Mike McDaniel defies the mold in almost every conceivable way as an NFL head coach, but that unique brand of leadership is how he got to running the show for the Miami Dolphins.
You won't find a more loquacious football genius than McDaniel, whose always-entertaining press conferences feel more like stand-up comedy than monologues about football-related matters. Nevertheless, McDaniel built his reputation as a schematic mastermind who has earned the utmost respect from players all across the league.
Just when it looked like Miami was no longer buying what McDaniel was selling, the Dolphins rallied from a 1-6 start to surge to 6-7 after Week 14's dominant win over the AFC East rival Jets.