Dolphins’ list of coaching candidates grows to at least six. Where things stand
The list of known candidates for the Dolphins head coaching job grew to six on Sunday, when a league source confirmed that Miami has requested to interview Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley.
At least five other teams also have asked to speak with Hafley. Miami’s interest is not surprising, considering new Dolphins general manager Jon Eric Sullivan worked with him in Green Bay over the past two years.
Hafley, 46, has been the Packers’ defensive coordinator since 2024. And while his unit has played very well at times, Green Bay’s defense was victimized in the Chicago Bears’ rally from an 18-point deficit to beat the Packers, 31-27, in a wild card playoff game on Saturday night.
The Packers this season were 12th in average yards allowed per game (312) and 11th in points permitted per game (21.2).
Hafley previously coached defensive backs for Tampa Bay, Cleveland and San Francisco.
He went 22-26 as head coach at Boston College from 2020 to 2023, after serving for a year as co-defensive coordinator at Ohio State.
In the early stages of their search for a head coach, the Dolphins have focused on a mix of candidates -- some who have head coaching experience and others who do not.
And besides Hafley, each of those other identified Dolphins candidates also has drawn interest from two to six other teams:
▪ At least seven teams want to speak with former Ravens coach John Harbaugh, and he’s expected to decide by Monday which teams he will consider.
A source close to Harbaugh said his comfort level with ownership and management, a team’s roster and quarterback situation and salary cap predicament would all factor into his decision.
NFL Network reported that the Dolphins, Giants, Falcons and Titans are the strongest possibilities and that Harbaugh might ask teams to come to him instead of traveling to them for interviews.
▪ Former Jets coach Robert Saleh has been asked to interview with five teams: the Dolphins, Ravens, Titans, Falcons and Cardinals. Though he went 20-36 as head coach of the Jets, Saleh is well-regarded in the league because of his acumen as a defensive coordinator and his leadership skills.
▪ Former Browns coach Kevin Stefanski, who also is expected to interview with Miami, already has met virtually with the Giants, Ravens, Raiders, Falcons and Titans. Stefanski, a respected offensive mind who was named Coach of the Year in 2020 and 2023, was fired by the Browns last week after going 45-56 in six seasons.
▪ NFL Network reported that the Dolphins might call Mike McCarthy, the former Packers and Cowboys coach who won a Super Bowl with Aaron Rodgers’ Green Bay team in 2011. He’s set to interview with the Giants on Tuesday.
▪ Another possibility emerged Sunday, when ESPN suggested that the Packers might consider moving on from Matt LaFleur, whose team blew an 18-point lead in a wild-card loss to Chicago on Saturday, and could target Harbaugh as a replacement.
LaFleur and Sullivan have a long-standing relationship from their time in Green Bay.
The Dolphins are one of six teams that has asked for an interview with Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula, the grandson of legendary Dolphins coach Don Shula.
The Dolphins have completed an interview with one candidate so far -- Seattle offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, who also has met virtually with five other teams.
This story was originally published January 11, 2026 at 2:25 PM.
