The Adam Gase era in Miami wasn’t a complete disaster, but two straight losing seasons have the Dolphins looking for a new coach.
Going 23-25 over the span of three seasons is almost the definition of mediocrity in the NFL. That’s precisely why the Dolphins have elected to part ways with Adam Gase. Now it’s time for the South Florida franchise to take a big swing and try to find a new coach who can revitalize the middling franchise.
Owner Steve Ross made the decision to axe Gase after Sunday’s ugly blowout loss to the Bills. It’s unclear if Gase could have survived with a win, but that’s irrelevant now. There’s still no word if vice president of football operations Mike Tannenbaum and GM Chris Grier will survive. It’s safe to assume their fates will be somewhat tied to who the Dolphins can attract to be their next head coach. Neither guy will be untouchable if the right candidate demands personnel control.
The biggest challenge for the franchise will be attracting a high quality candidate without a solid quarterback in place. Ryan Tannehill is reasonably effective when he plays, but his inability to stay on the field during Gase’s tenure was a big factor in the team’s inability to win consistently. The Dolphins will need to pay up to attract a premier candidate. Fortunately, that’s never been a massive issue for Ross.
Without delay, let’s dive in to five guys who could end up succeeding Gase in Miami. We’ll start with a risky candidate to revamp the Dolphins offense.
5. Eric Bieniemy
No one can question just how good the Chiefs offense has been this season. There are questions about who really pulls the strings for Patrick Mahomes and company. Andy Reid still plays a massive role in building the offense, but it’s Bienemy who is the team’s offensive coordinator.
As we said in the open, the Dolphins need to really roll the dice on this hire. Bieniemy has only been an offensive coordinator for one season, so he’s certainly one of the least experienced guys on this list. On the flip side, he’s been learning from Reid since 2013. That’s a pretty brilliant offensive mind to learn from.
Bieniemy won’t be the Dolphins first choice, but don’t be surprised if he gets a legitimate shot to win the job during the interview process.