The unusual genius of Mike McDaniel from player who knows him best

Mike McDaniel cracks jokes, runs from cameramen — and authors one of the most lethal offenses in the NFL.

Raheem Mostert has had a close-up view of McDaniel for the past six years and described the coach as equal parts quirky, corny, intelligent and reliable in an exclusive interview with The Post.

“I tell him all the time, ‘Man, you went to Yale, but you know, more than a Yale person would in this football world,’” Mostert said of McDaniel while discussing his partnership with Charmin.

“He’s very intelligent, and it just shows you the type of quirkiness that he brings. I tell him he’s quirky all the time and he’s corny, and he just laughs. We just have a good time.

“Our family is his family and vice versa, and we’re always there for each other. It’s a really good relationship.”

After spending four years with San Francisco — where he grew close to McDaniel, who was a run game and offensive coordinator — Mostert signed with Miami in 2022 in large part based on his relationship with McDaniel.

“He’s definitely a guy that I could truly count on,” Mostert said. “When we were in San Francisco together, he was a run game coordinator for a couple of years, and I would go to him for little nuggets and bits of the run game going up against good defenses.”

The 6-2 AFC East-leading Dolphins top the league in yards per game (453.3) and points per game (33.9) with an offense built around speed at the skill positions.

Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle are two of the most dangerous receivers in the game and Mostert was paired with DeVon Achane in the backfield before the rookie went down with a knee injury.

Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is the one who makes it all work.

Mostert, 31, might be the most unlikely part of it.

Mostert’s 2020 season ended early due to ankle injuries, and he made it two carries into the 2021 season before suffering a severe knee injury.

At 29 years old — an age most NFL teams shy away from running backs — Mostert found the perfect coach, quirks and all, to revitalize his career.

The same coach who was with him in San Francisco as a run-game coordinator for four seasons and as an offensive coordinator for one.

“I just wanted to get an advantage so that way I can perform at a high level — and we would sit down in his office he would tell me how great I am,” Mostert said of their time together in San Francisco. “But I would also say, ‘you’re equally as great,’ because he’s a student of the game and he understands defenses.”

The same coach who went viral for racing the NBC cameraman after beating the Patriots on Sept. 18.

The same diminutive coach who walked into his first press conference in Germany, where the Dolphins will play the Chiefs on Nov. 5, and introduced himself by saying: “I know what you guys are thinking, I’m bigger in person. You’re right.”

It’s worked out perfectly for Mostert, who re-signed for two years and $5.6 million this offseason to stay in Miami.

He leads the league with 10 rushing touchdowns and averages a robust 5.4 yards per carry.

“Being familiar with the whole scheme, the head coach and the plan that he has for me moving forward is why I went there,” Mostert said at the time.

“He told me my role will be similar to what it was in San Francisco, but he still expects me to compete.”

It’s worked out well for both.