After an atrocious performance in Week 1, it might already be time for the Miami Dolphins to keep an eye out for Mike McDaniel's successor. Unless he can turn things around quickly, the head coach could be looking at a mid-season firing.
Should the position become available, the leading candidate has just made himself known on national television. The Green Bay Packers dismantled the Washington Commanders in a Thursday night throttling, and defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley was the star of the show.
Dolphins fans might want to pay attention to Hafley's scheme, as he could be leading the team next season.
Jeff Hafley emerges as prime candidate for potential Dolphins coaching opening
Remember the Commanders' offense that took the league by storm in 2024? Hafley and his Packers unit just held them to 18 points and 230 total yards. The dominant performance solidified Green Bay as a Super Bowl contender and put the defensive coordinator firmly on the radar for a 2026 head coaching job.
Just two years ago, Hafley was spending his days recruiting high schoolers and coaching up 18-year-olds at Boston College. The Packers took a chance on him after seeing disappointing returns from their defensive investments. Now, he's shutting down Jayden Daniels and quietly leading one of the best defenses in the NFL.
He seemed to have an answer for everything the Commanders tried on Thursday night. Daniels was unable to find the explosive plays he loves so much, instead having to check down to his running backs consistently. And when the ball went to the flat, the Packers were quick to crash down. Their blitz packages had the Commanders' offensive line in shambles all night. Washington offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury did all he could to confuse Green Bay's defense, but it was of no use. He was outmatched from start to finish.
That kind of defensive dominance would be more than refreshing to a Dolphins fan base that just watched Daniel Jones score 30 points against their team. After McDaniel and general manager Chris Grier leaned heavily into speed and finesse, a bit of hard-nosed defense would be a welcome change.
Miami's defense isn't anywhere near as talented as Green Bay's. Micah Parsons and Xavier McKinney aren't coming out of the tunnel for the Dolphins. But hiring Hafley would be a step in the right direction for a franchise that may be barreling toward a disastrous season.