The search for a new Miami Dolphins head coach has entered week two. Only one candidate has been scheduled for an in-person interview, for now. Stephen Ross' search for the guy who will turn around his franchise will likely come to an end by the time the NFL plays its championship games.
While most reports seem to point to Jeff Hafley as the next head coach, the true reality with this search is that once again, the Dolphins are going to be led by a coach with no NFL HC experience. Miami Herald's Barry Jackson not only pointed this out on "X," but gave fans the context of how bad it has gone for Ross.
The Dolphins have employed a first time NFL head coach in 21 years of their existence, missing the playoffs 17 of those years and losing a wild card playoff game in the 4 others. We can only hope that path works out for them this time around.
— Barry Jackson (@flasportsbuzz) January 18, 2026
Miami Dolphins beat writer quietly shades the team's head coaching search with statistical facts
There are fans across the NFL who will point out one fact about the annual NFL coaching cycle: First-time HCs are almost always the only choice for teams. Good coaches with experience seldom become available. Great coaches rarely do.
This offseason, we have seen John Harbaugh and Mike Tomlin leave their teams. Harbaugh found a job; Tomlin is likely to find a broadcast booth. Kevin Stefanski is a good coach who also has a new home. The only coaches with experience left are Mike McCarthy and Robert Saleh. The latter has already interviewed.
Jackson isn't wrong because he is spewing facts. Ross has bungled his way through HC interviews and GM interviews since he took ownership and control of the franchise. 21 years is a long time.
What Jackson doesn't point out, however, is that 16 of those years were under Ross' ownership, and the five previous years were coached by first-time HCs Cam Cameron and Tony Sparano. Ross didn't hire either, but he did give Sparano an extension.
Meanwhile, teams like the Denver Broncos, who Miami put 70 points on in 2023, are playing in the AFC Championship game with Sean Payton. Ironically, Ross failed to land the HC, was fined for trying to circumvent the tampering rules, and chose McDaniel instead. Making the situation worse was Chris Grier giving up a 1st round pick to Denver for Bradley Chubb. A pick they used to give New Orleans for Payton.
The other AFC team in the Championship game? Mike Vrabel has his Patriots turned around and looking like a Super Bowl team again. It took one year for Vrabel to turn around the Patriots and win the AFC East. Something Ross has never seen in his entire ownership.
There may be a lot to like about Hafley, or Chris Shula, or Jesse Minter, or any other first-time candidate who has climbed the ladder, but there is nothing like a coach who has done it all before and learned from the mistakes and situations that the NFL will throw at them.
Hafley at least has prior HC experience at the college level. Maybe that works in his favor, should he get the job. If not, we could be doing this again in another four years.