Adam Gase’s firing by the Dolphins Monday morning was the biggest surprise of the 2018 Black Monday cycle — although, by many accounts, the split between Tase and owner Stephen Ross accelerated in the final days of Miami’s 7-9 season. As it turns out, though, even bigger news awaited: Ross reassigned Mike Tannenbaum and promoted Chris Grier to his old job as head of football operations, and made him the point man for the hiring of Gase’s replacement.
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So, it might not necessarily be Ross’s whims that decide the next Dolphins coach. Yet that can’t be counted out; he’s sent more than enough mixed signals on more than enough topics during his ownership. Nevertheless, expect these names to be prominent in the search, including one he still has ties to, and can’t be ruled out now any more than he was three years ago the last time the job was open.
Jim Harbaugh, Michigan head coach
The ties between Ross and Michigan always hang over these circumstances and always will, until Harbaugh returns to the NFL with another franchise, if he ever does. Ross and Harbaugh have publicly said all the right things about the coach staying at Michigan despite the underachievement relative to the expectations four years ago. But nobody’s crazy enough to think that if Harbaugh does want to come back to the pros, that Ross would shrug it off and not pursue him.
Brian Flores, Patriots defensive coordinator
Flores appears to have needed just one year as a coordinator to give him the final seal of approval as a hot, young (turns 38 in February) NFL head-coaching candidate. He was highly thought of last offseason, and he did well under the circumstances with the Patriots defense this season after Matt Patricia left for the Lions. Also consider: Ross reportedly is still influenced by the man who once ran his football operation, Bill Parcells, and both Flores and Grier have direct or indirect ties, as do other candidates here. Plus: Ross and Grier are the most likely management duo to take minority coaching hiring seriously this offseason, instead of giving it mere lip service.
Dan Campbell, Saints tight end coach
The most likely member of Sean Payton’s staff to make the rounds this year … which, again, ties in to Parcells through Payton. Campbell not only is an assistant head coach there and had a big hand in the offensive resurgence of the last two seasons, he also was the Dolphins’ interim head coach in 2015 after Joe Philbin was fired.
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Bruce Arians, former Cardinals coach
Arians will likely have the pick of jobs this offseason if he’s serious about coming back to the sidelines. It would be smart for the Dolphins to get on his short list, but would it be smart for him to go there? The quarterback situation is completely unsettled right now, but depending on how they play 2019 (that is, tank or no tank), they have a shot to get their next franchise quarterback the following year. It could be worth the wait.
Kris Richard, Cowboys defensive backs coach
He’s both young (39) and overdue (an NFL assistant for nine years, including two years as the Seahawks defensive coordinator). That’s a rare combination these days. He brought the same touch that helped develop the Legion of Boom to the Cowboys’ emerging defense. Some team will figure this all out some day soon, and it might as well be Ross’s Dolphins.
Jim Caldwell, former Lions head coach
After sitting out a year following his firing in Detroit, Caldwell’s name has begun surfacing again. The league knows (or it should) that he got the plug pulled prematurely in Detroit, where he had three winning seasons and two playoff trips in four years while sandwiched between Jim Schwartz and Matt Patricia. He’s a sharp offensive mind who should be attractive to a team with offensive skill position players but an expected void at quarterback.
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John Harbaugh, Ravens head coach
The wild card, and particularly wild considering the presence of another Harbaugh brother on this list. The talk of a team trading for the Super Bowl-winning coach — who raised his profile even higher by navigating the quarterback dilemma and winning a division title in the process — continues to grow. If you’re John Harbaugh and you have a chance to land in Miami with a fat contract and a potential blank slate to work with, why turn it down?
