When the Miami Dolphins started their offseason officially, fans were nearly livid over the fact MIke McDaniel was still employed. Four days later, they got their wish. With the coaching search now almost two weeks in, they still haven’t found a replacement.

Some fans are starting to think the Dolphins might have made a mistake. Not in firing McDaniel, but instead the optics of a search that has turned up nothing but moss. Miami wanted to interview Kevin Stefanski for a second time, and the Falcons were convinced during their first meeting on Saturday.

With Stefanski and Harbaugh now off the board, where does the search for a new coach sit as they enter day 11 on Monday? The tea leaves are pointing back to Green Bay.

All signs point to the Miami Dolphins hiring Packers’ DC Jeff Hafley

There are no guarantees when it comes to the Dolphins. They can schedule an interview, but that doesn’t mean they will hire that person. Fans are starting to grow impatient, but that has more to do with the Dolphins not having a clear plan in place. Much like previous head coaching searches, the Dolphins didn’t enter the hiring cycle with a clear candidate in mind.

NFL rules prohibit teams from interviewing HC candidates who are under contract with another team until January 19th. Presumably, once teams are allowed to meet their candidates, the hiring process should speed up.

Jeff Hafley – After the Dolphins hired Jon-Eric Sullivan, Hafley and Matt LaFleur shot to the top of the Dolphins list. Both Green Bay coaches have obvious ties with Sullivan, but LaFleur is staying in Green Bay, and Hafley isn’t locked down. Miami will meet with him in person on Monday.

Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley is scheduled to meet Monday in Miami with the Dolphins, and Tuesday in Tennessee with the Titans. As was the case with Kevin Stefanski in Atlanta, a deal could come together quickly.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 18, 2026

Hafley has two other interviews set for next week as well. If the Dolphins want him, they need to convince him to stick around beyond his interview window and get a deal done. If they choose to wait, they could lose Hafley to another team. Currently, Hafley is the name most associated with joining the Dolphins, and the only coach officially scheduled for a second interview.

Chris Shula – Shula had a virtual interview with the team last week. His Rams will play the Bears on Sunday night. The Dolphins would like to interview him in person next week if they can get it done, but Shula, who has other teams interested, doesn’t seem to be drawing the same level of interest from Miami as other candidates have. If the Rams win Sunday night, Shula could get an interview scheduled next week, but will it be too late?

Robert Saleh – Imagine replacing Mike McDaniel with one of his closer friends. Early in his years with the Dolphins, we fully expected to see Saleh join McDaniel’s coaching staff. Timing never worked out with that. On Saturday night, Saleh’s 49ers were dismantled and kicked out of the playoffs. His defense gave up 41 points to the Seahawks.

Saleh is the only other coach with HC experience that has been linked to a second interview with the Dolphins. That is telling, as Miami has shown no rush to get him lined up, but that could change now that the 49ers are out.

Joe Brady – The Dolphins had requested an interview with him, and now that the Bills were bounced from the playoffs, Miami could look to further explore this possibility. Another offensive coach, Brady, is going to get more looks, but the timing may not be right for the Dolphins.

Jesse Minter – Miami held a virtual interview with the Chargers DC, and there has been speculation of a second one, but nothing official yet.

Klint Kubiak – The Seahawks’ lopsided win over the 49ers moved him one game closer to the Super Bowl. Miami may not want to wait him out. They can’t conduct an in-person interview until the bye week between the championship game and the Super Bowl. Kubiak reportedly did well in his virtual interview, but Stephen Ross isn’t a patient person and likely won’t wait him out unless his other options fall through.

The rest – Miami requested an interview with former LB coach Anthony Campanile, but a date has not been decided. Former Dolphins DC Patrick Graham has also been requested.

It appears the Dolphins are now all-in on Hafley. With no other in-person interviews scheduled for next week, the Dolphins are likely hoping they can convince Hafley that Miami is his best option. If he leaves the Dolphins on Monday without an agreement, all of this will change.