The Miami Dolphins completed three in-person head coaching interviews on Monday, including Las Vegas Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham, Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard, and Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley. After days of speculation and rumors that the Dolphins were looking toward Hafley as their primary candidate for the vacancy, the rumors are turning out to be true as it appears Hafley will be named the team’s head coach.
Multiple media reports, shortly after the team announced the conclusion of the interview with Hafley, indicated that the team and the coach were working out a deal. The move gives the Dolphins their 12th head coach, not including three interim coaches, as they look to overhaul a struggling franchise. The hire reunites Hafley with former Packers Vice President of Player Personnel Jon-Eric Sullivan, who was hired as Miami’s General Manager last week.
The Dolphins announced the completion of the interview with Hafley on Monday evening, with media reports quickly surfacing that the coach and team were working out a contract.
Hafley is set for an interview on Monday, January 19, when allowed under NFL rules.
According to NFL Network, Hafley is the early frontrunner to land the Dolphins’ job as the team begins their second round of interviews. Hafley “blew everyone away” in his virtual interview, according to Tom Pelissero.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Hafley is among the coaches expected to be scheduled for an in-person interview shortly after the NFL allows.
The Dolphins completed an interview with Hafley on January 14.
Hafley is one of the hot names on the coaching carousel this offseason as he looks to land his first NFL head coaching position. The former Boston College head coach has spent the last two years with the Packers as their defensive coordinator. He is on the interview request lists for the Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, Las Vegas Raiders, and Tennessee Titans. It would not be a surprise if the Pittsburgh Steelers, who are just starting their head coach search after Mike Tomlin stepped down on Tuesday, added Hafley as a candidate as well.
Here are the other candidates Miami was considering for the role:
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Joe Brady – Virtual Interview (1/18)
According to an NFL Network report, the Bills’ offensive coordinator will take part in a virtual interview on Sunday, January 18, after the Bills’ Divisional Round playoff game against the Denver Broncos on Saturday.
The Dolphins added Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady to their interview request list on January 14. Brady has also worked as an offensive coordinator for the Carolina Panthers (2020-2021). A South Florida native, Brady has also had a request from the Baltimore Ravens.
Anthony Campanile – Virtual Interview (1/16)
The Dolphins announced the completion of a virtual interview with Campanile on January 16.
On January 14, Campanile, the Jacksonville Jaguars’ defensive coordinator, was added to the list of Dolphins interview requests. Campanile was the Dolphins’ linebackers coach from 2020 through 2023.
Patrick Graham – In-Person interview (1/19)
Graham will interview with the Dolphins on Monday, once NFL rules permit coaches to meet with another team.
The Dolphins requested an interview with Graham on January 13, adding him to the growing list of possible hires. He has been the Las Vegas Raiders’ defensive coordinator for four years, staying on despite the team’s head coaching changes. He has also served as the Dolphins’ defensive coordinator (2019), as well as holding the position for the New York Giants. He has also had stints with the Green Bay Packers and the New England Patriots.
John Harbaugh – Interest – Hired by Giants
Harbaugh and the Giants agreed to a deal on January 15.
The Dolphins have contacted Harbaugh about interest in scheduling an interview, but it does not seem to be the priority for the former Baltimore Ravens head coach. He has interviewed with the Atlanta Falcons already and is expected to interview with the Tennessee Titans and New York Giants.
Klint Kubiak – Virtual Interview (1/10)
Under NFL rules, a coach from a team on a bye during Wild Card weekend can be interviewed virtually, then will be allowed to hold a second, in-person interview during the bye week before the Super Bowl if the team makes it that far. The Seattle Seahawks’ offensive coordinator conducted a virtual interview with the Dolphins on January 10, meeting the NFL’s rule. Kubiak has also drawn interest from the Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens, Las Vegas Raiders, and New York Giants.
Jesse Minter – Virtual Interview (1/15)
The Dolphins announced the completion of an interview with Minter on Jan. 15.
Looking for his first head coaching position, Minter is currently the Los Angeles Chargers’ defensive coordinator. He has worked at multiple teams at both the college and NFL levels during his career, including a four-year stint of various positions with the Baltimore Ravens. Besides the Dolphins, he has had interview requests from the Arizona Cardinals, Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns, Las Vegas Raiders, New York Giants, and Tennessee Titans. The Pittsburgh Steelers could look toward Minter as well.
Robert Saleh – Virtual Interview (1/15)
The former New York Jets head coach and current San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator appears set for his second head coaching opportunity. He has drawn interest from the Arizona Cardinals, Baltimore Ravens, and Tennessee Titans, along with Miami.
Kelvin Sheppard – In-person interview (1/19)
Sheppard will interview with Miami on Monday, January 19.
