McDaniel Explains Choice of New Assistants

The Miami Dolphins added two former coordinators to their coaching staff in 2025

Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel speaks at the 2025 NFL scouting combine. | Alain Poupart - Miami Dolphins On SI

The Miami Dolphins added two former coordinators to their staff this offseason, though only one of them will have that title in 2025.

The two newcomers are former Houston Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik and former Tennessee Titans special teams coordinator Craig Aukerman.

While Aukerman joined the Dolphins in his previous capacity, Slowik was hired as a senior pass game coordinator to join an offensive staff that already included QB coach/pass game coordinator Darrell Bevell.

Head coach Mike McDaniel, speaking on the team's DriveTime Podcast, said that while Slowik wasn't needed to fill a vacancy, the opportunity to add him to the staff and reconnect with him after working together in San Francisco was too good to pass up.

"What a fortunate opportunity we had in this situation," McDaniel said. "Because, realistically, Bobby Slowik is coming here to only add value, not taking any responsibility away from the other coaches. But you want to talk his working relationship with Frank Smith, and their ability to present to me their opinions when we get together and finalize the game plan, Bobby Slowik's ability to to be in and out of the quarterback room and my first-hand knowledge of his ability to work with people in a constructive manner that is very comfortable for all parties. I already know how well he'll continue to work with Coach Bevel and (Tua Tagovailoa's) play as well. So really, really unexpected opportunity that I feel very fortunate because there's two guys that I directly trained to be in a coordinator type role in the National Football League are Mike LaFleur and Bobby Slowik, to have one of those guys is monumental when the game is about how many people or a collection of people seeing things the same way."

With the Dolphins, Slowik not only will be reunited with McDaniel, he will join his brother Ryan, who is the team's DB coach/pass game specialist on defense.

AUKERMAN'S PREVIOUS DOLPHINS CONNECTIONS

Aukerman also had some connections with the Dolphins staff, having worked with OLB coach Ryan Crow with the Tennessee Titans for seven seasons (2017-23) and with running backs coach Eric Studesville for one season with the Denver Broncos in 2010. Crow even was asssistant special teams coordinator in 2020 under Aukerman.

"Well, first off, I had multiple people within my own staff, guys who don't typically recommend people aggressively speak on his behalf," McDaniel told the podcast about Aukerman. "I already felt like I had an idea who the guy was before I met him, but the nuts and bolts of why he's our special teams coordinator was because of how our working relationship was going, in my opinion, to excel. I think his interest in football, there's a lot of overlap and how I see it, and the connectivity, it's like writing a perfect essay in English. You get it back from your English teacher. Any of these words scratched out because they're unnecessary, right to the point, well, that's kind of how he sees instruction, constantly attacking. How are we telling these guys what we want them to do? What's the common commonality with how they're taking the coaching, and how do we best get players to work in concert and be their best selves? So really, really excited about that working relationship. I think we're going to benefit from that. Because he's a guy that will, with absolute certainty, develop and maintain relationships with the players and then develop players, which is the whole point of coaches."

MIXED FEELINGS ABOUT WEAVER

During his combine press conference, McDaniel talked about having Anthony Weaver back for a second season as defensive coordinator, something that at one point was less than certain after he interviewed for the head-coaching openings with the Chicago Bears and New Orleans Saints, which went to Ben Johnson and Kellen Moore, respectively.

Weaver's return will end a streak of three consecutive years with a new defensive coordinator after Josh Boyer, Vic Fangio and Weaver took turns.

“Those are weird situations in that I have a close relationship with Anthony Weaver," McDaniel said. "I obviously think highly of him by hiring him and our working relationship is awesome, but I know he is going to be a tremendous head coach someday. So it’s not that exciting, it is a relief just knowing that I think there’s a tremendous amount out there for us to finally have some continuity with scheme and leader, but you’re also in the car with the guys that you have relationships with and Anthony Weaver is deserving of it. It just so happens that it won’t be this year, but I’ll be sure to not take for granted my working relationship with him this coming year because my expectation (of) that whole process will be I have to be ready for it to be short-lived.”