Welcome back: Miami Dolphins select Chan Gailey as their next offensive coordinator
Brian Flores didn’t fire offensive coordinator Chad O’Shea without having a replacement already in line — and the replacement is quite familiar to the Miami Dolphins and the entire AFC East.
The Dolphins are close to hiring Chan Gailey as their next offensive coordinator, multiple sources confirmed to the Herald.
Gailey, who turns 68 on January 5, will be coming out of retirement after last coaching with the New York Jets in 2016. Gailey served as the Dolphins offensive coordinator in 2000-2001 and interviewed for the team’s vacant head coaching job in 2007.
Gailey served as the head coach for the Dallas Cowboys in 1998-99 and the Buffalo Bills in 2011-12. That last stop is notable because during his time with the Bills, Gailey inserted a new quarterback to lead the team ...
Ryan Fitzpatrick.
During his time as the New York Jets offensive coordinator in 2015-16, the Jets turned the offense over to a veteran who had been added as a backup to Geno Smith. His name was ...
Ryan Fitzpatrick.
Yeah, this move will get Fitzpatrick’s seal of approval and further makes the point the Dolphins aren’t moving on from their 37-year-old quarterback.
But this move is probably also intended to bring more of a spread look to the Dolphins offense in a year they will be looking at adding a college quarterback from the draft. Gailey left the Dolphins at the start of this century to become the head coach at Georgia Tech.
He led the Yellow Jackets from 2002 to 2007 and his offense was always a spread look that relied on both running and passing from the quarterback position.
Gailey coached the Dolphins when Jay Fiedler was the quarterback. Although Fiedler was mobile, there were times Gailey would insert Bert Emanuel, a wide receiver, at quarterback to run on short yardage.
Gailey’s hiring, once contract details are agreed and the deal is signed, will bring a different offense to the Dolphins. That means backup quarterback Josh Rosen will have to learn a new offense — again.
Rosen had two offensive coordinators his one season with the Arizona Cardinals and now will get his second offensive coordinator with the Dolphins. That, by the way, is not optimal for a young quarterback.
Aside from revamping the offense, Gailey brings to the Dolphins staff a respected veteran coach who can help Flores with advice on the head coaching job. The Dolphins lacked that in 2019 because Jim Caldwell, who was supposed to be the experienced advisor, left the team before the season to address health issues.
The Dolphins were 25th in the NFL in scoring this season, an improvement from 26th a year ago.
This story was originally published December 31, 2019 at 8:38 AM.