Miami is the only team, so far, to have put in a request for Sheppard, who played linebacker for the team in 2014 and 2015. He started his coaching career in 2021 with the Lions as the outside linebackers coach, then was named the linebackers coach in 2022, assuming the title of defensive coordinator this year.
Chris Shula – Virtual Interview (1/16)
The Dolphins announced the completion of a virtual interview with Shula on January 16.
The name automatically means something when it comes to Miami, and the pressure for Shula could be ramped up if he is coaching in Miami, where his grandfather Don became a legend and the NFL’s all-time winningest coach. The current Los Angeles Rams’ defensive coordinator in on several teams’ radar this offseason, including the Arizona Cardinals, Baltimore Ravens, Las Vegas Raiders, New York Giants, and Tennessee Titans. Shula would make a ton of sense for the Steelers as well, whenever they start putting in their requests.
Kevin Stefanski – In-person Interview (1/13-14) – Hired by Falcons
The Falcons hired Stefanski as their head coach on January 17.
The Dolphins completed their interview with Stefanski, the first in-person interview they held this year, on January 14. He has also had interviews or is expected to interview with the Atlanta Falcons, Las Vegas Raiders, New York Giants, and Tennessee Titans.
Dolphins promote Bobby Slowik to offensive coordinator
Troy Taormina-Imagn ImagesThe Miami Dolphins have a new offensive coordinator.
Bobby Slowik, who previously held the title of senior passing game coordinator with the Dolphins in 2025, has been promoted to the team’s offensive coordinator position, per Ian Rapoport on X.
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Dolphins hire Chris Tabor as special teams coordinator
Getty ImagesThe Miami Dolphins are hiring Chris Tabor as their new special teams coordinator, as per Adam Schefter of ESPN. Tabor has worked in some capacity in special teams in the NFL since 2008. Most recently, he spent the 2025 NFL season as the special teams coordinator of the Buffalo Bills.
Following head coach Sean McDermott’s firing from the Buffalo Bills, Tabor is the first coordinator to seek greener pastures. It’s worth nothing that Tabor is well respected around the league, and even has head coach experience as interim head coach of the Carolina Panthers in 2023. He was also voted as the 2nd-best special teams coach in the league that same year, as per the NFL Player’s Association.
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Dolphins hire Kyle Smith as new assistant general manager
Getty ImagesThe Miami Dolphins are hiring Kyle Smith as their new assistant GM, as per Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.
Smith, 41, has worked in the NFL since 2010. He joined the Washington Redskins in 2010 as a scouting intern, and worked his way up to vice president of player personnel by 2020. Smith left Washington in 2021, and joined the Atlanta Falcons as assistant general manager, working directly under Terry Fontenot at the time.
Dolphins request Texans QB coach for OC interview
Getty ImagesThe Miami Dolphins found the franchise’s next head coach this week — hiring former Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley to work with new general manager (also from Green Bay), Jon-Eric Sullivan. Now that Miami has their new head-man-in-charge, it’s time for them to fill out the rest of their staff.
Miami Dolphins coach search: Who could be Jeff Hafley’s offensive coordinator?
The Miami Dolphins will hold a press conference on Thursday, officially introducing former Green Bay Packers Vice President of Player Personnel Jon-Eric Sullivan as the team’s new General Manager and former Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley as the new head coach. Two of the major pieces of the rebuild Miami will undergo during the 2026 offseason are now in place, allowing the team to begin its planning for free agency, the NFL Draft, and the 2026 season.
One of the next questions that needs to be answered is who will fill out Hafley’s first coaching staff. Both coordinator positions need to be named, along with the various position groups. A first-time head coach needs to find the right assistants to help him transition into the new job. He could look for a coach who has head coaching experience to give him an internal check-and-balance system. He could look to coaches with whom he has previously worked, giving him people who already know the system he wants to run and how the players can fit into it.
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NFL head coaches: Retread or First Time hire?
Icon Sportswire via Getty ImagesThe Miami Dolphins hired Jeff Hafley as their head coach on Monday, beginning a new era for the franchise. Hafley joins Miami after two years as the Green Bay Packers’ defensive coordinator. He enters the position as the first time, he has been named an NFL head coach, though he did spend four years as the head coach at Boston College.
Dolphins fans are struggling with the hire. Some have issues with the team’s new general manager, Jon-Eric Sullivan, who was previously the Packers’ vice president of player personnel, hiring a coach with whom he worked previously. Two weeks ago, Dolphins fans wanted the then-head coach, Mike McDaniel, fired so the new GM could hire a head coach he wanted and with whom he could work. Sullivan hired a coach he wanted and with whom he could work, and somehow that is wrong.
