Dolphins 2026 Head Coach Search Tracker: The Harbaugh Fallout

The thought of nan Miami Dolphins hiring John Harbaugh arsenic their caller caput coach is gone.

But is it immoderate astonishment astatine each aliases was it a tube dream from nan clip Harbaugh was fired by nan Baltimore Ravens? More importantly, is it really that large a woody that nan Dolphins won't onshore nan "big whale" of nan caput coach candidates of this hiring cycle?

How astir not overmuch and not very overmuch all.

We tin commencement pinch nan thought of nan Dolphins being capable to person Harbaugh to travel to Miami, an thought that began much than thing because of proprietor Stephen Ross' fundamentally limitless costs and his well-established willingness to not fto financial considerations get successful nan measurement of what he wants (see Suh, Ndamukong).

Then location was this conception thrown retired location connected societal media that Ross decided to occurrence Mike McDaniel arsenic caput coach aft Harbaugh became disposable because he was assured he could onshore him.

As it turned out, nan Dolphins ne'er really were successful superior information because nan 3 teams Harbaugh had agreed to meet this week were nan New York Giants, Atlanta Falcons and Tennessee Titans, and he canceled his 2 second meetings aft agreeing to go caput coach of nan Giants.

Exactly really quickly Harbaugh tin move astir nan Giants aft their 4-13 decorativeness of 2025 is debatable, but nan aforesaid would person applied had he coiled up joining nan Dolphins.

Harbaugh besides is 63 years old, which rather frankly is connected nan aged broadside for an NFL caput coach.

But he was nan large sanction retired there, peculiarly pinch Pittsburgh Steelers president Art Rooney II indicating that Mike Tomlin wants to walk clip distant from nan NFL aft he resigned, aliases nan shiny object, if you prefer.

That doesn't mean he was nan champion candidate.

Based connected our research, we identified 10 different caput coaches who moved to different squad aft astatine slightest 10 years connected a erstwhile job, and nan truth is nan results were mixed for nan caller teams.

That database see Dan Reeves (from Denver to nan New York Giants), Marty Schottenheimer (from Kansas City to San Diego), Andy Reid (from Philadelphia to Kansas City), Mike McCarthy (from Green Bay to Dallas), Pete Carroll (from Seattle to Las Vegas), Jeff Fisher (from Tennessee to nan Rams), Mike Shanahan (from Denver to nan Raiders), Sean Payton (from New Orleans to Denver), Jim Mora (from New Orleans to Indianapolis), Dennis Green (from Minnesota to Arizona) and Ted Marchibroda (from Indianapolis to Baltimore).

Reid evidently was a awesome occurrence story, but he did person nan luxury of joining an statement that yet would springiness him Patrick Mahomes astatine quarterback. He's nan only 1 to person reached nan Super Bowl pinch his 2nd team.

The flip broadside is Carroll, who was fired by nan Raiders aft only 1 play aft returning to nan NFL successful 2025 pursuing a one-year absence.

The Giants are hoping they landed different Andy Reid aft their all-out blitz to onshore Harbaugh.

Whether nan Dolphins ever indicated to Harbaugh really acold they were consenting to spell to get him aliases whether he told them not to fuss mightiness ne'er beryllium known, but nan reality is each nan reports suggesting nan Dolphins want a three-person powerfulness building pinch GM, headdress guru and caput coach connected a aforesaid level and each reporting to nan proprietor should person made it clear from nan commencement it was a very agelong changeable that Harbaugh would extremity up successful Miami because he'll beryllium getting much powerfulness than that pinch nan Giants.

The different reality is nan Dolphins could upwind up pinch conscionable arsenic bully a candidate, moreover if nan hiring won't beryllium arsenic splashy.

THE CANDIDATES AND THE COMPETITION

The Dolphins' hunt continued Thursday greeting pinch 10 candidates remaining now that Harbaugh is retired of nan picture.

Those candidates nan Dolphins person interviewed aliases person requested to interview: erstwhile caput coaches John Harbaugh, Kevin Stefanski and Robert Saleh, violative coordinator Klint Kubiak of nan Seattle Seahawks, violative coordinator Joe Brady of nan Buffalo Bills, and protect coordinators Patrick Graham of nan Las Vegas Raiders, Chris Shula of nan Los Angeles Rams, Greg Minter of nan Los Angeles Chargers, Jeff Hafley of nan Green Bay Packers, Kelvin Sheppard of nan Detroit Lions and Anthony Campanile of nan Jacksonville Jaguars.

But nan Dolphins person a batch of title for candidates because they're 1 of 9 teams looking for a caller caput coach, nan others being (in alphabetical order) nan Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns, Las Vegas Raiders, New York Giants, Pittsburgh Steelers and Tennessee Titans.

Because of their uncertain backmost outlook, a bad headdress business and nan beingness of Josh Allen and Drake Maye successful nan division, nan Dolphins mightiness person astatine a competitory disadvantage compared to different franchises, though they do person nan use of playing successful a authorities pinch nary income taxation on pinch nan South Florida weather.

The Dolphins will look a batch of title for respective caput coach candidates, including Stefanski, who's sewage 7 interviews lined up, per aggregate reports, and Minter, who interviewed pinch some nan Baltimore Ravens and Las Vegas Raiders connected Wednesday and is scheduled to talk pinch each squad that has an opening.

The Falcons person thrown a wide nett astir coaching candidates and person fundamentally each Dolphins campaigner connected their database truthful far, different than Brady. They've besides interviewed erstwhile Dolphins caput coach Mike McDaniel and protect coordinator Anthony Weaver already.

The 1 campaigner for whom location wasn't awesome title arsenic of early Wednesday evening was Campanile, though that evidently could change. The Dolphins were nan first squad to petition an question and reply for nan Jaguars protect coordinator and erstwhile Miami assistant.

Former New York Jets caput coach Robert Saleh is scheduled to behaviour a bid of Zoom interviews Sunday, nan time aft his San Francisco 49ers (he's their protect coordinator) look nan Seattle Seahawks successful nan divisional information of nan playoffs. Along pinch Miami, Saleh besides is expected to speak pinch Tennessee, Ariona, Baltimore and, of course, Atlanta.

MORE DOLPHINS COACHING SEARCH COVERAGE:

-- Where nan Miami Dolphins rank among nan 9 caput coach openings
-- What nan hiring of Sullivan could mean for nan Dolphins coaching search
-- What different erstwhile Dolphins assistants could aliases should get an interview?
-- How Mike Tomlin Stepping Down from Steelers Affects Dolphins Head Coaching Search
-- Pros and Cons of Each Dolphins Head Coaching Candidate

MIAMI DOLPHINS HEAD COACH HISTORY

George Wilson — 1966-69 ... hired Jan. 29, 1966
Don Shula — 1970-95 ... hired Feb. 18, 1970
Jimmy Johnson — 1996-99 ... hired Jan. 11, 1996
Dave Wannstedt — 2000-04 ... hired Jan. 16, 2000
Jim Bates (interim) — 2004
Nick Saban — 2005-06 ... hired Dec. 27, 2004
Cam Cameron — 2007 ... hired Jan. 19, 2007
Tony Sparano — 2008-11 ... hired Jan. 16, 2008
Todd Bowles (interim) — 2011
Joe Philbin — 2012-15 ... hired Jan. 20, 2012
Dan Campbell (interim) — 2015
Adam Gase — 2016-18 ... hired Jan. 9, 2016
Brian Flores — 2019-21 ... hired Feb. 4, 2019
Mike McDaniel — 2022-25 ... hired Feb. 7, 2022