Mike McDaniel's return to Levi's Stadium is highly anticipated, though it does worry Greg Papa.
In the latest edition of the "Ask Papa" portion of "49ers Talk," the 49ers broadcaster told NBC Sports Bay Area's Matt Maiocco why the 49ers' matchup with the Miami Dolphins concerns him.
"Kyle [Shanahan] knows Mike McDaniel, he knows his thoughts," Papa told Maiocco. "But Mike McDaniel knows Kyle.
With our All Access Daily newsletter, stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Bay Area and California sports teams!
SIGN UP HERE "Mike McDaniel's intel with the 49ers, not just their defensive schemes and DeMeco [Ryans], but their individual players, what they do well, what they don't do well."
Papa adds that this matchup reminds him of Super Bowl XXXVII, featuring the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the then-Oakland Raiders.
That matchup -- sometimes known as the "Gruden Bowl" -- featured two teams that were coached by Jon Gruden at some point and ultimately led to the Buccaneers, Gruden's new team, blowing out the Raiders, 48-21.
With that in mind, Papa is concerned with how McDaniel is going to use the information he knows from being around the 49ers for five seasons to the Dolphins' advantage.
San Francisco 49ers
Find the latest San Francisco 49ers news, highlights, analysis and more with NBC Sports Bay Area and California.
"He knows these guys, not just how they play but how they don't play, what they're bad at, what they don't like to do, and just little things about them as people," Papa said. "How will he use that to gain the edge on his side?"
After being with the 49ers from 2017 through the 2021 season, McDaniel was hired as the Dolphins' head coach before the 2022 NFL season.
McDaniel was Shanahan's offensive coordinator in 2021, so he has an idea of what he's going up against, after facing the 49ers' defense day in and day out in practice.
With Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagavailoa, Jaylen Waddle, Tyreek Hill, Raheem Mostert and Jeff Wilson Jr. performing well in McDaniel's first year as head coach, Miami comes into Levi's Stadium with a lot of confidence.
RELATED: McDaniel explains what Shanahan, game vs. 49ers mean to him
However, awaiting them will be a staunch 49ers defense, anchored by Talanoa Hufanga, Nick Bosa, Fred Warner and others.
The matchup might pose a problem for the 49ers, but fans can expect a great matchup on both sides of the ball from both teams.