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Dolphins statements on new head coach Jeff Hafley
Boston Globe via Getty ImagesThe Miami Dolphins have announced the hiring of Jeff Hafley as the team’s new head coach. Hafley joins the Dolphins after two seasons as the Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator and replaces Mike McDaniel, who was fired after four seasons with the team.
Dolphins owner Stephen Ross released a statement after the announcement of Hafley’s hiring. “I believe great things are ahead for the Miami Dolphins with Jeff Hafley leading the way,” Ross stated. “Jeff is an accomplished coach with a proven track record as a leader and motivator. He has tenacity and grit, while at the same time establishing trust with his players in order to get the most out of them. I am excited to see where Jeff leads us, alongside [general manager] Jon-Eric Sullivan and our entire football operation, as we seek to return the Dolphins to sustained success.”
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Jeff Hafley named Miami Dolphins head coach
Icon Sportswire via Getty ImagesThe Miami Dolphins are hiring Jeff Hafley as their new head coach. The hire comes after a week of virtual interviews with eight candidates and three in-person interviews. Hafley, the former defensive coordinator for the Green Bay Packers, joins Miami as he completed an in-person interview on Monday, following up a virtual meeting last week.
The Dolphins announced the completion of an interview with Hafley on Monday evening, with multiple media reports immediately indicating the two sides were working to come to an agreement on a contract.
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Bills fire head coach Sean McDermott; Could Miami pivot their search?
Getty ImagesThe Buffalo Bills lost in the divisional round of the playoffs on Saturday. On Monday, they became the tenth team making a head coaching change this offseason when they fired Sean McDermott. The Bills are retaining general manager Brandon Beane, who will lead the team’s search for a new head coach.
McDermott has spent nine season with the Bills, compiling a 98-50 regular season record and an 8-8 postseason mark. He led the Bills to five straight AFC East division titles from 2020 through 2024 and missed the playoffs one time in his tenure with the team.
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Dolphins set for busy Monday with three interviews
Getty ImagesNFL rules restrict coaches under contract with a team from having an in-person interview with another team to fill a vacancy until January 19. The Miami Dolphins have been patient, conducting virtual interviews over the past week as they waited for the restriction to be lifted on Monday, and they are now set to have a busy day with multiple interviews as soon as permitted. According to multiple reports, Miami has three interviews scheduled tomorrow.
According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the Dolphins are set to meet with Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard on Monday morning. Sheppard, a former NFL linebacker, retired from playing the game in 2018 after an eight-year career including two seasons with the Dolphins, and moved into coaching in 2021 as the Lions’ outside linebackers coach. He moved up to the linebackers coach in 2022 and assumed the defensive coordinator position this year.
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Falcons hire Kevin Stefanski for head coaching vacancy
Getty ImagesThe Miami Dolphins are set to hold at least one virtual head coaching interview on Sunday, meeting with Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady. They are also preparing their schedule for in-person interviews next week, moving into the second round of talks with potential hires. They lost one available candidate on Saturday, however, as the Atlanta Falcons announced they were hiring Kevin Stefanski to fill their head coaching vacancy.
Stefanski interviewed with Miami last Wednesday. The Cleveland Browns head coach was fired after the season and was therefore free to interview in person and sign with another team. Under NFL rules, coaches who are still under contract with a team cannot conduct in-person visits until January 19. Coaches of playoff teams cannot conduct in-person interviews until their team is eliminated or during the bye week before the Super Bowl.
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Dolphins scheduled to interview Bills’ Joe Brady
Getty ImagesThe Miami Dolphins are working their schedule for next week once the NFL’s rules allow in-person interviews starting Monday. They are not complete with their virtual meetings, however, as a report from NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero indicated on Saturday morning. Appearing on NFL Gameday Morning, Pelissero updated the Dolphins head coaching search, listing Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley as the “frontrunner” for the role. While focusing on Hafley in the segment, Pelissero added that the Dolphins will hold a virtual interview on Sunday with Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady.
Brady took over as the Bills’ interim offensive coordinator during the 2023 season, replacing Ken Dorsey when he was fired after a 5-5 start to the year. He dropped the interim title heading into 2024 season and has held the position since. Prior to assuming that role, he was the Bills quarterbacks coach starting in 2022.
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Jeff Hafley ‘frontrunner’ for Dolphins, ‘blew everyone away’ during virtual interview
Getty ImagesThe Miami Dolphins may have an early favorite to fill their vacant head coaching position. While the team is still scheduling virtual and in-person interviews for this weekend and into next week, it is beginning to sound like Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley has an early lead in landing the job.
