An interview between Kevin Stefanski and the Dolphins regarding their HC vacancy has been expected. One will indeed take place.
Miami will interview Stefanski today, Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network report. The meeting will be in person, which comes as no surprise. As a coach who is currently not under contract with another team. Stefanski is free to speak with suitors at any time.
The two-time Coach of the Year was seen by many as the top candidate on the market when his Browns tenure ended last Monday. The Ravens have since fired John Harbaugh, though, and he now represents the No. 1 target for several teams. Recent reports have pointed to the Giants and Falcons as the frontrunners in Harbaugh’s case. The coaching market may not see much movement until the Super Bowl winner makes his decision.
Stefanski’s fate may be closely tied to Harbaugh’s. Both Atlanta and New York are perceived to have Stefanski classified as Plan B in the event they are unable to land Harbaugh. Interest from other teams remains, of course, which leaves plenty of unanswered questions at this point in the hiring cycle. The Dolphins are among the teams which have been in contact with Harbaugh,
New GM Jon-Eric Sullivan is now on the interview committee that also includes Stephen Ross, Dan Marino, Troy Aikman, president Tom Garfinkel, senior VP of football administration Brandon Shore and Ross son-in-law Daniel Sillman, the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson tweets. Aikman was onboard for the GM search, but the Hall of Fame quarterback-turned-announcing mainstay is helping the team find a head coach as well.
Stefanski has also interviewed with the Ravens, Raiders and Titans, making Miami his sixth meeting. The ex-Browns HC seems likely, even with Harbaugh and now Mike Tomlin unemployed, to land a second-chance job this offseason. Stefanski piloted a moribund Browns franchise to its second and third playoff berths since respawning back in 1999, taking Cleveland to the postseason in 2020 and ’23. The latter qualification was particularly impressive considering the Deshaun Watson albatross contract was on the books then; Stefanski earned his second Coach of the Year honor for reaching the playoffs behind in-season free agent signing Joe Flacco. The Browns winning just eight games over the past two seasons doomed the acclaimed leader, however.
In addition to the Stefanski meeting, the Dolphins have requested to interview Raiders DC Patrick Graham. The four-year Las Vegas staffer received an interview slip, per Pelissero. This would give Graham a chance at a Miami return. Graham spent the 2019 season as the Dolphins’ DC, serving in that capacity in Brian Flores‘ first HC season. Graham called Dolphins defensive plays in 2019, but the team allowed him to leave and become the Giants’ DC in 2020.
Graham managed to retain his Raiders DC role under three HCs, being retained by Antonio Pierce and Pete Carroll. The Commanders are also hoping to meet with Graham about their DC gig.
Sam Robinson contributed to this post.
Please explain to me what Garfinkel, Shore or the son-in-law’s qualifications are to determine who should or should not be a head coach of an NFL team. I’ll wait………
Stefanski eventually sunk under the Deshaun Watson trade. All the money gone for five years and most of the picks gone from 2022-2024.
At age 43, there’s plenty of time for a long-term second act in his career as a head coach. Sadly, many of the franchises looking for head coaches this year are almost as dysfunctional as the Browns.