Dolphins History Lesson: Players AND Coaches

Renaldo Hill became the third member of the current Miami Dolphins coaching staff who also played for the team

Alain Poupart | Feb 21, 2023

Dolphins History Lesson: Players AND Coaches /

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Miami Dolphins

Renaldo Hill will make Miami Dolphins history when they play their first regular season game of 2023 as the first person to have played for the team and had two stints as an assistant coach.

Hill is one of 14 people who have done both, a list that includes fellow members of the current staff Sam Madison and Wes Welker, as well as Hall of Fame center Dwight Stephenson.

In this latest Dolphins History Lesson, we run down the 14 player-coaches in team history, along with our review of who was the most established at playing and coaching.

While Stephenson clearly was the best Dolphins player who also coached for the team and it's a showdown between Larry Seiple and Tony Nathan as the best coach who also played for Miami, it's a little harder to come up for the best combo person.

THE DOLPHINS PLAYERS WHO ALSO COACHED FOR THE TEAM

Sam Madison — 1997-2005 as CB; 2022-current as assistant coach

Wes Welker — 2004-06 as WR; 2022-current as assistant coach

Patrick Surtain — 1998-2004 as CB; 2022 as assistant coach

Gerald Alexander — 2011 as S; 2020-21 as assistant coach

Renaldo Hill — 2006-08 as DB; 2018, 2023- as assistant coach

Bryan Cox — 1991-95 as LB; 2011 as assistant coach

James Saxon — 1992-94 as RB; 2008-10 as assistant coach

Terry Robiskie — 1980-81 as FB; 2007 as assistant coach

Jeff Dellenbach — 1985-94 as T/C; 2004 as assistant coach

Bernie Parmalee — 1992-98 as RB; 2002-04 as assistant coach

Dwight Stephenson — 1980-87 as C; 1992 as assistant coach

Tony Nathan — 1979-87 as RB; 1989-95 as assistant coach

Larry Seiple — 1967-77 as P/RB/TE; 1988-99 as assistant coach

Bob Matheson — 1971-79 as LB; 1983-86 as assistant coach

THE MOST ACCOMPLISHED PLAYERS-COACHES AS DOLPHINS PLAYERS

Dwight Stephenson — 1980-87 as C; 1992 as assistant coach

Sam Madison — 1997-2005 as CB; 2022-current as assistant coach

Patrick Surtain — 1998-2004 as CB; 2022 as assistant coach

Bryan Cox — 1991-95 as LB; 2011 as assistant coach

Tony Nathan — 1979-87 as RB; 1989-95 as assistant coach

THE MOST ACCOMPLISHED PLAYERS-COACHES AS DOLPHINS COACHES

Larry Seiple — 1967-77 as P/RB/TE; 1988-99 as assistant coach

Tony Nathan — 1979-87 as RB; 1989-95 as assistant coach

Bob Matheson — 1971-79 as LB; 1983-86 as assistant coach

Bernie Parmalee — 1992-98 as RB; 2002-04 as assistant coach

Published Feb 21, 2023

ALAIN POUPART

Alain Poupart is the publisher/editor of Miami Dolphins On SI and co-host of the All Dolphins Podcast. Alain has covered the Miami Dolphins on a full-time basis since 1989 for various publications and media outlets, including Dolphin Digest, The Associated Press and the Dolphins team website. In addition to being a credentialed member of the Miami Dolphins press corps, Alain has covered three Super Bowls (for NFL.com, Football News and the Montreal Gazette), the annual NFL draft, the Senior Bowl, and the NFL Scouting Combine. During his almost 40 years in journalism, which began at the now-defunct Miami News, Alain has covered practically every sport at one time or another, from tennis to golf, baseball, basketball and everything in between. The career also included time as a copy editor, including work on several books, such as "Still Perfect," an inside look at the Miami Dolphins' 1972 perfect season. A native of Montreal, Canada, whose first language is French, Alain grew up a huge hockey fan but soon developed a love for all sports, including NFL football. He has lived in South Florida since the 1980s.