Patriots Rival Predicted To Hire Packers Coordinator As Head Coach

The New England Patriots will face the Houston Texans on Sunday, aiming to advance to the AFC Championship Game. Meanwhile, one of their division rivals, the Miami Dolphins, is closing in on a new head coach.

Surely, the Dolphins would rather be in the Patriots’ position right now. However, after seeing what Mike Vrabel has done in year one with the Patriots, the Dolphins will want to nail their coaching hire. According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, Jeff Hafley has “emerged as a frontrunner for the Dolphins head coaching job.”

Hafley has never served as a head coach in the NFL, but was the head coach at Boston College from 2020 to 2023. Bleacher Report’s Erik Beaston predicted the Dolphins would eventually hire Hafley to be their new head coach.

“The Packers’ defensive coordinator has had stops in Tampa Bay, Cleveland, and San Francisco before moving to college where he joined the Ohio State staff and eventually became the Boston College head coach. He returned to the NFL with the Packers in 2024,” wrote Beaston on Sunday. “After four seasons under an offensive-minded head coach in McDaniel, it makes sense that the organization would look to hire a defensive coach in an attempt to return to prominence and championship-winning football in Miami.”

Hafley has been the Green Bay Packers’ defensive coordinator for the last two seasons. After years of being a below-average unit, Hafley helped get the Packers back to playing great defensively. In his first season as coordinator, the Packers ranked sixth in points allowed and fifth in yards allowed.

Hafley’s unit was playing great last season, but eventually injuries to stars on the defense caught up to him. Micah Parsons and Devonte Wyatt’s injuries proved to be difficult to overcome. Still, the Packers finished in the top half of the league in yards and points allowed.

Hafley has coached under Matt LaFleur and Kyle Shanahan, two successful NFL coaches. He could be a great addition for the Dolphins and make things difficult for the Patriots next season.

Unlike when the Patriots hired Vrabel, the Dolphins have some question marks at quarterback. That could be a big hurdle for Hafley, who is a defense-minded coach. Not only do the Dolphins have to nail their head coaching hire, but they need to figure out their plan at quarterback.