Sam Darnold speaks with Jennifer Hale about the team's victory over the Denver Broncos in Week 12.

And yes, I mean that. If Marcus Mariota and Geno Smith can win starting gigs entering the 2022 campaign, why couldn't Sam Darnold? He looked the part Sunday, competent, confident, and mobile out of the pocket. Darnold is still just 25 years old. Steelers rookie Kenny Pickett is 24. If you consider the mess he was thrown into and ultimately paid the price for in New York, you can safely assume he's seen some stuff. With four games after this weekend's late-season bye, Darnold can make the case for himself as an affordable young veteran QB with some real upside. He can also — with his Panthers just a game back of the division-leading Bucs and 3-1 in the NFC South — find himself as a division-winner if things go Carolina's way.

The 2023 free-agent QB class is shaping up to be pretty darn interesting, after all. Lamar Jackson won't make it there, but others could. Geno Smith is proving to be a legitimate QB1 in this league, Daniel Jones could be on the market, Baker Mayfield still has some ball to play, and if Tom Brady misses the playoffs, it's not inconceivable he delays his retirement to make one more last run at a Super Bowl title. He can pick which team he'd like to play for all over again. Jimmy Garoppolo will be a free agent, too, and Taylor Heinicke, Jacoby Brissett and Cooper Rush could get some serious looks, too. And yet, I am most intrigued by the current QB1 in Carolina.

I'm excited for Darnold's final month of the season. And I don't care if I'm the only one.

BAM!

Lost in all the Mike White hype from Sunday's Jets win was the emergence of undrafted rookie running back Zonovan "Bam" Knight. When recently acquired RB James Robinson was made a healthy scratch before kickoff, observers of the team had a feeling Knight could get a few snaps. No one expected a franchise-record-setting day in his NFL debut. Nicknamed Bam because he used to bang his toys together as a toddler, Knight was a fan favorite in the preseason for his work in the team's three exhibition games. Robert Saleh noted his performance and the former NC State lead back was put on the team's practice squad, where he's been turning heads all season in practice. Sunday, his time came, and Bam delivered. Toting the rock for New York in the rain, Knight gobbled up 103 yards, a franchise record for Jets players making their NFL debuts. After the game, Knight rocked a pretty sick Al Pacino "Scarface" sweater and didn't seem all that surprised with his day.

Michael Carter is currently battling an ankle injury, meaning we can get even more Bam on Sunday versus Minnesota. It's not often a playoff caliber team gets a spark from a rookie in Week 12. Here we are.

Who's the man?

I was curious to see who the leading Pro Bowl Games vote-getter would be when the first release of the initial fan votes came out this week. In my head, the game's biggest stars are Patrick Mahomes, Tom Brady, Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen and either Justin Herbert or Joe Burrow. I failed to realize just how popular Justin Jefferson is. By a fairly large margin, Jefferson is the NFL's leading vote-getter, Mahomes came in second, Travis Kelce is third and Saquon Barkley and Tyreek Hill rounded out the top five. Jefferson's one-handed grabs, historic start to his career and clutch performances all contribute to his immense popularity.

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I went to pick up my six-year-old son at his school in Brooklyn, NY and saw him and his five friends all doing the Griddy down an entire New York City sidewalk. He's got the game, the look, the dance. In a game littered with stars, Jefferson may very well be the most popular player. I'll be honest. I may have underestimated just how great a connection Jefferson has with America's youth.

Stat of the week

In advance of Sunday's 49ers-Dolphins game, this one comes from the fine folks at NFL Research. The all-time single-season leaders in passer rating on third down:

1. Tua Tagovailoa (2022): 145.6

2. Steve Young (1994): 141.2

3. Kurt Warner (1999): 137.3 And yes, Young and Warner won both the regular season and Super Bowl MVPs those seasons.

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