The Miami Dolphins have finalized an agreement with Jeff Hafley to become their new head coach, as reported by a reliable source on Monday. The deal is pending official contract signing.
Hafley will take over from Mike McDaniel, who was let go after a four-year tenure resulting in a 35-33 record. This move comes after the Dolphins parted ways with longtime general manager Chris Grier earlier in the season.
Having previously worked as the defensive coordinator for the Green Bay Packers for two seasons, Hafley had a second interview with the Dolphins on Monday before receiving the job offer. He will be reunited with newly appointed GM Jon-Eric Sullivan in Miami.
The 46-year-old Hafley left his position at Boston College in 2024 to join Green Bay and collaborated with Sullivan during his time there. Prior to his stint with the Packers, Hafley coached San Francisco’s defensive backs from 2016 to 2018 and served as Cleveland’s secondary coach for two years.
Jon-Eric Sullivan, who transitioned from being the vice president of player personnel at Green Bay, spent 22 seasons with the Packers before assuming the role of GM for the Dolphins.
This hiring decision aligns with Dolphins owner Stephen Ross’s strategy of selecting candidates without prior experience as NFL head coaches. Since taking ownership in 2009, Ross has favored unproven coaching talent, such as Joe Philbin (2012-2015), Adam Gase (2016-2018), Brian Flores (2019-2021), and Mike McDaniel (2022-2025).
Following a disappointing 7-10 season and missing the playoffs for the second consecutive year, the Dolphins are poised for significant changes, potentially including a quarterback overhaul and a potential departure from former first-round pick Tua Tagovailoa.
Tagovailoa, who signed a lucrative extension in 2024, faced scrutiny after a decline in performance in the 2025 season, resulting in 15 interceptions, the second-highest in the league. Despite being guaranteed $54 million for 2026, the Dolphins would face substantial salary cap implications if they were to release him.
During the coaching search process, the Dolphins also considered candidates like former Cleveland coach Kevin Stefanski, now with Atlanta, Seattle offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, San Francisco defensive coordinator Robert Saleh, Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula, and Jacksonville defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile.