The Miami Dolphins did not land John Harbaugh, but they will interview two of the top candidates in this growing head coach hiring cycle.
The Miami Dolphins were hoping to interview John Harbaugh, but that did not come to pass. The team may have had a preliminary chat with the former Baltimore Ravens coach, but he chose instead to join the New York Giants.
It had been reported plenty that Harbaugh wanted a situation with an established quarterback, and he got that with the Giants and Jaxson Dart. The Dolphins do not have an established quarterback situation, and it's anyone's guess who will be behind center in 2026.
That said, the Dolphins are continuing their search, and they are interviewing two of the hottest candidates in this head coaching cycle.
Per NFL insider Ian Rapoport, the Dolphins are bringing in both Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter and San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh next.
Minter is an intriguing candidate, as he is young and dynamic, which is where the league appears to be headed in terms of head coaches.
Minter was part of Jim Harbaugh's staff at Michigan, and when Harbaugh left for the Chargers job, he brought the young defensive mind along with him. After two seasons as the Michigan defensive coordinator and two with the Chargers, he has become a talent that multiple teams might be after.
The last defensive-minded coach the Dolphins had was Brian Flores from 2019 to 2021. Before that, Miami has typically brought in more offensive minds.
Minter could offer the already young and dynamic defense an elevation, while bringing in the right offensive coordinator to help guide Quinn Ewers or whoever the Dolphins plan to bring in as a starter.
Saleh has plenty of experience with the Dolphins, as he was the head coach for the New York Jets between 2021 and 2024. He was unceremoniously fired and went back to serve as the defensive coordinator for the 49ers.
Saleh has a wealth of experience in coaching and has already been a head coach in the NFL. Granted, his time with the Jets was not that fruitful, but that does not mean he would be terrible for the Dolphins.
In fact, the Dolphins need a true leader, and Saleh is a leader of men. He would be a good candidate who could help the team shed its not-so-tough identity.
Miami will continue to bring in candidates, and the organization is not rushing at all. Similar to the other multiple teams needing a new head coach, there are so many qualified candidates that nobody, apart from the Giants, has rushed.
Expect the Dolphins to start finalizing candidates in the next week or so, but it would not be shocking if Minter or Saleh were part of those finalized candidates.