Dolphins HC McDaniel: Patriots' Bill Belichick 'A Founding Father of This Era of' NFL

Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel reflected on the impressive longevity of Bill Belichick ahead of Sunday's game against the New England Patriots and their legendary coach.

McDaniel called Belichick "one of the founding fathers of this generation of football."

"It's amazing that the orchestration of the defense is so fundamentally consistent," he told reporters. "... And the leader of the ship was at the same job when we're all like, 'What's an iPod?'"

It's not as though Belichick has been lacking in praise across his illustrious career. He has won six Super Bowls as a head coach and another two as a defensive coordinator, and his 298 wins in the regular season trail only Don Shula and George Halas.

The 71-year-old is universally regarded as the greatest coach of his generation.

As the adage goes, though, genius is never understood in its own time. Once he has long been retired, appreciation toward Belichick's achievements could grow, both broadly in terms of the Patriots' dynastic run and a more nuanced look at the defensive strategies he has deployed that were adapted by his peers.