Miami Dolphins

The Miami Dolphins are reportedly eyeing a familiar face in their ongoing head coaching search.

Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated reported that the Dolphins have put in a request to interview Arizona Cardinals defensive coordinator Vance Joseph. Joseph previously served as Miami's defensive coordinator during the 2016 season.

But that's not all. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported that the Dolphins have also requested to interview Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, who is a popular candidate in this offseason's hiring cycle.

The Dolphins surprisingly fired Brian Flores on Monday despite the fact that he coached the team to a 9-8 finish after starting the season 1-7. This was Flores' second consecutive year finishing above .500, and he leaves Miami with a career record of 24-25.

Joseph has been Arizona's DC since 2019. Prior to that, he was hired as head coach of the Denver Broncos in 2017, becoming just the second African American head coach in the team's history. Joseph had a combined record of 11-21 in two seasons before he was fired at the end of the 2018 campaign.

Under Joseph's guidance this season, the Cardinals ranked 11th in total defense and scoring defense after allowing averages of 329.2 yards and 21.5 points per game. Arizona finished the season 11-6 and will face the Los Angeles Rams in an NFC Wild Card Game on Monday night.

Moore is considered to be one of the hottest young coaching prospects in the NFL right now. The 33-year-old coached the Cowboys offense to a No. 1 ranking in the league this season. Dallas also had the top-ranked offense in the league during Moore's first year as offensive coordinator in 2019.

The Cowboys led the NFL with 407.0 yards and 31.2 points per game in 2021. They went 12-5 this year and will take on the San Francisco 49ers in a wild-card game Sunday.

Former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores reportedly wanted authority over general manager Chris Grier before his firing Monday, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. 

Jackson reported that Flores "was essentially running the Dolphins building" but "wanted more control" and "wanted the authority formalized, to eliminate the contract annoyance of general manager Chris Grier having final say on the draft and free agency." 

Flores also reportedly wanted the final say on "virtually everything" and "more people to report to him."

"What’s strange about this is that Grier—who likes to avoid conflict—basically gave Flores everything he wanted," Jackson wrote. "There wasn’t a single player on the roster that Flores didn’t sign off on. And yet Grier’s deference still wasn’t enough to appease Flores or sooth tensions between the two."

The report noted that while many players liked Flores, others thought he was arrogant and had a "bristling personality." Some reportedly believed he wasn't approachable and that it "was hard to read him." 

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported Monday that "frustration and tension" between Flores and Grier had been an ongoing issue, and team owner Stephen Ross decided to side with his general manager. 

Flores' firing was surprising. Despite missing the playoffs in each of his three seasons at the helm, he led the Dolphins to two straight winning campaigns despite taking over a stripped-down roster in 2019. 

Miami climbed out of a 1-7 hole to finish 9-8 in 2021, and it was an impressive run given that the team was without quarterback Tua Tagovailoa for several games due to injury. 

With Flores out in Miami, it appears he won't be without a job for too long. The 40-year-old is reportedly set to interview for the Chicago Bears' head coaching position and is expected to be in the mix for several other vacancies around the league. 

It's unclear who the Dolphins may target to fill their open position. However, Michigan Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh, Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich and New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels could all draw interest.  

The Miami Dolphins have reportedly submitted an interview request to speak with San Francisco 49ers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel about their head coaching vacancy.

Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reported news of the request Tuesday ahead of the Niners' first-round playoff game against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday.

Pelissero later reported Miami is also seeking an interview with Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn.

Dolphins owner Stephen Ross announced Monday that the organization fired Brian Flores after three seasons leading the coaching staff:

I made a decision today to part ways with Brian Flores. After evaluating where we are as an organization and what we need going forward to improve, I determined that key dynamics of our football organization weren't functioning at a level I want it to be and felt that this decision was in the best interest of the Miami Dolphins. I believe we have a talented young roster in place and have the opportunity to be much better in 2022. I want to thank Brian for his hard work and wish him nothing but the best in his future.

Flores led Miami to a 24-25 record, including back-to-back winning seasons, but couldn't guide the franchise to a postseason berth.

His firing still came as a surprise, and he's emerged as a "hot" candidate elsewhere with a Chicago Bears interview already set, per Pelissero.

Meanwhile, McDaniel would be a first-time head coach if hired by Miami. He owns 17 years of experience as an assistant, including the 2021 season as the 49ers offensive coordinator after spending the previous four years as the team's run-game coordinator.

