Omar Kelly: Which head coaching candidates make sense for Dolphins?

Every caput manager Steve Ross has hired has been a first-timer.

The Miami Dolphins were Joe Philbin, Adam Gase, and Brian Flores’ archetypal caput coaching job, and that was intentional due to the fact that Ross, a existent property mogul who became the bulk proprietor of the Dolphins successful 2009, believes successful hiring leaders who are young, hungry, and innovative.

But it’s imaginable that hiring idiosyncratic with acquisition nether his loop — a manager who has succeeded and failed determination else, perchance gathering a wealthiness of knowledge, acquisition and connections — could person helped this franchise get disconnected the mediocrity merry-go-round it has been riding for 2 decades.

It volition beryllium absorbing to spot the attack Ross and the Dolphins’ hiring committee instrumentality with this latest coaching search. Here immoderate names that merit superior information erstwhile it comes to replacing Flores arsenic the Dolphins’ adjacent caput coach.

Doug Pederson — Pederson, a erstwhile NFL quarterback, spent 4 seasons successful Miami arsenic Dan Marino’s backup earlier moving his mode up the coaching ranks. He owns a 42-37-1 grounds successful 5 seasons arsenic the Eagles coach, and led Philadelphia to a Super Bowl win. This soon-to-be 54-year-old sat retired this play aft being fired by the Eagles, but seems acceptable to get backmost into the premix if the close situation, and backmost comes along.

Dan Quinn — Quinn managed a 43-42 grounds arsenic the Falcons caput manager earlier being fired successful 2000 due to the fact that of an 0-5 start. This play helium joined Dallas and helped the Cowboys make an assertive defence that matched their explosive offense. The 51-year-old volition beryllium 1 of the hottest names during this circular of caput manager hiring’s. Dallas’ playoff tally could complicate things for teams that are interested.

Brian Daboll — He was the Dolphins violative coordinator successful 2011, truthful helium knows South Florida and this organization. He has besides served arsenic Tua Tagovailoa’s play-caller and backmost manager during Alabama’s nationalist title tally successful 2017. He’s liable for Buffalo Bills backmost Josh Allen’s ascension into elite status, truthful possibly helium tin bash it again with Tagovailoa. But immoderate accidental his property is simply a turnoff, and is the crushed helium hasn’t gotten a accidental to go caput manager yet.

Eric Bieniemy — Bieniemy’s sanction gets circulated for jobs each offseason, but the Chiefs violative coordinator hasn’t impressed a enactment committee capable to onshore him a caput coaching job. Part of the contented is the information that Chiefs manager Andy Reid calls the plays successful Kansas City, but determination are seemingly besides concerns astir his property and whether the 52-year-old would beryllium capable to pb an organization.

Kellen Moore — Moore, a erstwhile Boise State backmost who worked his mode up the Cowboys enactment aft his playing vocation concluded, is caller look newcomer successful the vicinity of caput coaching occupation searches. He has helped Dallas’ discourtesy go 1 of the NFL’s champion during backmost Dak Prescott’s return, and that mightiness get him a caput coaching occupation this cycle. But does the 33-year-old person the connections and cache to prosecute a bully unit of assistants, which is usually the biggest situation that comes with being a first-time caput coach?

Jim Harbaugh — Harbaugh already serves arsenic the caput manager for 1 of Ross’ favourite teams, the University of Michigan, which is wherefore Ross has vowed that if Harbaugh leaves Ann Arbor for the NFL it won’t beryllium for the Dolphins. Harbaugh owns a 44-19-1 grounds arsenic the 49ers caput coach, and took them to the postseason 3 times, including a travel to the Super Bowl. But the 58-year-old’s struggles astatine Michigan earlier this season, and what immoderate mightiness telephone a quirky personality, bespeak that helium should nary longer beryllium viewed arsenic a homerun enactment for immoderate franchise.

Mike Zimmer — Zimmer had a respectable eight-year tally arsenic the Vikings coach, producing a 72-56-1 record, which included 3 trips to the postseason. This 65-year-old’s biggest accomplishment successful the NFL is that he’s lone had 3 losing seasons, the past of which outgo him his occupation connected Monday. He’s the benignant of manager who comes with an already assembled unit of assistants.

Jim Caldwell — Caldwell held the adjunct caput manager rubric successful Miami for a mates months successful 2019, moving nether Flores, earlier abruptly retiring due to the fact that of aesculapian issues. But determination are rumblings that the erstwhile Colts and Lions coach, who owns a 62-50 grounds successful 7 seasons, wants to get backmost into coaching. His assemblage of enactment is rather impressive, but does helium person the thrust and vigor needed to physique a winning program?

Todd Bowles — The Dolphins person past with Tampa Bay’s antiaircraft coordinator from the 4 seasons helium served arsenic the team’s adjunct caput coach, and the 3 games helium filled successful arsenic the interim caput manager successful 2011, posting a 2-1 record. The 58-year-old led the Jets to a 24-40 grounds successful 4 seasons arsenic their coach, but has redeemed himself successful Tampa arsenic the play-caller for 1 of the NFL’s champion defenses. But would helium privation to enactment for the Dolphins enactment again?

Jack Del Rio — De Rio, who turns 59 successful April, has been an accomplished subordinate and manager astatine each stop. He owns a 93-94 grounds arsenic a manager successful 12 seasons arsenic the person successful Jacksonville and Oakland, and is present serving arsenic the antiaircraft coordinator successful Washington. His narration with erstwhile Raiders wide manager Reggie McKenzie, who is the Dolphins elder unit executive, could beryllium the ft successful the doorway helium needs to onshore an interview.

Marvin Lewis — Lewis doesn’t get the respect helium deserves for what helium accomplished successful Cincinnati, and for his coaching tree, which rivals Bill Belichick’s due to the fact that it has produced 4 caput coaches. Lewis, 63, has a 131-122-3 grounds from his 16 seasons arsenic a coach, but hasn’t received superior interviews for 3 years. It’s imaginable his 0-7 postseason grounds has thing to bash with that.