Report: Dolphins Adding Longtime OC to Coaching Staff
New Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel is ready to add another significant piece to his coaching staff.
The Dolphins are expected to hire longtime NFL offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell as quarterbacks coach/pass game coordinator, according to Pro Football Network insider Aaron Wilson after ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported the Dolphins were working toward hiring Bevell.
Bevell will join an offensive staff that will include other newcomers such as offensive coordinator Frank Smith, wide receivers coach Wes Welker, tight ends coach Jon Embree and offensive line coach Matt Applebaum.
Later Tuesday evening, the Dolphins hired Tyrone McKenzie as their outside linebackers coach, as confirmed by a league source. McKenzie will replace Rob Leonard, who left to accept the same position with the Baltimore Ravens.
Bevell, a former quarterback at the University of Wisconsin, has been an offensive coordinator in the NFL for the past 16 years with stops with the Vikings, Seahawks, Lions and most recently with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2021.
In those 16 seasons, his offenses have finished in the top 10 in the league in total yards three times (2009 with Minnesota, 2014 and 2015 with Seattle) and in the top 10 in scoring five times. His pass offenses have finished in the top 10 four times.
Bevell finished the past two seasons as an interim head coach after replacing Matt Patricia in Detroit in 2020 and replacing Urban Meyer in Jacksonville last season. He was 1-4 for the Lions and 1-3 for the Jaguars, the one victory coming against Indianapolis in the season finale to knock the Colts out of playoff contention.
After four years as a college coach, Bevell began his NFL coaching career with the Green Bay Packers, for whom he served as assistant quarterbacks coach from 2000-02 and QB coach from 2003-05.
During his years as a QB coach or offensive coordinator, Bevell has coached with Aaron Rodgers, Brett Favre, Russell Wilson, Matthew Stafford and 2021 first overall pick Trevor Lawrence.
Unfortunately, Bevell is best remembered for his play call at the end of Super Bowl XLIX when he had Wilson attempt a slant pass on a second-and-goal from the 1 but the pass was intercepted by Malcolm Butler to clinch New England's 28-24 victory against the Seahawks.
The Dolphins did not have a pass game coordinator last season when they employed George Godsey and Eric Studesville as co-offensive coordinators.
Godsey has left to become tight ends coach for the Baltimore Ravens, while Studesville will be back as running backs coach/associate head coach.
Bevell will take over as quarterbacks coach for Charlie Frye, who joined the Dolphins last offseason.
McKenzie will come to Miami having previously coached with the Rams, Titans, Lions and Colts, for whom he served as a coaching fellow in 2021.
McKenzie, who played 19 games for the Vikings and Buccaneers in the early 2010s, played collegiately at the University of South Florida and was a third-round pick of the New England Patriots in 2009.
He was diagnosed with cancer in October 2019 and underwent surgery. His father died of colon cancer when Tyrone was 9. He talked about his own cancer diagnosis during his time with the Lions.
Based on the coaching staff from last year, the Dolphins still have an opening for a defensive backs coach, along with position assistants.
THE UPDATED DOLPHINS COACHING STAFF
Head coach: Mike McDaniel
Offensive coordinator: Frank Smith
Defensive coordinator: Josh Boyer
Special teams coordinator: Danny Crossman
QB coach/run game coordinator: Darrell Bevell (per report)
Running backs coach/associate head coach: Eric Studesville
Wide receivers coach: Wes Welker
Tight ends coach/assistant head coach: Jon Embree
Offensive line coach: Matt Applebaum (per report)
Defensive line coach: Austin Clark
Linebackers coach: Anthony Campanile
Outside linebackers coach: Tyrone McKenzie
Defensive backs coach: TBD
Cornerbacks coach: Charles Burks
