In 2014, Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel served as the Browns wide receivers coach. Ten years later, McDaniel will return to Cleveland as the Dolphins head coach and take on the Browns at Huntington Bank Field in Week 17.
While his time in Cleveland was short, McDaniel grew fond of Northeast Ohio and the Browns' loyal fanbase.
"Although I was only there for one year, I loved the city. The people there are phenomenal," McDaniel said. "I learned a lot about their fanbase – a very, very committed, cool fanbase. It's a cool stadium to play at."
Week 17 is an important one for the Dolphins, as they are hunting for a spot in the playoffs. The Browns will look to knock Miami out of playoff contention in what is projected to be a rainy Week 17 matchup.
Several Dolphins players and coaches were asked about the weather going into Week 17, and offensive coordinator Frank Smith noted the unpredictability that comes with playing right next to Lake Erie.
"I've been up to Cleveland three times and (all) three times it was different weather," Smith said. "With it being right on the lake – I think in Covid in 2020 when I was with the Raiders, it was sunny, it snowed, it sleeted and it rained all in the same game. But we work all of our preparations for the weather, depending on what it is but it's Cleveland, you never know."
Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa said he spent time during practice throwing wet footballs in preparation for the weather. Tagovailoa, who has 19 passing touchdowns and seven interceptions in 11 games this season, will be traveling to Cleveland for the first time in his five-year career.
Check out photos of the team working to prepare for their game this week against the Miami Dolphins at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 26, 2024.
Defensive tackle Mike Hall Jr. (51) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 26, 2024.
Quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson (17) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 26, 2024.
Linebacker Jordan Hicks (58) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 26, 2024.
Offensive guard Joel Bitonio (75) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 26, 2024.
Safety Rodney McLeod Jr. (12) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 26, 2024.
Defensive end Isaiah McGuire (57) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 26, 2024.
Cornerback Martin Emerson Jr. (23) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 26, 2024.
Wide receiver James Proche II (11) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 26, 2024.
Safety Chris Edmonds (41) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 26, 2024.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 26, 2024.
Cornerback Myles Harden (26) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 26, 2024.
Safety Trey Dean (28) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 26, 2024.
Defensive tackle Jowon Briggs (97) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 26, 2024.
Safety Ronnie Hickman Jr. (33) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 26, 2024.
Safety Chris Edmonds (41) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 26, 2024.
Safety D'Anthony Bell (37) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 26, 2024.
Running Backs Coach Duce Staley during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 26, 2024.
Linebacker Winston Reid (59) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 26, 2024.
Safety Grant Delpit (9) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 26, 2024.
Running back Pierre Strong Jr. (20) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 26, 2024.
Quarterback Jameis Winston (5) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 26, 2024.
Quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson (17) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 26, 2024.
Cornerback Cameron Mitchell (29) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 26, 2024.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 26, 2024.
Running Backs Coach Duce Staley during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 26, 2024.
Wide receiver James Proche II (11) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 26, 2024.
Quarterback Bailey Zappe (2) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 26, 2024.
Running back D'Onta Foreman (27) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 26, 2024.
Offensive tackle Michael Dunn (68) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 26, 2024.
Wide receiver Elijah Moore (8) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 26, 2024.
Tight end Tre' McKitty (87) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 26, 2024.
Running back D'Onta Foreman (27) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 26, 2024.
Kicker Andre Szmyt (10) and Kicker Dustin Hopkins (7) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 26, 2024.
Offensive guard Zak Zinter (70) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 26, 2024.
Quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson (17) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 26, 2024.
Offensive guard Germain Ifedi (65) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 26, 2024.
Kicker Andre Szmyt (10) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 26, 2024.
Tight end Tre' McKitty (87) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 26, 2024.
Head Coach Kevin Stefanski during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 26, 2024.
Offensive Line Coach Andy Dickerson during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 26, 2024.
Running back Jacob Kibodi (36) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 26, 2024.
Center Ethan Pocic (55) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 26, 2024.
Cornerback Martin Emerson Jr. (23) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 26, 2024.
Offensive tackle Lorenzo Thompson (69) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 26, 2024.
Safety Grant Delpit (9) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 26, 2024.
Cornerback Mike Ford Jr. (31) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 26, 2024.
Running back Jacob Kibodi (36) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 26, 2024.
Kicker Andre Szmyt (10) during practice at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus on December 26, 2024.
He will also be facing a defense led by defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz for the first time. Tagovailoa said he has been preparing for the changes Schwartz likes to make to his coverages after the snap.
"(Schwartz) does really good structurally with getting to different things and making those things look the same," Tagovailoa said. "You get to third down, I think that's where everything starts to open up a lot. Like I said, a lot of things look verry similar, so you've got to be attentive to where guys are. […] You've got to be really on it when it comes to protection, and you've got to be really on it with making sure you see what the defense is giving you."
One player that is consistently at the top of an offenses' list of concerns when facing the Browns is DE Myles Garrett, who is tied for the second-most sacks in the NFL this season with 12.
The Dolphins have been one of the most effective teams this season in eliminating quarterback pressures, seeing pressure on just 25 percent of passing plays – the second-fewest in the NFL. They will look to continue that success when they face off against Garrett in Week 17.
"(Garrett's) a special player, a high-end guy that you always have to be mindful of and it'll be a challenge for us," Smith said. "There's a multitude of things we'll have to do because he's a very talented guy. When you have an elite guy to that level, you can't just do one thing, you have to do a multitude of things."
On the offensive side of the ball, the Dolphins are preparing to stop one of the most explosive receivers in the NFL this season. In his first year in Cleveland, WR Jerry Jeudy has the seventh-most receiving yards in the NFL with 1,072, adding four touchdowns.
While Jeudy did not achieve a 1,000 receiving yard season until his fifth year in the NFL, Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver said he's always seen Jeudy's potential to be a top receiver in the league.
"When I've seen him in the past – which I haven't played against him a bunch – but you always saw the talent there in terms of short area quickness, his speed, his ability to catch the ball, to go up and get it and his instincts," Weaver said. "So, if anything has changed, I think it's probably just more opportunities if anything for him. Just quarterbacks having the willingness to throw to him and give him opportunities to make those plays because the skillset and talent has always been there."
Defeating Jeudy and the Browns could have significant playoff implications for the Dolphins, who are currently in ninth in the AFC. They could also be eliminated before the game kicks off at 4:05 p.m. on Sunday.
If both the Chargers and Broncos win on Saturday, the Dolphins will be eliminated from playoff contention. If one or both teams lose, the Dolphins' playoff hopes would stay alive with a win over the Browns.
The Dolphins' focus, however, is not on the playoff picture, but on the opportunity presented by their road game in Cleveland.
"I don't think any of us on our team should take this for granted," Tagovailoa said. "This is something that we've worked extremely hard for, to be in the positions that we're in now. […] Regardless of if we're still in it or not, you get to see a lot about who a person is by the way they go about their business. You see guys laying down? That tells you a lot right there. You see guys fighting? I mean, that should tell you a lot as well."
