Dolphins tap Packers defensive co-ordinator Jeff Hafley as head coach, replacing Mike McDaniel

The Miami Dolphins and Jeff Hafley have reached an agreement to make the former Boston College head coach and Packers defensive coordinator their coach, a person with knowledge of the decision told The Associated Press on Monday.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because a contract hadn't been finalized.

Hafley replaces Mike McDaniel, who was fired after going 35-33 in four seasons. The Dolphins also fired longtime general manager Chris Grier during the season.

Hafley, who spent two seasons in Green Bay, met with the Dolphins for a second interview earlier Monday before he was offered the job. He will rejoin new GM Jon-Eric Sullivan in Miami.

The 46-year-old Hafley left his job at Boston College in 2024 to become defensive coordinator in Green Bay, where he worked with Sullivan for the past two seasons. Hafley also coached San Francisco's defensive backs from 2016-2018 after spending two years as Cleveland's secondary coach.

Sullivan, formerly Green Bay's vice president of player personnel, spent 22 seasons with the Packers before becoming the Dolphins' GM.

The hiring of Hafley continues Dolphins owner Stephen Ross' trend of gambling on candidates without prior NFL head coaching experience. Ross has not hired a proven NFL coach since becoming the Dolphins' majority owner in 2009. He previously took chances on Joe Philbin (2012-2015), Adam Gase (2016-18), Brian Flores (2019-21) and McDaniel (2022-25).

McDaniel was was fired after going 7-10 and missing the playoffs for the second straight year. That set up an organizational reset that will likely include finding a new quarterback and moving on from former first-round pick Tua Tagovailoa.

Tagovailoa was benched for the final three games of the 2025 season after