Jeff Hafley is starting to put his stamp on the Miami Dolphins - and he's doing it with a strong Green Bay Packers flavor. The new head coach is assembling a staff that brings some familiar faces from his past, and now he's added a particularly intriguing name to his offensive coaching group.
According to ESPN’s Dan Graziano, Nathaniel Hackett is set to join Hafley’s first Miami staff as the team’s new quarterbacks coach. Yes, that Nathaniel Hackett - the longtime offensive coordinator who helped guide Aaron Rodgers during some of his most productive years in Green Bay and had a brief, turbulent stint as head coach of the Denver Broncos. He’s now headed to South Florida, where he’ll work with Tua Tagovailoa in what could be a pivotal season for the young quarterback’s future in Miami.
Hackett’s addition is another signal that Hafley is leaning into his connections from Green Bay. And he’s not stopping there.
Wendel Davis, who served in a defensive quality control role with the Packers, is also making the move to Miami. He’ll be joined by Sean Duggan, who steps in as linebackers coach, and Ryan Downard, who’s taking over as defensive coordinator after previously working with the Packers’ secondary. Downard will also handle defensive backs in Miami, continuing his focus on the back end of the defense.
It’s clear Hafley is surrounding himself with coaches he knows and trusts - and who share a common football language and philosophy. That kind of continuity can be a huge asset for a first-year head coach trying to establish a new culture.
Hafley, who reportedly drew interest from six NFL teams before choosing Miami, takes over a team that’s coming off a disappointing 7-10 season. The Dolphins parted ways with Mike McDaniel after the collapse, despite the fact that he led the franchise to back-to-back playoff appearances - the first coach to do that since Dave Wannstedt.
But postseason success never came. McDaniel finished his Dolphins tenure without a playoff win and has since landed with the Los Angeles Chargers, joining Jim Harbaugh’s staff as offensive coordinator.
Now the reins are in Hafley’s hands. And with Hackett on board to guide the quarterback room, and a defensive staff loaded with familiar faces from Green Bay, the Dolphins are clearly betting on cohesion and shared vision to chart a new course.
Whether that leads to a return to playoff relevance - and more importantly, playoff wins - will hinge on how quickly this new-look staff can get on the same page and how well they can elevate the talent already in the building. One thing’s for sure: Hafley isn’t wasting any time building a team in his image.