And just like that the Miami Dolphins again are in the market for a quarterbacks coach.
Before he even officially was announced in his new role with Miami, longtime NFL offensive coordinator and one-time Denver Broncos head coach Nathaniel Hackett was gone, on his way to joining the Arizona Cardinals coaching staff.
Hackett will become the offensive coordinator for new head coach Mike LaFleur, the man he followed as New York Jets offensive coordinator following his disastrous one-year stint as Broncos head coach.
Hackett spent the 2025 as a defensive analyst with the Green Bay Packers and was set to join Jeff Hafley in Miami, but those plans now have changed.
His potential addition wasn’t exactly met with a lot of enthusiasm by Dolphins fans, based on social media responses, in large part because of his lack of success in Denver when he didn’t make through his first year as head coach but even more so because of his ill-fated tenure as Jets offensive coordinator in 2023-24 when he was brought in to reunite with Aaron Rodgers from their Green Bay days and things went awry for the New York offense.
But Hackett’s experience could have proven valuable for Hafley and offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik, and this is where we point out that Bevell also has considerable coordinator experience along with two stints (with Detroit and Jacksonville) as an interim head coach.
THE DOLPHINS COACHING STAFF
The Dolphins already are expected to retain four members of their 2025 coaching staff, with offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik, defensive line coach Austin Clark, linebackers coach Joe Barry and assistant DB coach DeShawn Shead, but Hafley said Wednesday his staff isn’t quite finalized yet.
Hafley wouldn’t have far to look for a new QB coach if he wanted additional continuity because Darrell Bevell, who filled that role last season, remains available after interviewing for the New York Jets offensive coordinator spot but losing out to former Indianapolis Colts and Carolina Panthers head coach Frank Reich.
Among the Dolphins’ most high-profile assistants from 2025, Bevell, Jon Embree and Eric Studesville are the three who remain without a new team for next season, but a league source confirmed the team will be moving on from Embree. The Dolphins also have a new running backs coach, Ladell Betts, which means Studesville also won’t be back.
Those who have found a new team include Mike McDaniel as offensive coordinator of the Los Angeles Chargers, Anthony Weaver as defensive coordinator of the Baltimore Ravens, Frank Smith as assistant head coach for the Minnesota Vikings, special teams coordinator Craig Aukerman in the same role with the Atlanta Falcons, where he’ll be joined by wide receivers coach Robert Prince, DB coach Brian Duker as defensive coordinator for the Jets, and cornerbacks coach Mathieu Araujo as defensive pass game coordinator for the Jacksonville Jaguars.
More Miami Dolphins Coverage:
