The Very Latest on the Dolphins Coaching Staff with a Wild Alum Update

New head coach Jeff Hafley continues to put the finishing touches on his first Miami staff

Miami Dolphins head coach Jeff Hafley makes his first remarks at his introductory press conference | Alain Poupart/Miami Dolphins On SI

The Miami Dolphins' 2026 coaching staff remained a work in progress two days before the Super Bowl, with some openings remaining before all the assistants are officially announced.

While introducing his main coordinators in a press conference Wednesday, new head coach Jeff Hafley said it wouldn't be long before his staff was completed and one can't help but wonder whether the final pieces to the puzzle couldn't come together until Super Bowl LX between the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks has been decided and assistants on those staffs no longer are off limits.

By all accounts and reporting, the key positions that still need to be filled are quarterbacks coach and tight ends coach after Nathaniel Hackett left to become offensive coordinator of the Arizona Cardinals after agreeing to come in as QB coach to replace Darrell Bevell and the decision was made to move on from tight ends coach Jon Embree, who also served as assistant head coach.

Besides the three main coordinators introduced Wednesday — Bobby Slowik, Sean Duggan and Chris Tabor — newcomers on the staff will include Ryan Downard, Wendel Davis, Tyke Tolbert, Ladell Betts, Al Washington, Jahmile Addae, Darius Eubanks, Zach Yesner and Matt Applebaum, along with holdovers Austin Clark, Joe Barry, DeShawn Shead as well as Slowik.

FORMER COACH UPDATES

While several members of the 2025 staff have lined up positions with new teams for next season, starting with Mike McDaniel, Frank Smith and Anthony Weaver, a few holdovers still are looking.

That list would include QB coach Darrell Bevell, who interviewed for the New York Jets offensive coordinator position but was bypassed in favor of Frank Reich, and assistant head coach/tight ends Jon Embree.

The latest 2025 Dolphins assistant to find a new team, based on reports, involved offensive assistant Roman Sapolu joining the San Francisco 49ers, the team with which his father Jesse won four Super Bowl titles.

Before that, associate head coach/running backs coach Eric Studesville, who had been the longest-tenured member of the staff got a job with the Chicago Bears.

And while this doesn't involve a 2025 Dolphins coach, a Friday night update really was eye-opening, a report that the L.A. Chargers, with McDaniel as their new offensive coordinator, are considering adding Adam Gase to their offensive staff, according to Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports.

Yes, that Adam Gase, the former Dolphins head coach who has been out of the NFL since 2020 when he completed the second and final season of his forgettable stint as head coach of the New York Jets.

Gase was 23-25 in his three seasons as Dolphins head coach, guiding the team to the playoffs in his first year in 2016, and was fired after a 7-9 finish in 2018.

2025 DOLPHINS COACHES AND THEIR 2026 ROLES

Head coach Mike McDaniel — L.A. Chargers offensive coordinator
Defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver — Baltimore Ravens defensive coordinator
Offensive coordinator Frank Smith — Minnesota Vikings, assistant head coach
Special teams coordinator Craig Aukerman — Atlanta Falcons, special teams coordinator
Associate head coach/running backs Eric Studesville — Chicago Bears, running backs coach
Assistant head coach/tight ends Jon Embree — TBD
Senior pass game coordinator Bobby Slowik — Miami Dolphins offensive coordinator
Quarterbacks/pass game coordinator Darrell Bevell — TBD
Wide receivers coach Robert Prince — Atlanta Falcons, wide receivers coach
Offensive line coach Butch Barry — L.A. Chargers, offensive line coach
Defensive line coach Austin Clark — Miami Dolphins, defensive line coach
Linebackers coach/run game coordinator Joe Barry — Miami Dolphins
Pass game coordinator/secondary Brian Duker — New York Jets, defensive coordinator
Cornerbacks coach Mathieu Araujo — Jacksonville Jaguars, defensive pass game coordinator
Senior defensive assistant Sean Ryan — Syracuse University, QB coach