MIAMI GARDENS — The Miami Dolphins will reportedly interview three head coach candidates this week, highlighted by Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley, who is having a second interview on Monday.
Hafley, who worked with Dolphins general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan in Green Bay for the past two seasons, is believed to be the leading candidate for the job.
The Dolphins will also reportedly interview Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard on Monday and they’ll interview Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady, perhaps as early as Monday, according to a NFL Network report.
The Dolphins don’t have a deadline for naming a head coach but one report Sunday said “these things can accelerate” while another said “a deal could come together quickly.”
Sheppard, a former Dolphins player, just completed his first season in his current role with the Lions.
Brady, who is from Pembroke Pines and attended Miramar Everglades High School, just completed his second season in his current role with the Bills.
This week could be a pivotal time in the hiring season.
Two experienced coaches — ex-Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh (New York Giants) and ex-Cleveland Browns coach Kevin Stefanski (Atlanta Falcons) — have already been hired. The Dolphins had interest in both.
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The Dolphins are among numerous teams having second interviews with candidates this week with Hafley being the Dolphins’ only known second interview.
You could argue there’s a sense of urgency to name a coach because the scouting season and offseason calendar kicks into high gear soon:
— The East-West Shrine Bowl is Jan. 27 in Frisco, Tx.;
— The Senior Bowl is Jan. 31 in Mobile, Al.;
— The NFL scouting combine begins Feb. 23 in Indianapolis;
— Free agency opens March 11;
— The NFL draft is April 23-25 in Pittsburgh.
It’s also important to remember that the Dolphins seek to revamp their scouting department and will presumably require new hires in that area as well, and without a new coach and knowledge of what he needs for his offensive and defensive systems the Dolphins are at a small disadvantage.
At the same time it must be noted that each of Miami’s past two coaches — Mike McDaniel (Feb. 6, 2022) and Brian Flores (Feb. 4, 2019) — were hired in February. McDaniel was hired late because he was the San Francisco’s offensive coordinator and the 49ers made it to the NFC Championship, and Flores was hired late because he was New England’s linebackers coach and the Patriots made it to the Super Bowl.
The Dolphins are known to have interviewed seven candidates — Hafley, Stefanski, Klint Kubiak (Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator), Jesse Minter (Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator), Robert Saleh (49ers defensive coordinator), Chris Shula (Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator) and Anthony Campanile (Jacksonville Jaguars defensive coordinator).
Saleh, the former New York Jets head coach, is the only one in that group still available with previous NFL head coaching experience.
This story will be updated.
