After 9 years Darren Rizzi is leaving the Miami Dolphins

A short while ago the new broke that Miami Dolphins special teams coach Darren Rizzi will not return to the team in 2019.

Darren Rizzi who interviewed but was not hired as the Miami Dolphins head coach is heading out the door. According to a new report by Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald via social media, Rizzi declined interest in staying in Miami and is working on a deal with a new team.

Rizzi has spent his entire NFL career with the Miami Dolphins joining the staff in 2010 under Tony Sparano. He survived the coaching changes that followed including Sparano’s termination, Joe Philbin, and Adam Gase.

In his time with the Dolphins Miami special teams units have been solid and at times very good but many questioned if he was ready to be a head coach in the NFL. According to Jackson the parting is considered to be mutual. Jackson said that Flores wants to go in a different direction and that Rizzi didn’t want to return.

Replacing Rizzi will be former Bills special teams coordinator Danny Crossman. After all the coaching hires are official we will break down their pedigree or if necessary the lack thereof.

In addition to Crossman it has been reported by ESPN that George Godsey, a former TE coach with the New England Patriots and a former offensive coordinator with the Texans will join the team as the new TE’s coach.

A familiar face will also return to the Dolphins in Karl Dorrell. Dorrell previously coached the wide-receivers for the Dolphins for three seasons and one as the QB coach from 2008-2011. He moved on after Tony Sparano was let go.

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Perhaps the biggest hire of the Flores candidates may be Pat Flaherty of the Jacksonville Jaguars. He is a proven offensive line coach and will hold the same position in Miami. He too has been an OC before so Flores is giving himself some veteran coaching support around him.

Once the coaching hires are official we will break down what each brings to the team and then take another look at the hiring of Brian Flores.

As for Rizzi his time in Miami was appreciated and his presence around the team was thought of well but Rizzi’s time was coming to an end and it makes sense that Flores would want to go in a different direction. For all of Rizzi’s rah-rah antics he was unfortunately part of a culture that was not accustomed to winning.