The Miami Dolphins have continued to wallow in mediocrity since the 2001 season as they have made the playoffs only twice since that year while going through a total of nine coaches in that span. The latest coach to get the gas in Miami was Adam Gase, who faded badly with 6-10 and 7-9 seasons after leading the Fish to the playoffs in his rookie season as head coach in 2016. In his ten years of owning the team Stephen Ross has not moved the needle. The good news is that he now realizes he needs a football man in charge and has put Chris Grier in charge of the head coaching search. There is not a clear-cut favorite as of yet for the Dolphins gig. New England offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels is the top betting favorite thus far.
Head Coach of the Miami Dolphins for Week 1 of the 2019-2020 Regular Season
(Odds at Bookmaker.eu as of 1-6-19)
Eric Bieniemy +1306
Mike Munchak +849
Josh McDaniels +468
Mike McCarthy +962
Vic Fangio +1259
Cris Richard +1000
Jim Caldwell +849
Field +122
Brian Flores +1031
Darren Rizzi +1662
Dan Campbell +849
McDaniels Checks a Lot of Boxes
It is certainly understandable why Josh McDaniels would be a favorite to become head coach of the Dolphins. He has been a highly successful quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator for the New England Patriots. However, it’s difficult for some fans to forget the debacle of his short tenure as head coach of the Denver Broncos in 2009-10. McDaniels was clearly immature and not ready for such responsibilities at that time and couldn’t last two years. But since then he has done much to rehabilitate his image and substantive reputation. Gase was fired in large part due to the regression of the Miami offense that ranked a dismal 31st overall in the NFL. It is also believed that Miami quarterback Ryan Tannehill is seeing his career go to waste with the Dolphins due in part to poor coaching. McDaniels could potentially change that.
Caldwell the Ultimate Retread
What Jim Caldwell has going for him is plenty of NFL head coaching experience with the Indianapolis Colts in 2009-11 and with the Detroit Lions in 2014-17. And in fact, Caldwell does have an overall career winning record of 64-54 good for a .542 winning percentage. Furthermore, his departure from the Detroit Lions has him looking much better in retrospect. Detroit finished 6-10 this year after going 9-7 the previous two seasons under Caldwell. Caldwell also fills the angle of improving the offense as a former quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator.
Munchak Wants Comeback Bid
Mike Munchak would also make sense as he has the reputation as one of the best offensive line coaches in the NFL. Balanced against that was his mediocre tenure as head coach of the Tennessee Titans from 2011 through 2013 in which he failed to produce a playoff bid and finished with a final losing record of 22-26. Since that time Munchak has served as offensive line coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Campbell has Miami Ties
Dan Campbell currently serves as assistant head coach of the New Orleans Saints which also includes the responsibility of coaching the tight ends. Campbell is well known in Miami as an assistant coach from 2010 through 2015 which led to him serving as interim head coach in 2015 where he posted a 5-7 record. Coaching under Sean Payton with the Saints certainly enhances his credentials to build a good offense although his lack of experience as a coordinator could count against him.
The Logical Choice
The rest of the choices look like wild cards. McDaniels also makes sense as he would be quite familiar with the AFC East and the Patriots themselves. Miami would be a potentially good hire that would serve as a warning shot by the Dolphins that they are ready for war in challenging the New England dynasty.
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