Dolphins Promote Assistant Coach; How Will It Affect the Running Game?

The Miami Dolphins made a quiet adjustment to their staff as training camp draws near.

On Tuesday, they promoted senior offensive assistant Chandler Henley to run game specialist, per CBS Sports' Jonathan Jones.

Henley is entering Year 4 with the Dolphins -- he joined when head coach Mike McDaniel was hired in 2022. Chandler was assistant quarterbacks coach before he was promoted to senior offensive assistant last season.

From 2018 to 2020, he was quality control coach with the Tennessee Titans. Prior to joining the Dolphins, he was with the Atlanta Falcons in 2021 as assistant offensive line coach.

Henley graduated from Yale with McDaniel, where they both played wide receiver.

A Strong Resume

Under Henley, quarterback Tua Tagovailoa earned his first Pro Bowl selection and became the first Dolphins star to earn AFC Offensive Player of the Month honors (September, 2023) since Scott Mitchell in 1993.

Tagovailoa would lead the league in passing yards (4,624), another Dolphins first since Dan Marino in 1992. He also led the league in third-down passer rating (130.1) and red zone passer rating, with 130.1 and 112.2, respectively.

In Tennessee, Henly primarily worked with the offensive line. In three seasons, the Titans were second in the NFL in rushing with an average of 144.5 yards per game. In 2020, the Titans were second in rushing offense, averaging 168.1 yards per game, and tied for second at 396.4 yards per game.

The Titans were fourth in scoring offense that year, averaging 30.7 points per game.

Change for the Better?

The Dolphins are looking to reinvigorate their offense, hoping to return to the potency of 2023 after a dismal 2024. They hired former Houston Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik to take over as senior pass game coordinator this offseason.

The Dolphins understand that they have their work cut out for them, despite weapons like wide receiver Tyreek Hill and running back De'Von Achane.

Before OTAs, Slowik said, "There's probably gonna be some adjustments as we go through this entire process. But I would say as a starting point for Mike [McDaniel], really everyone has a voice as far as game planning and what gets put into the plan and then on game day like if he needs some suggestions or he's just asking for, 'Hey what do you guys thin? What way do I want to go? This way or that way?' Like it's really always been in a fairly open forum. So if I'm presented with the opportunity where I have to answer that, I absolutely will; if not, I'll just make sure everybody's moving forward together."