Dolphins reportedly bringing in two candidates for second round of interview
It appears the Miami Dolphins are flirting with the idea of building a Green Bay South version of the Packers in the AFC East.
Last week the Dolphins hired Jon-Eric Sullivan, a long-time Packers executive to serve as the team’s new general manager, and on Sunday ESPN is reporting that Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley is coming to South Florida to participate in his second interview with Miami’s selection committee, this time in person.
Word in the NFL is beginning to circulate that Hafley is viewed as the front-runner for the job, but that hasn’t been confirmed by the Dolphins, and a handful of other teams have expressed interest in the 46-year-old.
Also expected to have a second interview is former Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski, who is headed to Atlanta for a second interview according to Sport Illustrated. Stefanski, who owns a 45-56 record in his six season coaching the Browns, where he was named NFL Coach of the Year twice, is also set to meet with the Tennessee Titans.
A second interview generally indicates that a candidate is a finalist, or the team needs to hold an in-person meeting to address some issues, concerns. If a candidate is a finalist for more than one open job it could become a bidding war, or rush the process for an interested team. According to the NFL Network, Hefley is setting up a second interview with the Titans, the Falcons, Las Vegas Raiders, Arizona Cardinals and the Dolphins.
The fact that Hafley is the first candidate attempting to replace fired coach Mike McDaniel to get a second interview with Miami doesn’t necessarily make him the favorite, but it does suggest he could become Miami’s next head coach, especially considering he has a connection to Sullivan from the two seasons they spent together in Green Bay.
However, the Dolphins still haven’t met with a handful of candidates they sought permission to interview, and Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady is on that list.
According to the NFL Network, Brady is set to meet with Miami on Sunday. Brady struggled in his two-year stint as offensive coordinator of the Carolina Panthers before finding success as Josh Allen’s quarterback coach and then offensive coordinator in Buffalo.
Before joining the Packers, Hafley spent four seasons serving as Boston College’s head coach, but only led the ACC program to a 22-26 record, which included two winning seasons, and two bowl game appearances.
Before becoming Boston College’s head coach he was the co-defensive coordinator at Ohio State for one season, a defensive backs coach for the San Francisco 49ers (2016-18), Cleveland Browns (2014-15), and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2012-13).
Hafley left Boston College after being hired by the Packers to replace Joe Barry, who served as Miami’s run game coordinator, and inside linebacker coach the past two seasons.
On Friday, the Dolphins conducted a virtual interview with Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula, the grandson of legendary Dolphins coach Don Shula.
Shula, who has been in the NFL since 2015, working his way up the coaching ranks, became the seventh candidate the Dolphins announced they have interviewed in their search, joining Hafley, Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, Stefanski, former New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh, Jacksonville Jaguars defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile and Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Jesse Minter.
Since Kubiak, Saleh and Minter’s teams are still participating in the postseason the Dolphins could only hold their interviews virtually because that’s an NFL rule.
Miami does have competition for the services of some of these head coach candidates.
Stefanski had seven interviews lined up, and is viewed as a finalist for the Falcons job, as is Minter, who interviewed with both the Baltimore Ravens and Las Vegas Raiders on Wednesday, and is scheduled to talk with every team that has an opening.
Saleh conducted an interview with the Dolphins and Arizona Cardinals on Thursday, and is scheduled to do the same Sunday with the Tennessee Titans and Baltimore Ravens, two of the eight franchise’s that have a vacancy at head coach after John Harbaugh picked the New York Giants, and is reportedly finalizing terms and conditions of a five-year, $100 million contract.
McDaniel, the former Dolphins head coach, has also interviewed for a number of the head coach openings, and is meeting with the Tennessee Titans this weekend, and repoeredly the Raiders next week. He’s also talked to the Detroit Lions, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Los Angeles Chargers about their vacant offensive coordinator positions.
This story was originally published January 17, 2026 at 1:03 PM.
