Jeff Hafley’s Miami Chapter Hits Early Snag as Nathaniel Hackett Heads to Arizona
Jeff Hafley didn’t have much time to ease into his new role as head coach of the Miami Dolphins before the NFL coaching carousel threw him a curveball. Just days after Hafley began assembling his staff-pulling familiar faces from his Green Bay days-he’s already been forced to pivot.
The Dolphins had brought in Nathaniel Hackett to serve as quarterbacks coach, a move that made plenty of sense given Hackett’s past success with Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay. But that plan barely got off the ground. Hackett is now headed to the Arizona Cardinals to become their new offensive coordinator, replacing Drew Petzing, who’s taking the same role with the Detroit Lions.
For Hafley, who’s trying to build a cohesive staff in Miami, this is a tough early blow. Hackett’s departure means going back to the drawing board at one of the most critical positions on the coaching staff-and doing so while trying to stabilize a roster that underperformed on both sides of the ball last season.
A Familiar Coaching Chess Match
There’s a bit of symmetry-and maybe some tension-bubbling under the surface here. Hafley, fresh off his stint as Green Bay’s defensive coordinator, started pulling from Matt LaFleur’s Packers coaching tree as he began to shape his Dolphins staff. In response, the Packers turned to Arizona and hired former Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon as their new DC, filling the void Hafley left behind.
It’s a coaching circle that keeps tightening. Arizona, meanwhile, just hired Mike LaFleur-the younger brother of Matt-as their new head coach.
So when Hackett, who worked under Matt LaFleur in Green Bay, got the call to join Mike in Arizona, the dots connected quickly. The familiarity, the shared system, and the opportunity to step back into a coordinator role were likely too good to pass up.
But for Hafley, that doesn’t make it any easier.
Hackett’s Journey: A Mixed Bag, But Proven in Green Bay
Hackett’s recent NFL stops have been rocky. His head coaching stint in Denver ended after a 4-11 start in 2022, and his time as OC with the Jets didn’t exactly rekindle his past success.
But his tenure in Green Bay tells a different story. From 2019 to 2021, Hackett helped orchestrate an offense that saw Aaron Rodgers win back-to-back MVPs and post some of the most efficient numbers of his career.
That’s the version of Hackett Hafley was banking on-a seasoned offensive mind with a proven track record of maximizing quarterback play. Especially with Miami’s quarterback situation in flux, the presence of a coach like Hackett could’ve brought some much-needed stability and experience to the room.
Big Picture: Dolphins Still Have Work to Do
This is just the beginning of Hafley’s tenure in Miami, but the early turbulence is a reminder of how quickly things can shift in the NFL. The Dolphins are coming off a season where they ranked 24th in scoring defense (24.9 points per game) and 25th in scoring offense (20.4 points per game). That’s not the kind of balance you want, especially when your quarterback situation-centered around Tua Tagovailoa-remains uncertain heading into the offseason.
Hafley’s defensive credentials are legit. When healthy, his Packers unit was one of the league’s most disciplined and dynamic groups this past season.
That kind of foundation can travel well. But to turn Miami into a contender, he’ll need to build a staff that can not only coach up the defense, but also elevate an offense that’s been stuck in neutral.
Losing Hackett this early doesn’t derail the plan, but it does force Hafley to adjust quickly. In a league where continuity is gold and timing is everything, these early moves matter.
The Dolphins’ offseason just got a little more complicated-and Hafley’s job, a little tougher.