Miami Dolphins hire Jeff Hafley as head coach: What it means

MIAMI GARDENS — It’s a new era of Miami Dolphins football.

Sources confirmed to ESPN that the Dolphins will hire Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley as their next coach, after impressing the team’s brass during his second interview on Monday.

Hafley is the first head coach at the NFL level, marking the eighth consecutive head coach the Dolphins have hired. But unlike many of his predecessors, Hafley arrives in South Florida with a blank slate.

He was selected by Miami’s new general manager, Jon-Eric Sullivan, who spent two seasons with him in Green Bay as vice president of player personnel. The team is also ready to start over at quarterback, after starter Tua Tagovailoa was benched late in the 2025 season.

What does Hafley’s hiring mean for the Dolphins, and what’s next for the franchise now that it’s got men in charge of its rebuild? ESPN NFL Nation Dolphins reporter Marcel Louis-Jacques, NFL Insider Dan Graziano, senior draft analyst Jordan Reid and senior writer Ben Solak weigh in.

Why Hafley?

First, there is a built-in synergy between Hafley and Sullivan; they already know how to work together and won’t need to spend time getting to know each other. Hafley also spoke well with the Dolphins brain trust that included Sullivan, team owner Stephen Ross, president Tom Garfinkel, Ross’ son-in-law and successor, Daniel Sillman, vice president of football operations Brandon Shore and advisers Troy Aikman and Dan Marino. Hafley also has previous head coaching experience, albeit at the collegiate level (Boston College). — Louis-Jacques

What are the realistic expectations for Hafley and the Dolphins, short and long term?

This upcoming season will be about building a new foundation. The Dolphins have key pieces to build on but things could get worse before they get better in terms of the product on the field. Miami plays one of the toughest schedules in the NFL in 2026 — including road games against Denver, San Francisco, Green Bay and Minnesota, as well as home games against Kansas City, the Los Angeles Chargers, Chicago and Detroit — and will have to start over in a very important position, Tagovailoa’s future with the team is currently unclear. Long term, it’s clear the goal is to compete for Super Bowls — even though quarterbacks Josh Allen and Drake Maye are in the AFC East, even getting out of this division will be a challenge. — Louis-Jacques

How will Hafley and Sullivan work together?

Sullivan will build the program, Hafley will coach it. Sullivan will work alongside Shore and both men will report to Ross, Sillman and Garfinkel. Previous general manager Chris Grier was known to meet the wishes of his coaches regarding the formation of the teams, but in an interview with the Dolphins’ home media released on Sunday, Sullivan said that although several people will have a say in the movement of the list, he will ultimately make the final decision. — Louis-Jacques

What are we hearing from the league regarding recruitment?

It’s a quick rise for Hafley, who appeared to be in a shaky position as Boston College’s head coach a few years ago when he jumped to the NFL and the Packers’ defensive coordinator job.

But he got a lot of praise inside and outside the Packers building for what he did during his time there, and his reputation as a college head coach was for the development of strong players. Players like Zay Flowers and Donovan Ezeiruaku are among those who developed into NFL draft picks during their time at BC while Hafley was there. Previous head coaching experience, even if it was at the college level and not in the NFL, was something that worked in Hafley’s favor in this process, and when former Packer Sullivan was hired as Miami’s new GM last week, many people began to connect the dots. — Graziano

So, what will Hafley and Sullivan do with Tua and wideout Tyreek Hill?

Hill and Tagovailoa represent $108 million this season and it’s a safe bet that both players will not return to their current deals. Designating Hill as a post-June 1 cut seems like the most logical solution, considering it’s still unclear how long it will take him to return from the sprained knee he suffered last season.

Cutting Tagovailoa would result in a cap hit of $99 million, whether it’s all at once this season or spread over the next two seasons; trading him will be tricky considering his performances over the past two seasons and the money he is owed. After an injury-shortened 2024 season, Tagovailoa led the NFL in interceptions while sitting on the bench this season with a career-high 15, while sporting a career-low 37.4 QBR. Miami could sweeten the pot for any suitor by trading draft picks. — Louis-Jacques

How well can they improve the team with their first round pick (No. 11 overall)?

A common theme among first-year general managers is talking to the trenches, and we saw that in Miami. Both the offensive and defensive lines need smaller building blocks. Right tackle is an obvious need at the position, with question marks surrounding Austin Jackson’s durability and free agency looming after next season. The new Dolphins regime can look to Miami’s Francis Mauigoa, a consistent blocker at 6-foot-6 and 335 pounds, at No. 11 in Round 1. But Utah’s Spencer Fano is another name to watch; he is a straight forward who serves as a plug-and-play starter in the NFL. Pairing left tackle Patrick Paul with one of these guys would give Miami a playbook for the foreseeable future and give Halfey an improved pass protection. — Reid

How would you rate this recruitment?

B. First time head coach hire. We know a few things about Hafley — enough to have some faith but not enough to create a complete picture. He immediately upgraded the Packers’ defense when he took the job in 2024 and proved over two seasons that he can coach well in a loose backfield — not an easy thing to do in the NFL, given how good opposing passing games are today. Hafley runs the kind of tricks that are popular these days — including simulated pressures and cover rotations — and has a college background to help translate the game to younger players.

It’s unclear how strong Hafley’s Rolodex of coordinators/assistants will be, and while he’s coached well in terms of deficits in Green Bay, he hasn’t really had a standout unit. The Packers are generally a smart franchise, so pulling a HC-GM duo from their ranks feels strong. But this is a wait and see place. — The Solak