According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the first round of virtual interviews appears to have pushed Hafley into the favored position. “Sources say Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley has emerged as a frontrunner for the Dolphins head coaching job,” Pelissero said on an appearance on NFL GameDay Morning on Sunday. “No final decisions have yet been made, they have an interview scheduled on Sunday with Bills [offensive coordinator] Joe Brady, [and] multiple in-person interviews scheduled as well this coming week. But I’m told Hafley blew everyone away in his initial, vitrual interview with the Dolphins. He worked with their new [general manager] Jon-Eric Sullivan in Green Bay, has head coaching experience at Boston College. At this point, Hafley appears to be the leading candidate in Miami.”
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Jeff Hafley expected for in-person interview with Dolphins
Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn ImagesThe Miami Dolphins are working out their schedule for in-person interviews with head coaching candidates when the league rules permit them to start on Monday. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley will be one of the candidates to head to Miami early in the week.
Hafley, the former Boston College head coach, joined the Dolphins in a virtual interview on January 14. He has interviewed with at least six of the nine teams with head coaching vacancies, including a scheduled interview on Saturday with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
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Dolphins, Shula set for interview
Getty ImagesThe Miami Dolphins will conduct a virtual interview with Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula on Friday. The move would make him the sixth candidate to interview with the team, though only former Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski has had an in-person interview.
Under NFL rules, coaches under contract with a team may not visit new teams for in-person discussions until January 19 or until their team is out of the playoffs. The Los Angeles Rams play the Chicago Bears on Sunday in the divisional round, with the winner advancing to the NFC Championship game on January 25.
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Dolphins conducting two virtual interviews on Thursday
Icon Sportswire via Getty ImagesThe Miami Dolphins continue their search for a new head coach with two scheduled virtual interviews. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Miami will interview Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter and San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh on Thursday. Both candidates were identified earlier in the week as the team made requests for the interviews.
Under NFL rules, no in-person interviews are authorized for coaches under contract with another team until January 19. Coaches on playoff teams cannot conduct an in-person interview until their team is either eliminated from the playoffs or during the bye week before the Super Bowl if the team advances that far. A coach interviewed during the Super Bowl bye week has to have already completed a virtual interview before that point.
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Giants land Harbaugh; Dolphins miss out on top coaching candidate
The Miami Dolphins were interested in John Harbaugh — but John Harbaugh was not interested in the Miami Dolphins.
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Dolphins turn to AFC East rivals for latest head coach interview request
Getty ImagesThe Miami Dolphins are looking to one of their AFC East division rivals with the newest name added to their 2026 head coaching search. According to the Palm Beach Post’s Hal Habib, Miami has requested an interview with Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady. The request comes on a busy day in Miami, with the team completing interviews with former Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski and Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley and requesting interviews with Brady and Jacksonville Jaguars defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile.
Brady is from Pembroke Pines, Florida, about 15 miles from the Dolphins’ Hard Rock Stadium. During his career, he has worked at his alma mater William & Mary, Penn State, and LSU at the collegiate level. In the NFL, he spent time two years with the New Orleans Saints between the Penn State and LSU positions. IN 2020, he was hired by the Carolina Panthers as their offensive coordinator. In 2022, he joined the Bills as their quarterbacks coach before serving as the interim offensive coordinator during the 2023 season when Ken Dorsey was fired. He was then hired as the full-time offensive coordinator for the 2024 season.
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Dolphins add former linebackers coach to head coach interview list
Icon Sportswire via Getty ImagesThe Miami Dolphins have added a tenth name to their head coaching search on Wednesday as the team requested an interview with Jacksonville Jaguars defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile. The Dolphins are searching for a new head coach after firing Mike McDaniel from the position last week. The team has attacked their head coaching search with vigor following the Friday hiring of Jon-Eric Sullivan as the team’s new general manager.
Campanile just completed his first year as a defensive coordinator as the Jaguars lost to the Buffalo Bills in the Wild Card round of the NFL Playoffs. He spent 2024 with the Green Bay Packers as their linebackers coach and run game coordinator.
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Dolphins request familiar name for head coaching vacancy
Getty ImagesThe Miami Dolphins remained busy on Tuesday regarding their search for a new head coach. Former Cleveland Browns coach Kevin Stefanski met with Miami’s brass for an in-person interview. The team also requested an interview with Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter.
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Mike Tomlin steps down from Steelers, as Dolphins continue head coaching search
Getty ImagesPittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin is stepping down from the Steelers organization, as per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Tomlin is believed to be making the decision on his own accord, meaning he was not fired from the team, but rather chose to leave. This season was Tomlin’s 19th season in charge, as he led the Steelers to a 10-7 regular season record. The Steelers lost in the Wild Card round of the playoffs last night to the Houston Texans, and Tomlin has now stepped down a day later.
