Jeff Hafley’s first win as Dolphins head coach came with a little extra weight behind it.
Miami had been stuck in a rough opening stretch, going winless through six games before finally breaking through with a 28-25 road win over the New York Jets on Sunday. And while the result gave the Dolphins something tangible to celebrate, one NFL insider came away talking about something bigger than a single game.
Peter Schrager, appearing on ESPN, didn’t just praise the win. He framed it as evidence that Miami may already have the right coach in place for the long haul.
“The Dolphins have a coach, and Jeff Hafley is the real deal. In a year where the Dolphins' roster and organization as a whole is undergoing massive construction and turnover, Hafley's team, as young as any in the league, fights, competes, and plays every opponent to the final whistle,” Schrager said.
He kept going, and the message was clear: even in a rebuild, this team is giving people a reason to tune in.
“They have played disciplined football, they have fought, they have competed, and they give fans who know they're going to rebuild a reason to watch and not hate watch their team every week. They know the playoffs are not realistic, but they know it is worth watching.
A lot has been made of the Jets coaching yesterday. My takeaway from that game? The Dolphins have themselves a coach. And if I were a betting man, I'd say yesterday's W was the first of many that Miami will enjoy in the coming years. @BigDayESPN @ESPNNFL @TheListFinsPod… pic.twitter.com/N1pO92OxZA
— Peter Schrager (@PSchrags) October 26, 2026
My takeaway is that the Dolphins have a coach, a real one, and are in good hands. This was Hafley's first win, and if I'm a betting man, it's the first of many in the coming years.”
The Dolphins backed that up with a fast start Sunday. Miami took a 21-7 lead into halftime before the Jets pushed back, outscoring the Dolphins 18-7 over the final 30 minutes. It still wasn’t enough for New York, as Miami held on for the upset on the road.
Malik Willis turned in a strong outing, completing 14 of 21 passes for 208 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. He also added 37 yards and a touchdown on eight carries.
Ollie Gordon II carried the load on the ground, finishing with 25 carries for 103 yards and a touchdown. Through the air, Greg Dulcich led the way with five catches for 86 yards, while Caleb Douglas caught two passes for 70 yards and two touchdowns.
Miami now turns its attention to Week 8, when it returns home to face the New England Patriots on Nov. 1 at 4:25 p.m. ET.
In Other News...
Austin Jackson Just Gave Dolphins Fans A New Offensive Line Debate
Austin Jackson got another look at right tackle in Week 7, and for a night at least, he gave the Dolphins something closer to stability than drama. After a season of uneven stretches, Jackson held up adequately in pass protection and fit into an offensive line performance that gave Miami room to breathe, especially with the unit working in sync enough to keep the pocket from collapsing around the offense.
The bigger takeaway may be what that means for a position that has been a talking point for much of the season. Jacksons work helped steady a side of the line facing a rookie edge threat, and the overall blocking had enough pop to support a productive ground game, with Miami leaning on balance in a way it has wanted more often. For a team trying to find a permanent answer up front, one cleaner outing only sharpens the conversation. [Read more 🡒]
Dolphins Got A QB Spark But The Bigger Question Just Changed
A new quarterback spark arrived in Miami in Week 8, and it came at a time when the Dolphins badly needed something to stabilize a season that had been drifting. Malik Willis stepped in and gave the offense a cleaner rhythm than it had shown for much of the year, enough to put Miami back in the win column and give the roster a little breathing room as the season moves deeper into the schedule.
The larger question now is what comes next for a team that has been searching for answers under center and still has to decide what kind of trajectory this season can realistically have. Week 8s quarterback chatter across the league only sharpened that conversation, because the Dolphins suddenly have a live option to evaluate while other clubs keep sorting through injured starters, uneven play and backup plans that are working better than expected. [Read more 🡒]
Greg Dulcich Just Gave Dolphins Fans A Real Offensive Debate
Miamis offense finally looked like it had some rhythm in Week 7, and a big part of that came from Greg Dulcich. In the win over the Jets, the tight end was active early and often, finishing with five catches for 86 yards as the Dolphins put up their highest point total of the season. For a unit that has spent much of the year searching for reliable answers, Dulcich gave the passing game a different kind of presence.
The part that stands out for Miami is how much of that impact came before halftime, when the offense was piling up scoring drives and Dulcich was a featured piece of the plan. He was clearly one of the most productive options on the field, which is why his role figures to be a real talking point moving forward. The Dolphins have reason to want more of that version of the offense, even if the next step is still waiting to be seen. [Read more 🡒]