What to Know About the New Dolphins Running Backs Coach

The Miami Dolphins have made another addition to their 2026 coaching staff

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

For the first time since the 2018 season, the Miami Dolphins will have a new running backs coach.

That new coach is Ladell Betts, who comes to Miami after working for the New York Giants in his first year as an NFL coach. Before that, Betts spent four seasons as a running backs coach at his alma mater, the University of Iowa.

Betts had a nine-year playing career in the NFL as, of course a running back with eight of the nine seasons spent with the Washington Redskins. His best season came in 2006 when he rushed for 1,154 yards and four touchdowns.

Betts was a second-round pick in the 2002 and finished his career with one season with the New Orleans Saints in 2010. He had nine 100-yard rushing performances.

Before coaching at Iowa, Betts spent eight years as a high school coach in South Florida, including two as head coach at Pine Crest School in Boca Raton.

By all appearances, there doesn't seem to be any prior connection to either new Dolphins head coach Jeff Hafley or offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik.

In Betts' one year as Giants running backs coach, the team finished fifth in the NFL in rushing at 129.1 yards per game and rookie Cam Skattebo shined until he was sidelined by a season-ending ankle injury.

Betts becomes the fifth reported addition to the Dolphins coaching staff, joining O-line coach Zach Yenser, DB coach Ryan Downard, special teams coordinator Chris Tabor, and wide receivers coach Tyke Tolbert, along with the promotion of Slowik to offensive coordinator.

Green Bay Packers linebackers coach Sean Duggan also is expected to join the Dolphins coaching staff, very possibly as defensive coordinator.

END OF THE ROAD FOR STUDESVILLE

Betts will replace Eric Studesville, who likely will be moving on after previously being retained by Brian Flores when he arrived in 2019 and Mike McDaniel when he took over in 2022.

Studesville served as co-offensive coordinator (along with George Godsey) in Flores' third and final season as head coach in 2021 before getting the title of associate head coach/running backs coach under McDaniel.

The last Dolphins running back besides Studesville had been Danny Barrett, who ironically now has spent the past eight seasons with the Houston Texans, where he worked with Bobby Slowik. Barrett has been assistant head coach, along with running backs coach, for the past three seasons working with DeMeco Ryans.

After Studesville, the longest-tenured Dolphins coaches on the 2025 staff were defensive line coach Austin Clark and assistant offensive line coach Lemuel Jeanpierre, who both arrived in 2020.

Their status for 2026 has yet to be determined.