Jeff Hafley Agrees to Become Miami Dolphins Head Coach
Jeff Hafley, Green Bay defensive coordinator and ex-Boston College coach, agreed to become Miami Dolphins head coach amid organizational reset with new GM Jon-Eric Sullivan.
Overview
Jeff Hafley, 46, previously Boston College head coach and Green Bay defensive coordinator, has agreed to become the Miami Dolphins' next head coach.
The agreement followed a second interview on Monday; Hafley replaces Mike McDaniel, who was fired after a 35-33 record across four seasons and missing the 2025 playoffs.
New GM Jon-Eric Sullivan, also from Green Bay, will work with Hafley; the two spent two seasons together, which influenced Miami’s preference for candidates from the Packers’ staff.
Hafley’s Green Bay defenses ranked in the NFL top 10 in several metrics, and Dolphins owner Stephen Ross again chose a head coach without prior NFL head-coaching experience.
Hafley’s hiring begins an organizational reset that is likely to include quarterback decisions involving Tua Tagovailoa, who struggled in 2025 despite a large 2024 contract extension.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame the Dolphins’ hiring as a confident, positive reset, using celebratory language ('coveted', 'one of the hottest candidates') and forward-looking claims ('turn the page', 'promise of new leadership'). The coverage prioritizes organizational continuity with Packers ties while omitting critical perspectives, relying on paraphrase and absence of dissent to build momentum.
Sources (3)
FAQ
Hafley was selected due to his prior working relationship with new GM Jon-Eric Sullivan from their two seasons together in Green Bay, his success as Packers defensive coordinator with top-10 NFL defenses, and his college head coaching experience at Boston College.
Jeff Hafley replaces Mike McDaniel, who was fired after a 35-33 record over four seasons and missing the 2025 playoffs.
Sullivan and Hafley worked together for two seasons in Green Bay, where Sullivan was vice president of player personnel and Hafley was defensive coordinator, providing built-in cohesion for roster building and coaching.
Hafley served as the Green Bay Packers' defensive coordinator, where his defenses ranked in the NFL top 10 in several metrics, including fifth in total defense and sixth in scoring defense in 2024.
The Dolphins are prepared to start over at quarterback after Tua Tagovailoa was benched toward the end of the 2025 season, despite his large 2024 contract extension.
History
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