Shula to Hafley: A Look Back at the Coaches In between

Shula to Hafley: A Look Back at the Coaches In between

A new era has begun in Miami… again. Since the legendary Don Shula retired following the 1995 season, the Dolphins have had 10 head coaches, 3 of whom were interim. They’ve tried every angle from hiring established legends, to up-and-coming college coaches, to coordinators from successful teams.

To date, none have worked out long-term. Before the Jeff Hafley era really gets going, I want to look back at the men who preceded him. 

Jimmy Johnson – Tenure 1996-1999 – Record 36-28 

Jimmy Johnson is best known for his stint with the Dallas Cowboys that saw America’s team return to glory after floundering in the 80s. In his time with Dallas, he brought them two Super Bowls off the back of the bold move to trade star running back Hershel Walker. Unfortunately for Johnson, he had a falling out with owner Jerry Jones and was fired following the 1993 season. After a few seasons off, he was brought in to fill the shoes of Shula. It was a splashy move not just because of his NFL success but due to the fact that he was formerly the head man at the University of Miami, where he brought the school a National Championship in 1987. 

Johnson’s run with Miami was as forgettable as his short stint on Survivor: Nicaragua. He went 8-8 in his first season, falling short of the previous season’s 9-7 mark and failing to reach the postseason. His record with the Dolphins was 36-28, and he went 2-3 in the playoffs before retiring for good following the 1999 season. 

Dave Wannstedt – Tenure 2000-2004 – Record 42-31 

Wannstedt was the defensive coordinator under Johnson in Dallas before becoming the head coach of the Chicago Bears from 1993 to 1998. He then joined the Dolphins as the defensive coordinator and assistant head coach under Johnson in 1999. When Johnson retired it only made sense that Wennstedt would assume the head coach role. His first season saw the Dolphins go 11-5 and reach the playoffs, where they would defeat the Indianapolis Colts 23-17 before falling to the Oakland Raiders 27-0. 

Overall, his run in Miami would see 2 playoff berths and a record of 42-31. However, his final season was a disaster; the Dolphins started out 1-8 before he resigned midseason. While Wannstedt was disappointing in the moment, we actually had no idea how good we had it. 

Nick Saban – Tenure 2005-2006 – Record 15-17 

It still blows my mind that Nick Saban would become the greatest college coach of the modern era when he was so mediocre in Miami. His first season saw his team start out 3-7 before winning its final 6 contests. Unfortunately, that wasn’t enough to earn them a playoff spot. However, the late-season run raised the expectations for 2006, though the Dolphins would fall well short of them. 

After a 6-10 finish, Saban reiterated his commitment to coaching Miami despite persistent rumors that he was being eyed for the Alabama job. Following the end of the season, he promptly resigned and became the head man for the Crimson Tide. A move that made me an Alabama hater for life. 

Cam Cameron – Tenure 2007 – Record 1-15 

The fact that his first name was also his last name should have tipped fans off that we were in for a rough season. The 2007 Miami team is one of the worst teams to ever step on a football field. The former Chargers offensive coordinator just couldn’t hack it as the head man. If not for an overtime victory over the Baltimore Ravens, Miami would have been winless. He was fired following the season. If I ever meet Greg Camarillo, the receiver who caught the touchdown that kept Miami from becoming the second winless team ever, I will buy him a drink. 

Tony Sparano – Tenure 2008-2011 – Record 29-32 

Sparano was brought in alongside Bill Parcells, whom he had coached under in Dallas as the Assistant head and offensive line coach. Despite his final record being under.500, I will always have a soft spot in my heart for Sparano because of the 2008 season. It was the year Miami introduced the Wildcat offense to the NFL, and it helped the team set a record for the number of wins over the previous season with 10. The 11-5 record meant little in the playoffs, however, as Miami would be routed by the Ravens 27-9 in the Wildcard round. 

Sparano wouldn’t be able to recapture the magic of his first year and would be fired after starting the 2011 season 4-9. 

Joe Philbin – Tenure 2012-2015 – Record 24-28 

Philbin was coming off an impressive run as the offensive coordinator for the Green Bay Packers. During his tenure, the team routinely ranked in the top 10 for total offense, and in 2010, they would go on to win the Super Bowl. Unfortunately, his stint in Miami was the definition of mediocre as he posted records of 7-9, 8-8, 8-8, and finally 1-3 before being fired in 2015. Since his teams neither flamed out nor reached the playoffs, he is probably the most forgettable coach in Dolphins history. 

Adam Gase – Tenure 2016-2018 – Record 23-25

Gase might be the poster boy for “it’s not what you know, but who you know”. He was the offensive coordinator for the Denver Broncos during Peyton Manning’s record-setting 2013 season. Manning praised Gase following their time together, and many credit that relationship with Gase getting the head gig in Miami. 

The first season under Gase was actually quite good as the Dolphins would qualify for the playoffs with a 10-6 record, but fall to the Steelers in the wildcard round. With starting quarterback Ryan Tannehill out for the 2017 season, Gase turned to Jay Cutler, whom he had coached in Chicago. That season would be forgettable as Miami finished 6-10. After another disappointing season in 2018, which saw the team completely collapse down the stretch and drop their final three games, Gase was fired. 

Brian Flores – Tenure 2019-2021 – Record 24-25 

The Flores era was one of the most controversial in Dolphins history. His first season was a wash as Miami openly tanked. Then his final season was marred by controversy as he allegedly withdrew from his staff. On the field, his teams were just okay as they went 10-6 and 9-8 after the tank year. However, everything came to a head following the conclusion of the 2021 season, and he was fired. He then sued the Dolphins for discrimination and revealed that they had tampered in pursuit of Tom Brady and coach Sean Payton. This resulted in a fine of $1.5 million and the forfeiting of their 2023 first-round pick and 2024 third-round pick. 

Mike McDaniel – Tenure 2022-2025 – Record 35-33 

We move now to the latest chapter, the one that saw Mike McDaniel take over as head coach. McDaniel came in with a reputation as an offensive genius and got to show it as he revitalized the career of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. He had Tua playing at an MVP level, but that would be undercut by injuries, which led to worse and worse play. 

McDaniel did manage to help the Dolphins make the playoffs in back-to-back seasons, but they were ultimately eliminated in the wildcard round both times. I feel as if McDaniel’s Achilles heel was the trust he put into his players. It was clear from his time on Hard Knocks that his style was to encourage his players but give them a lot of slack. This led to the team lacking discipline and drive, resulting in players not showing up on time to meetings. He did manage to bring the Dolphins more success than many of the men on this list, but ultimately, owner Stephen Ross decided to replace him following the conclusion of the 2025 season. 

Lying out all of the coaches I’ve watched try and fail to bring success to Miami has been a bit rough. I truly hope that Jeff Hafley can be the guy, and I’m not forced to add him to this list in a couple of years.