The 38-year-old Yale product guided the Niners to a seventh-place finish in total offense (375.7 yards per game) in 2021. They ranked 15th in that category last year.

Most notable was his use of wide receiver Deebo Samuel in a hybrid role that maximized his playmaking ability en route to 1,770 yards from scrimmage and 14 total touchdowns in 16 games.

The Dolphins offense is going to need some upgrades during the offseason, but quarterback Tua Tagovailoa showed some promising signs in the season's second half, and wideout Jaylen Waddle looked like a star in the making with 1,015 yards as a rookie.

Quinn, meanwhile, previously spent five-plus years as the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons. He went 43-42 from 2015 to 2020, recording two seasons with double-digit wins.

He helped guide the Falcons to Super Bowl LI, which saw his team infamously blow a 28-3 lead to Tom Brady and the New England Patriots.

McDaniel and Quinn join Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll as coaches who've been the targets of interview requests from Miami, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

Daboll has worked with the Bills offense since 2018. The unit has finished in the top five in both yards and points each of the past two years.

The team's final selection will be tasked with bringing some consistency to a franchise that's made the playoffs just twice since 2002 and not since 2016.

Former Miami Dolphins and Philadelphia Eagles running back Jay Ajayi is set to officially announce his retirement from the NFL.

The NFL's UK Twitter account confirmed the news as Ajayi, who last played in 2019, returns to Philly to serve as the team's honorary captain for Saturday night's Week 18 home game against the Dallas Cowboys:

Super Bowl champion Jay Ajayi is officially retiring from the NFL this weekend.

The London-born RB will be an honorary captain for the @Eagles tonight. 🇬🇧🏈

Congrats Jay, and all the best in retirement! pic.twitter.com/uOFaontFsi

— NFL UK & Ireland (@NFLUKIRE) January 8, 2022

Ajayi racked up 4,005 yards from scrimmage and 51 total touchdowns in 27 appearances across his final two college seasons at Boise State. The Dolphins proceeded to select him in the fifth round of the 2015 NFL draft.

The London native rushed for 1,272 yards and eight scores for Miami in 2016 to earn his only career Pro Bowl appearance.

He was traded to the Eagles midway through the 2017 season and served as the team's leading rusher in that year's playoffs. He ran for 184 yards, including 57 yards in the team's 41-33 victory over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LII.

Ajayi discussed that championship triumph with Jim Gehman of the Eagles' official website Friday:

Getting the win against Tom Brady, it was like us against the world. Just special moments. Moments I won't forget. I'm a champion. We brought the first Super Bowl to Philly, and I'm a part of that. That's a very important time in my life. I'm grateful for everything, for what Philly did for me.

The punishing rusher suffered a torn ACL in Week 5 of the 2018 season. He re-signed with the Eagles late in the 2019 campaign after recovering from the knee injury, but he made just three appearances before getting released.

He didn't sign with any team during the 2020 or 2021 seasons.

Ajayi told Gehman he's looking forward to the chance of going out in front of the Lincoln Financial Field fans one more time Saturday night:

The Linc is a special place. The fans, they're amazing. They either love you or they hate you, but they're going to give you what it is. And that's what I liked, keeping it real with me 100 percent of the time. I loved it there.

And I know it's going to be a crazy game. You've got the 'Boys coming up and I know we've already made [the playoffs] but we've got work to do. We're not done. So I'm going to be there cheering my guys on, getting the stadium hyped up.

The Cowboys (11-5) and Eagles (9-7) have both clinched playoff berths but have an opportunities to improve their postseason seeding with a victory in the NFC East clash.

Meanwhile, Ajayi has tried his hand at competitive esports since leaving the NFL. He spent the 2020 season on the FIFA squad of the MLS' Philadelphia Union.

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa told reporters on Wednesday that the 2021 campaign "hasn't gone the way I wanted it to go," but he's not going to worry about any trade rumors come the offseason. 

"If it comes up, it comes up," he said of the Dolphins potentially trading for a quarterback. "If it doesn't, it doesn't."

The Dolphins have consistently been linked to a potential trade for Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson, who hasn't played this season after 22 women accused him of sexual assault or inappropriate sexual behavior in civil lawsuits. The NFL, Houston Police Department and FBI are also investigating. 

