Mike McDaniel Roasts Tua for Questioning His Sneakers

Mike McDaniel explained his sneakers to Tua Tagovailoa during a Miami Dolphins game.
Mike McDaniel Roasts Tua for Questioning His Sneakers
Mike McDaniel Roasts Tua for Questioning His Sneakers /
In this story:

Millennials are taking over every sector of the workforce. That includes NFL head coaching positions. Perhaps there is no better representative of my generation than Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel. The 40-year-old knows sneakers better than most coaches know their own offensive systems.

McDaniel's straightforwardness and sense of humor have made him a media darling. Thanks to social media and the HBO series Hard Knocks, we are getting more McDaniel than ever before. This week, a hilarious video of McDaniel defending his sneakers to quarterback Tua Tagovailoa went viral on social media.

In the TikTok video, Tagovailoa can be heard asking McDaniel about his sneakers. Tagovailoa pointed to the tag on McDaniel's Off-White x Nike Air Force 1 sneakers and asked, "What is that for?"

McDaniel incredulously replied, "It's the brand, man. Are you 75 years old?" But Tagovailoa was not the only one wanting answers during the middle of the game. The officials inquired about the sneakers, specifically the tag. McDaniel explained that it came as part of the shoe, and he would lose all "street cred" if he cut it off. 

It is a fair question for non-sneakerheads. However, members of the sneaker community know that McDaniel's sneakers are very rare and pricey. The Off-White x Nike Air Force 1 was released in limited quantities in November 2017 and now goes for upwards of $6,000 on most sneaker resale websites. 

The reason why the kicks are so sought-after is because they were part of a collaboration between the late-great fashion designer Virgil Abloh's Off-White imprint and Nike. The fashion label ushered in a whole era of sneakers sporting a deconstructed look.

The officials most likely do not follow the hottest sneaker releases, and Tagovailoa is an adidas-sponsored athlete who doesn't show love to the Swoosh. But no one can question McDaniel's sneaker acumen or his street credit. Stay locked into FanNationKicks.com for all your sneaker news from the sports world.

Interview: Tua Tagovailoa's heritage inspired his new clothing line.


Published
Pat Benson
PAT BENSON

Pat Benson covers the sneaker industry for Sports Illustrated's FanNation. Previously, he has reported on the NBA, authored "Kobe Bryant's Sneaker History (1996-2020)," and interviewed some of the biggest names in the sports world. You can email him at 1989patbenson@gmail.com.