Dolphins Coaching Search: Harbaugh Update and Observations
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The Miami Dolphins coaching search officially is in its fourth week and its second month, though logic says it should reach its conclusion soon.
The question that remains is whether the Dolphins will end up hiring one of the two young assistants they are interviewing this week for a second time, Mike McDaniel or Kellen Moore, or whether they indeed will decide on former NFL coach Jim Harbaugh.
The latest development involving the former San Francisco 49ers — and more importantly for this discussion current University of Michigan — head coach involves reports of an in-person interview with the Minnesota Vikings on Wednesday.
Harbaugh is believed to be one of four finalists to replace Mike Zimmer in Minnesota, along with former Dolphins defensive coordinator (and current Giants DC) Patrick Graham, Rams offensive coordinator Kevin O'Connell and Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris.
Harbaugh, it should be noted, has a prior working relationship with new Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah from their time together in San Francisco when Adofo-Mensah was manager of football research and development.
But, very obviously, Harbaugh also has a relationship with Dolphins owner Stephen Ross and it also goes way back.
Harbaugh and Ross also have deep ties to the University of Michigan, which is why Ross publicly said Jan. 10 when he discussed the firing of Brian Flores that he wouldn't be the person to take Harbaugh away from Michigan.
But we've now arrived at the stage, with news of Harbaugh's in-person interview with Minnesota, where Ross can extend an offer and justify it by pointing out that Harbaugh was serious enough about returning to the NFL that he scheduled an interview on National Signing Day.
The worst-case scenario from this end just might be Harbaugh accepting an offer to coach the Vikings.
We're sticking by our report from Monday that Harbaugh still very well might join the Dolphins, while understanding the possibility does exist that things don't come together.
WHY HARBAUGH WOULDN'T END UP WITH THE DOLPHINS
And there would be several possible reasons at play.
The first one, quite simply, is if Harbaugh decides the Minnesota job is more appealing to him.
To that end, SI Fan Nation publishers got together last week to list the pros and cons of their team's head-coach openings and Will Ragatz of Inside the Vikings said this about the Minnesota job:
PROS
-- The Vikings have patient, stable ownership who gave Mike Zimmer eight seasons despite just three playoff appearances during that time. They're also very willing to spend money, as evidenced by the team's new facility and stadium, which are both among the nicest in the NFL.
-- New general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah is brilliant, young, and analytics-forward. Because he doesn't come from a traditional football/scouting background, he's unlikely to meddle in any of the head coach's responsibilities and will presumably be open to roster input from the coaching side.
-- From a talent perspective, the Vikings aren't far away. The offense is loaded with weapons led by WR Justin Jefferson and RB Dalvin Cook, while the defense still has some blue-chip players in LB Eric Kendricks and S Harrison Smith. The No. 12 overall pick could be used to add another strong young piece, and there's a chance Aaron Rodgers won't be back in the division next season.
CONS
-- The salary cap situation is a bit of a mess. Only three teams are currently further over the 2022 cap than the Vikings, who have seven veteran players combining for $137 million worth of cap hits this year.
-- Because of the financial mess and the team's mediocre play since signing him, the Vikings have a major decision to make on expensive veteran QB Kirk Cousins, who has a $45 million cap hit. Extending him would mean committing to several more years of a polarizing player with a career record of exactly. 500 as a starter, while trading him would leave Minnesota with a significant hole at the game's most important position.
-- It gets really cold in the winter. Like, really cold.
Or maybe Harbaugh ends up with the Vikings instead of the Dolphins because of concerns from the Miami side.
For example, the Dolphins moved on from Brian Flores ostensibly because of his prickly personality and Harbaugh is regarded as also being — how shall we put this? — intense.
Maybe Harbaugh wants total control of personnel and dictate the terms under which he'd take the job and the Dolphins insist on what's been leaked to national media members, that the new coach be willing to work with Tua Tagovailoa as his quarterback and retain most of the defensive coaches.
On that last point, remember that Harbaugh's defensive coordinator in San Francisco during his tenure there from 2011-14 was Vic Fangio, the recently fired Denver Broncos head coach who remains one of the most respective defensive minds in the NFL.
DOLPHINS SHOULD MAKE A PUSH FOR HARBAUGH
It says here, though, that Ross would be doing his franchise and himself a disservice by not exploring the possibility of hiring Harbaugh because, like or not, he is unquestionably the best candidate available.
The buzz seems to suggest that McDaniel is the favorite to land the job, but let's quickly examine his resume, with the full understanding that there seems to be agreement he's a brilliant mind and could help juice up the offense.
But let's also look at his time with the 49ers, which he joined in 2017 when he accompanied Kyle Shanahan over from Atlanta.
McDaniel, as is well known, doesn't call plays, but that's not a huge issue because Zac Taylor didn't call plays for the Rams, either, before the Bengals hired him and now he's headed to the Super Bowl.
But McDaniel, regardless of what title he's held, basically has been the run game specialist over the past five seasons and he's gotten praise for his creative concepts.
But what if I were to tell you that in McDaniel's five years, in terms of rushing yards per attempt, the 49ers have finished 17th, 12th, 9th, 16th and 16th. In terms of rushing yards per game, which has more to do with number of carries, the 49ers have been 21st, 13th, 2nd (in 2019), 15th and 7th.
Do these number really scream, HAVE TO HIRE THIS GUY!?
HARBAUGH'S HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL FIRST NFL HEAD COACH EXPERIENCE
From this end, they're certainly not as impressive as 44-19-1, which was Harbaugh's record in his four seasons as head coach with the 49ers.
And for those suggesting he inherited a stacked team, remember that the 49ers were 6-10 in 2010, the year before Harbaugh arrived, and has two Pro Bowl players that year.
In Harbaugh's first year, three 49ers players made the Pro Bowl for the first time — NaVorro Bowman, Dashon Goldson and Joe Staley.
And we discussed Monday the work that Harbaugh did with Alex Smith, who might have gotten more recognition during his time with the Kansas City Chiefs but who did some of his best work in those two seasons with Harbaugh.
The proof: career-high completion percentage, 70.2 under Harbaugh in 2012; career-best touchdown percentage, 6.0 percent under Harbaugh in 2012; career-most fourth-quarter comebacks, 5 under Harbaugh in 2011; and his career-high QBR (not the same as passer rating) is 65.1, which he did with Harbaugh in 2012 and with Andy Reid in K.C. in 2017.
So Harbaugh absolutely has proven he can coach in the NFL, and that shouldn't even be in question.
And it sure looks like he'll coach in the NFL again, whether it's this year or later. And if he does, the Dolphins would be wise to make sure it happens in Miami.
