MIAMI GARDENS — The Miami Dolphins are setting up in-person interviews for head coach for early in the coming week and Jeff Hafley, the Green Bay Packers’ defensive coordinator, will have a second interview at that time, according to ESPN. A NFL Network report says Hafley has emerged as the leading candidate for the job. Hafley, who worked with new Dolphins general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan in Green Bay during the past year, first interviewed with the Dolphins on Wednesday.
The Dolphins have a committee of seven that is charged with hiring the head coach — Sullivan, owner Steve Ross, team president Tom Garfinkel, Brandon Shore, the senior vice president of football and business administration, Dan Sillman, Ross’ son-in-law and an executive for Relevant, a global sports and media rights organization under Ross’ corporate umbrella, Hall of Fame quarterbacks Troy Aikman and Dan Marino.
The same committee, save for Sullivan, was in charge of hiring the general manager.
The Dolphins are believed to have contacted 11 candidates for their head coach opening — Hafley, John Harbaugh (ex-Baltimore coach), Kevin Stefanski (ex-Cleveland coach), Robert Saleh (San Francisco defensive coordinator), Chris Shula (Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator), Jesse Minter (Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator), Patrick Graham (Las Vegas defensive coordinator), Anthony Campanile Jacksonville defensive coordinator), Kelvin Sheppard (Detroit defensive coordinator), Klint Kubiak (Seattle offensive coordinator) and Joe Brady (Buffalo offensive coordinator).
The Dolphins have completed interviews with Kubiak (Jan. 10), Stefanski (Wednesday), Minter (Thursday), Saleh (Thursday), Shula (Friday) and Campanile (Friday) in addition to Hafley.
Seven of the 10 candidates aside from Harbaugh have defensive backgrounds.
Harbaugh is believed to be on the verge of becoming the New York Giants head coach.
The Dolphins fired coach Mike McDaniel in what’s been described as a clumsy fashion on Jan. 8. McDaniel posted a 35-33 (.515) regular-season record and 35-35 (.500) overall record, including going 0-2 in the playoffs, in four seasons as Dolphins coach.
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The Dolphins, who have expressed a desire to revamp their scouting department. appear to be cutting ties to their previous era in the sense they fired general manager Chris Grier last Halloween and have fired Adam Engroff and Anthony Hunt, co-directors of player personnel, and parted ways with assistant general manager Marvin Allen.
Sullivan has not yet addressed the local media. The Dolphins are waiting until they name their new head coach and the plan is to have an introductory media session with both Sullivan and the new head coach together.
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