The Dolphins parted ways with an assistant coach on defense today. Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reported the dismissal after Sports Illustrated’s Alain Poupart sighted the absence of outside linebackers coach Ryan Crow on the team website.
Crow had been arrested in late-August on domestic battery charges. Shortly after his arrest, head coach Mike McDaniel announced that Crow had been placed on indefinite administrative leave while his case played out.
Crow has only been with Miami for two years, coming over from Tennessee after defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver was hired away from Baltimore. Crow started as a defensive assistant with the Titans in 2018, working the role for two years before moving to assistant special teams coach.
After just a year with that title, Crow earned his first position coaching gig as Tennessee’s outside linebackers coach. In his first year on the job, in 2021, Crow coached outside linebacker Harold Landry to his first and only Pro Bowl season, in which he led the team with 12.0 sacks. Injury held Landry out for the entire next season, though, and Bud Dupree, Rashad Weaver, and Monty Rice were not able to replace his production. Landry returned for another double-digit sack season in 2023, and Arden Key stepped up as a potential new weapon beside him.
Crow’s first year in Miami forced some extreme challenges onto him as starters Jaelan Phillips and Bradley Chubb were both dealt long-term injuries. Veteran Emmanuel Ogbah and rookie first-rounder Chop Robinson did a decent job leading the pass rush for the rest of the season, combining for 11.0 sacks. He was set to return Chubb and Phillips back this year, but his leave kept him from getting to work with the starters.
In Crow’s absence, senior defensive assistant Sean Ryan began to work with the position group. Ryan, 53, is only in his second year coaching on the defensive side of the ball after coaching quarterbacks and wide receivers for the Giants, Texans, Lions, and Panthers from 2007-22. Phillips eventually was traded to Philadelphia after only logging three sacks in nine games. Through 13 games this year, Chubb currently leads the team with 6.5 sacks, while Robinson and veteran Matt Judon have attempted to fill the hole left by Phillips. With Crow now gone, Ryan will finish out the season in his position.
Gee, let’s see. Old Man Ross owns the Dolphins and is one of the biggest Michigan honks. Can’t imagine what’s gone on up there over the past few days has had any impact on this decision…….