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“It’s hard for me not to get angrier the more I think about it”
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“It’s hard for me not to get angrier the more I think about it”

Speaking to the media on Monday, head coach Mike McDaniel reacted emotionally to questions about an incident in which several players were stopped by police on their way to Hard Rock Stadium prior to Sunday’s game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

“For me personally, it’s hard not to get angrier the more I think about it,” McDaniel said. “That’s because of my teammates, and putting myself in the situation that they described emotionally. … I think the thing that f—-ed me, honestly, is I know I don’t know exactly what that feels like.”

Miami wide receiver Tyreek Hill was briefly handcuffed and detained by Miami-Dade (Florida) police for what the Dolphins described as a minor traffic violation. Defensive end Calais Campbell, the NFL’s 2019 Walter Payton Man of the Year, was also handcuffed and detained by police after Campbell said he stopped on the way to the stadium to try to “de-escalate the situation.”

Hill and Campbell are both Black, and McDaniel, who identifies as biracial, was asked about the dynamics of race and policing in the U.S.

“It’s twofold, because I think my journey has made me aware, but at the same time, there’s a huge level of, I don’t know because I don’t — just by my appearance — I don’t have a history of feeling profiled,” McDaniel told reporters on Monday. “I’m not sure if that makes it … for me in particular, I just feel pretty helpless sometimes. But it’s really not about the emotions that it stirs up in me, it’s about the people in it. … It’s probably more visceral, because yeah, I spend a lot of time prioritizing empathy. When you know you can’t really understand it, the unknown is what crushes me. I can only predict, and so my prediction is, what if it’s worse? … Ever since I was young, the race relations and everything that goes into that … it’s just one of those things from the outside looking in on everything that’s going on. I know at least my appearance lends me to the journey of many who are not alienated.”

McDaniel was asked what message he gives his players after an incident like Sunday’s, given that he may not be privy to their experiences.

“I think it’s better to listen, more than anything,” McDaniel said. “I think life is super humbling, and I think it’s important to recognize when your words don’t mean s—.”

Miami-Dade Police Director Stephanie V. Daniels said in a statement Sunday afternoon that she has initiated an internal affairs review of the incident and that one of the officers involved has been placed on administrative leave while the investigation continues. On Monday, Daniels announced that “body-worn camera (BWC) footage related to the recent incident involving Tyreek Hill” had been released.

Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said an investigation into the conduct of officers involved in the incident “will answer questions,” noting that the investigation has already become part of a long-running national debate about police use of force.

McDaniel told reporters Monday that it is important for the legal process to do its job in this situation.

“I think it’s incredibly important to wait until the information is gathered before making a judgment,” McDaniel said. “Either way, I know the sentiments I’ve expressed are disturbing. But there are two things that have come out of the adversity. Super proud of teammates who are teammates, and super proud of our guys who understand the social responsibility of the platform and are committed to doing it right.”