Miami Dolphins head coaching search personal favorites

The Miami Dolphins are hoping to land a quality head coach and maybe they do. For now everyone has an opinion on who it should be.

When it comes to who should be the Miami Dolphins head coach the opinions run the full spectrum of experience and resumes. Everyone has their opinions and of course I have mine but like you, unless “you” is Stephen Ross or Chris Grier reading this, our opinion doesn’t mean anything.

Over the years I have supported whatever decisions the Dolphins make when it comes to a head coach whether it is someone I believe in or don’t. As a fan sometimes it is best to be a fan and support someone until there is no reason to do so anymore.

This year there isn’t a lot of options to fill the hole that Ross created when he fired Adam Gase which limits the number of candidates that a person can get excited over and frankly there isn’t a lot out there that has me on the edge of my seat and chances are you are not on the edge of yours either.

The biggest part of this off-season has already been decided. Mike Tannenbaum is gone and Chris Grier is in charge. No general manager search to add to the process. It’s a straight forward head coaching search.

This brings us to what this article is really about. My favorites for the head coaching job and you can take this two ways. If I like them hope that Ross stays away from them or agree with me. I have covered the Dolphins for more than 11 years (which means 11 years and several months). My first coach to cover was Dave Wannstedt and there has been a lot of changes since then.

Here are the coaches I like and the ones I’m not really all that high on.

Vic Fangio – Yes

I like Fangio and what he has done through his career with defenses and man could the Dolphins use a defensive minded head coach after going offensive coaches with Cameron, Sparano, Philbin, and Gase. Fangio has everything you would want in a head coach. A long experience in the NFL, well-respected in the league, proven track record, a likely ability to land top quality assistant coaches, but Fangio lacks one factor. He has never been a head coach.

That lack of head coaching experience shouldn’t matter with Fangio but he is also in his 60’s and is not going to be around for decades. However the Dolphins could do far worse. Fangio could be the guy to turn the franchise around and hand it off down the road to an assistant in far better shape than it is now. The question is will Fangio want to take a team over that is rebuilding.

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Brian Flores – No

Flores is my least favorite of the surfacing names that are being considered or rumored to being considered. Flores has spent his 14 years with the Patriots and frankly, the Patriots defenses has never been anything but good but never great. Flores has spent one season, 2018 as the DC and the defense hasn’t been that good this year.

Flores has the privilege of being a Bill Belichick protegé’ and that is going to get him looked at but the Dolphins should, in my opinion, stay away from him.

Darren Rizzi – Yes

Rizzi has the support of the players and that can’t go unrecognized. Rizzi has the passion and the experience with the Dolphins. He knows the organization inside and out having been with the team since 2000. He also has been a head coach albeit at New Haven college.

Rizzi makes a lot of sense but the biggest concern, like with Flores, his time has been spent with one team and that limits the exposure he has had to other coaches which will make it harder for him to fill the coaching staff with quality staff.

Still Rizzi could be the best option for the Dolphins this year as they rebuild because he knows the players and that could help keep the Dolphins somewhat competitive while they rebuild and Rizzi could be that “players” coach that can get the team ready each week.

Eric Bieniemy – No

There is no question that Bieniemy is going to find his way into a head coaching role at some point in his career. He comes from the Andy Reid coaching tree and has every bit of energy you want in a coach and as Reid has pointed out, his attention to detail is really good.

For me Bieniemy hasn’t really proven himself over a longer period of time than a year or two. I think he needs to be an OC a bit longer before he is ready to take the next step. I think if he becomes a head coach too soon, he will ruin his chances for the future.

Kris Richard – Yes

Richard has all of the qualities you want in a head coach and has spent a lot of time learning the ropes from coaches like Pete Carroll. He played a significant role in the development of the Seattle “Legion of Boom” defense and has done a great job with the Dallas Cowboys secondary this year.

Richard is not a flashy name but his time should arrive this off-season. He has the knowledge to improve a defense in Miami that is in desperate need and should be able to get quality coaches to join him.

For me Richard is one day my top choice then in my top three. But he is never out of my top three and if the Dolphins make him their head coach this year I think it will be a smart hire that could be longterm dividends.

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