Miami Dolphins head coach Jeff Hafley was a previous defensive coordinator, and he has made the decision on whether or not he will call plays.
It is never a shock when a head coach in the NFL calls plays on their respective side of the ball. For new Miami Dolphins head coach Jeff Hafley, he was the previous defensive coordinator for the Green Bay Packers, and many had been wondering what his plans were.
Not every head coach chooses to call plays. Oftentimes, said coaches will rely more heavily on their offensive and defensive coordinators to get the job done, so theycan focus on the team as a whole.
During the Dolphins' introductory press conference for Hafley and new general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan, Hafley spoke about his plans as head coach.
Hafley was asked whether he will call plays defensively, and what that would then look like for the offensive side of the ball. Hafley confirmed that he will run plays, but also indicated that the offensive and defensive schemes will reflect the players the Dolphins have on the roster.
Also, he made a point to speak about running the ball more, even if the team knows that it is a run.
"I do have core beliefs, like running the ball, being really physical up front, so when they know we’re going to run it, we can still run it," Hafley said.
Oftentimes, during Mike McDaniel's tenure, he would abandon the run when it was not working at an optimal level as he perceived things. That was always confusing as the Dolphins had Pro Bowl running back De'Von Achane at their disposal.
Granted, he did get hurt in his rookie year, but he has showcased his abilities plenty the last two seasons, and ended 2025 with a career high 1,350 yards on the ground.
Hafley pointed to toughness, which could mean that more tough running will be one of the pillars of this newly built team. If the Dolphins' new head coach can turn this team into a physical giant, it will be hard to stop Achane.
Hafley will have a major task at hand, which is to hire the team's next offensive coordinator, and one who can guide Achane and the rest of the offense to stay on the field and get points on the board.
As much as the league has transformed into more of a pass-happy style, having a solid run game is crucial. The Dolphins have that with Achane and Jaylen Wright, who showed flashes of brilliance.
Now, it will be up to Hafley to find the offensive mind to unlock that side of the ball, while he calls plays on defense.