The Miami Dolphins have hired their 12th head coach in team history. Jeff Hafley is also the fourth head coach hired by Stephen Ross. All of them are first-time NFL HCs.
Hafley's hiring shouldn't be a surprise. The Dolphins made quick work to find Chris Grier's replacement once the season ended. After several interviews, they tapped former Green Bay Packers personnel executive Jon-Eric Sullivan. The moment Sullivan was hired, Hafley's name was immediately tied to the Dolphins.
Hafley's hire is official, and now a new direction will take place in South Florida, but fans are no longer going to blindly support Ross's choices.
The #Dolphins have zeroed in on #Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley as their new head coach, per me and @TomPelissero.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 19, 2026
The two sides need to do a deal, and they are motivated to do so. One of most coveted candidates. pic.twitter.com/yNc26tytW8
Miami Dolphins name Jeff Hafley their replacement for Mike McDaniel
Essentially, the Dolphins traded an offensive guru for a defensive one. Hafley may not have had a number one defense in Green Bay, but they were far better than what Miami has fielded the last two years.
His work won't be easy. The Dolphins' defense is a mess. Questions about Bradley Chubb's future have been a point of speculation since the middle of last season. The cornerback unit is also void of starting talent, with both Jack Jones and Rasul Douglas impending free agents.
The safety position shouldn't be too bad for Hafley to revamp. Both Dante Trader and Jason Marshall showed positive growth last season, giving the new HC one less thing to worry about. Linebacker will need depth, but the bigger issue will be on the edge.
Chop Robinson is the only returning player who plays off the edge. Matt Judon is gone, and the Dolphins traded Jaelan Phillips. Phillips could return as a free agent because the Eagles did not extend him. Could he come back to Miami? That will depend on what Sullivan is willing to spend to entice him.
If there is one thing working in Hafley's favor, it's Sullivan. Both come from the same internal football operation, and that is what the Dolphins are hoping to build in Miami. There should be no friction between the two of them, as is sometimes the case with GMs and HCs from different backgrounds.
Will it work? Dolphins history says no, but ultimately, it will depend on how many people in the front office are sticking their noses into the football side of the business. If it is Sullivan reporting to Ross and Hafley to Sullivan, it might work better than it has, but time will tell.