The Miami Dolphins have announced the appointment of Jeff Hafley as their new head coach, replacing the former head coach Mike McDaniel. Hafley, who previously served as the head coach at Boston College and as the defensive coordinator for the Green Bay Packers, finalized the agreement with the Dolphins following a second interview earlier in the day. He will be working alongside the new general manager, Jon-Eric Sullivan.
Hafley, 46, left his position at Boston College in 2024 to take on the role of defensive coordinator with the Green Bay Packers, where he collaborated with Sullivan for two seasons. Prior to his time in Green Bay, Hafley coached the defensive backs for the San Francisco 49ers from 2016 to 2018 and served as the secondary coach for the Cleveland Browns for two years.
Sullivan, who was previously the vice president of player personnel for the Packers, brings 22 seasons of experience with Green Bay to his new role as the Dolphins’ general manager.
The decision to hire Hafley reflects Dolphins owner Stephen Ross’s history of appointing coaches without previous NFL head coaching experience. Ross has notably selected candidates like Joe Philbin, Adam Gase, Brian Flores, and Mike McDaniel since taking over as the majority owner in 2009.
Following a disappointing 7-10 season and missing the playoffs for the second consecutive year, the Dolphins are expected to undergo significant changes, potentially including a new quarterback to replace Tua Tagovailoa. Tagovailoa, who was benched for the final three games of the 2025 season, struggled with accuracy and mobility, culminating in a career-high 15 interceptions.
Despite Tagovailoa’s hefty contract extension signed in July 2024, releasing him would have substantial financial implications for the Dolphins. The team also considered other coaching candidates such as Kevin Stefanski, Klint Kubiak, Robert Saleh, Chris Shula, and Anthony Campanile during their search for a new head coach.