Should Miami Dolphins fans be excited about getting a new special teams coordinator? Absolutely, anyone has to be better than Danny Crossman, right?
Today, the Dolphins have found Crossman's replacement. According to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero, they are hiring former Tennessee Titans special teams coach Craig Aukerman. Are you excited?
Yes, Darren Rizzi is still available, but there is no way of knowing if the Dolphins reached out or if he had any interest in taking the job. Rizzi is still a candidate for the Saints' vacant head coach job.
Now, the position is filled, but who exactly is Aukerman?
Who is new Dolphins special teams coordinator Craig Aukerman?
Aukerman began coaching in 2000 as a wide receivers coach for Findlay before taking over special teams for Western Kentucky from 2003 to 2004. His first NFL gig came with the Denver Broncos in 2010 as a defensive assistant. In 2012, he joined the Jacksonville Jaguars as an assistant special teams coordinator.
His first job as the head of the unit was in 2016 with the Los Angeles Chargers. That lasted one year. Aukerman then joined the Titans, who, in his second year, promoted him to special teams coordinator. He held that position from 2018 to 2023 but was fired midway through the season and sat out 2024.
Tennessee's special teams struggled before his departure. In Week 13 of the 2023 season, his unit gave up two blocked punts to the Indianapolis Colts. The Titans fired him the next day.
Unfortunately, his overall results in Tennessee were underwhelming.
Here's where the Titans landed on Rick Gosselin's annual special teams rankings under Auckerman's leadership:
Year | Rank |
|---|---|
2018 | 16th |
2019 | 18th |
2020 | 24th |
2021 | 19th |
2022 | 14th |
2023 | 21st* |
* Auckerman was fired after Week 13 of the 2023 season.
Hiring Auckerman could be a sign that Mike McDaniel will struggle to get good coaches.
Is Mike McDaniel's job on the line heading into 2024? If not, the perception around the league could be different. Aukerman isn't a coaching hire that makes you believe the special teams unit will improve.
The Dolphins hope for improvements after a disastrous season from their special teams.