Dolphins Bring in Sean Duggan as DC, Doubling Down on Jeff Hafley's Vision
New Dolphins head coach Jeff Hafley isn’t wasting time shaping his staff with familiar faces - and trusted ones. Hafley’s first major hire?
Former Packers linebackers coach Sean Duggan, who will join him in Miami as defensive coordinator. It’s a move rooted in continuity, trust, and a shared vision, and one that Hafley believes will give him the freedom to fully step into the head coach role.
“Ultimately [Matt LaFleur and I] decided that it was best for Sean to come here,” Hafley said, referencing his conversation with the Packers’ head coach. “And I say that not because he’s been with me for eight or nine years, whatever it’s been. I say that I think he’s a rising star, and he’s going to allow me to be the head coach of his team.”
That last part is key. Hafley, a first-time NFL head coach, is clearly leaning on Duggan not just for defensive play-calling, but to help him manage the broader responsibilities that come with the top job. Hafley emphasized that Duggan’s presence will allow him to stay involved in all three phases of the game, while still giving him the option to take over defensive play-calling when needed.
The hire has drawn praise from around the league. One executive called the Hafley-Duggan pairing “the cleanest combo coming in together,” noting Hafley’s time at Boston College as a valuable stepping stone. The Dolphins still have work to do on the roster, but in terms of coaching infrastructure, Hafley is building something with a clear identity - and Duggan is a big part of that.
Will Campbell’s Super Bowl Struggles Don’t Shake Patriots’ Confidence
Will Campbell had a rough outing in the Super Bowl, no question about it. The rookie left tackle was tested early and often by Seattle’s relentless pass rush, and there were moments where the pressure clearly got to him. But if you’re expecting the Patriots to hit the panic button and start reshuffling the offensive line, think again.
“Will is 22 years old, he’s our left tackle, he’ll get better, he’ll get stronger,” head coach Mike Vrabel said at the Patriots’ end-of-season press conference. “There are moments he played well, moments he blocked the guy, there are plays he’d like to have back. We’re not moving Will to guard, or center or tight end or anywhere else.”
That’s a strong vote of confidence from Vrabel, who knows a thing or two about the growing pains young players face on the biggest stage. Campbell, for his part, owned up to his performance and the emotions that followed. He declined to speak to the media immediately after the game, but explained why a few days later.
“When I get emotional, I tend to have no mind - and that’s not the way that I need to approach this thing,” Campbell said. “I know myself. If I had spoken after, I would have said something that I didn’t need to say.”
That kind of self-awareness, especially from a rookie, is telling. Campbell said he’s watched the film, knows what needs to improve, and is already focused on the offseason.
“It comes with the job when you don’t perform,” he said. “Obviously, I was picked high, paid a lot, so people expect a certain thing.
And I expect more of myself. So whenever I don’t perform, I don’t expect everyone to be like, ‘It’s OK, buddy.’
Obviously, it sucks, but it doesn’t suck for anyone more than it sucks for me.”
There’s no sugarcoating a tough Super Bowl night, but Campbell’s accountability and the team’s belief in his long-term upside suggest this is just one chapter in what the Patriots hope is a long, successful career at left tackle.
Drake Maye Played Through Shoulder Pain in Super Bowl, Eyes Bounce-Back Year
Patriots quarterback Drake Maye revealed after the Super Bowl that he took a pain-killing injection in his throwing shoulder before the game - a lingering issue from a hit he took in the AFC Championship. The rookie signal-caller said he doesn’t need surgery, just time.
“Time is the best healer,” Maye said. “I definitely just need time off. Nothing needs to be done.”
Maye emphasized that his arm felt great for most of the season, and the injury wasn’t something he wanted to use as an excuse. But he acknowledged the timing of the hit - and the fact that it was his throwing shoulder - made things more complicated.
“You can’t blame things on injuries. Things happen like this all the time in the league,” Maye said.
“I was blessed this year - what a year of health. You can’t zone in on one little thing on the shoulder - it was just unfortunate that it happened to be the throwing one.
At the same time, I could have prevented it or made more plays.”
Despite the injury, Maye still put up a stat line that showed grit: 27-of-43 passing for 295 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions. He was sacked six times, and while the result wasn’t what the Patriots wanted, Maye’s performance showed flashes of the franchise quarterback he’s expected to become.
“It stings. It’s going to sting for a while,” Maye said.
“It’s what makes this sport special. We were close, and you got to try to find that extra edge.
I didn’t play as well as I would have liked down the stretch, but I’m going to promise to do my best to work hard and get us back to those moments in those games.”
The Super Bowl loss will linger, but Maye’s mindset is locked in on growth. And if his rookie year was any indication, the Patriots might have found their guy - not just for next season, but for the long haul.