The Miami Dolphins are the latest team to zero in on their new head coach.
After firing Mike McDaniel, the Dolphins are expected to hire Green Bay Packers assistant Jeff Haffley as their head coach. Hafley comes from Green Bay, along with Jon-Eric Sullivan, who Miami hired from the Packers as their new general manager last week.
The #Dolphins have zeroed in on #Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley as their new head coach, per me and @TomPelissero.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 19, 2026
The two sides need to do a deal, and they are motivated to do so. One of most coveted candidates. Pic.twitter.com/yNc26tytW8
Hafley's rise in the NFL was quick, as he lands a head coaching job just two years after leaving the college ranks for the pros. He takes over a Dolphins team that has work to do to get back to the playoffs.
Here's what you need to know about Hafley.
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Who is Jeff Hafley?
The Dolphins nabbed Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley to take over as their new head coach. Hafley spent the past two years leading Green Bay's defense, which was one of the top defenses in the NFL during both seasons.
Prior to his time with the Packers, Hafley was in the college ranks as he was Boston College's head coach from 2020 to 2023. Hafley also worked as Ohio State's co-defensive coordinator in 2019, which came after several years as an NFL position coach.
Jeff Hafley coaching timeline
WPI/Albany/Pittsburgh/Rutgers (2001-2011)
Hafley began his coaching career as a college assistant, working for WPI, Albany, Pittsburgh and Rutgers over the course of a decade. He was primarily a defensive assistant or defensive backs coach for those teams, and he never spent more than two years in the same position.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2012-2013)
Hafley made the jump to the NFL in 2012, when he followed Greg Schiano from Rutgers to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Hafley was the assistant defensive backs coach in 2012, then the defensive backs coach in 2013, but left the organizations after the season when the team fired Schiano.
Cleveland Browns (2014-2015)
Hafley remained in the NFL when he joined the Cleveland Browns staff under Mike Pettine as the team's new defensive backs coach. Similar to his time with the Buccaneers, Hafley remained on staff in that role for two years until Pettine was fired following the 2015 season.
San Francisco 49ers (2016-2018)
Hafley's success as a defensive backs coach got him the position at a third NFL job, when he was hired by the San Francisco 49ers in that role in 2016. First, Hafley worked under Chip Kelly, but he remained on staff for the first two years of Kyle Shanahan's tenure.
Ohio State (2019)
Hafley's first defensive coordinator job came when he made the move back to college, as he was Ohio State's co-defensive coordinator alongside Greg Mattison. This was Ryan Day's first year as the Bukeyes' head coach, and Ohio State allowed just 13.7 points per game while allowing the fewest passing yards in the country that season. Ohio State went 13-1 that year but lost to Clemson in the CFP semifinal.
Boston College (2020-2023)
Boston College was impressed enough with Hafley to make him their head coach ahead of the 2020 season, and he would remain in that position for four seasons. Hafley led the team to six wins in each of his first two seasons, and after a three-win dip in 2022, won seven games in 2023. Overall, Hafley was 22-26 at Boston College, but he voluntarily left the program to make a move back to the NFL in 2024.
Green Bay Packers (2024-2025)
Hafley joined Matt LaFleur's staff with the Packers in 2024 as the team's new defensive coordinator, where he remained for two seasons. In his first year, Hafley's defense was top five in yards and points allowed, but they took a slight step back in 2025 as they were ranked 12th in both those categories.
Jeff Hafley contract
Hafley is signing a five-year contract with the Dolphins, but the terms of the deal are still unknown.
How old is Jeff Hafley?
Hafley is 46 years-old, and he will turn 47 in April ahead of his first season as the Dolphins head coach. He is older than his predecesor, Mike McDaniel, who is just 42 years-old.