The Dolphins decided against dealing for him ahead of this season's trade deadline, but that was not before the team reportedly "did due diligence on Watson and had conversations with the Texans," per ESPN's Sarah Barshop. Regardless of the outcome of the lawsuits or criminal investigations, the league could still suspend Watson for violating its personal conduct policy.

Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reported in December that 18 of the 22 plaintiffs suing Watson "were ready to settle with him in late October. Four holdouts prevented a deal from being done. In turn, that prevented the Dolphins from trading for Watson."

Had Tagovailoa, the team's first-round pick in the 2020 draft, played at a consistently high level this season, any future trades for a more established quarterback likely would be off the table. 

But the fifth overall pick has had an up-and-down year, throwing for 2,544 yards, 15 touchdowns and 10 interceptions while completing 67.8 percent of his passes. The Dolphins are 6-5 in his starts and 8-8 overall this season. 

"It's tough when you have an opportunity and don't capitalize on that opportunity," the 23-year-old told reporters Wednesday.

It's very likely that the Watson rumors will continue into the offseason, especially if he reaches a settlement deal with all 22 women suing him. That could spell the end of Tagovailoa's tenure in Miami after just two seasons. 

The Miami Dolphins earned their seventh straight win with a 20-3 road victory over the New Orleans Saints on Monday night. Tua Tagovailoa threw for 198 yards, a touchdown and an interception as Miami improved to 8-7.

With the win, the Dolphins kept their playoff hopes alive and stayed in the hunt for an AFC wild-card spot. It's the team's first win streak of seven games since 1985. Miami is now the first team in NFL history to have a seven-game losing streak and a seven-game winning streak in the same season.

Rookie wide receiver Jaylen Waddle, who entered the game with 86 receptions, had 10 catches for 92 yards and a touchdown. He now trails Anquan Boldin's rookie record of 101 catches by five with two games left in the season.

Jaylen scores and the Dolphins do the Waddle 😂🐧

(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/skGwFg9NiU

— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) December 28, 2021

The Saints fell to 7-8 with the loss. Star running back Alvin Kamara totaled 59 scrimmage yards on 15 touches. Rookie quarterback Ian Book threw for 135 yards and two interceptions in his first career start.

New Orleans was without several key players due to a COVID-19 outbreak, including quarterback Taysom Hill, backup Trevor Siemian, linebacker and defensive captain Demario Davis and veteran safety Malcolm Jenkins.

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Notable Stats

Tua Tagovailoa, QB, MIA: 19-of-26 for 198 YDS, TD, INT

Jaylen Waddle, WR, MIA: 10 REC for 92 YDS, TD

Ian Book, QB, NO: 12-of-20 for 135 YDS, 2 INT

Alvin Kamara, RB, NO: 13 CAR for 52 YDS; 2 REC for 7 YDS

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Miami's Dominant Defense Makes Up for Middling Offense

If one thing was clear at the start of the game, it was that the Dolphins defense was pumped to face a quarterback with no experience. Miami opened the game with a pick-six on the Saints' first drive and never looked back.

Defense gets the @MiamiDolphins on the board! #FinsUp

📺: #MIAvsNO on ESPN
📱: https://t.co/vO18DNaTaF pic.twitter.com/RdqeKVusRO

— NFL (@NFL) December 28, 2021

The defensive performance was needed because of a pedestrian performance by Miami's offense. Tagovailoa and Co. failed to fully take advantage of a New Orleans team missing some of its best players.

The Dolphins offense accounted for only 13 points with just one touchdown drive. Tagovailoa threw a puzzling interception that fell right into the hands of Saints defensive back Marshon Lattimore.

Intercepted by the Pro Bowler Marshon Lattimore! @shonrp2

📺: #MIAvsNO on ESPN
📱: https://t.co/vO18DNaTaF pic.twitter.com/c6J4xU0LTp

— NFL (@NFL) December 28, 2021

But the Dolphins defense more than made up for the offense's mistakes. Miami did a great job of getting the Saints off the field, forcing the Saints to go 0-for-12 on third down, the team's first time failing to convert on third down under head coach Sean Payton. Brandon Jones sealed the game with an interception.

DEFENSE COMES UP BIG! @BlessedJones33 with the INT! 🙌

📺: Watch #MIAvsNO on @ESPNNFL pic.twitter.com/VJqe1fGaK7

— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) December 28, 2021

Miami finished with eight sacks, its third time in the last four games with at least five sacks. It's the fifth time during this win streak that the Dolphins have held an opponent to 10 points or less.

Miami's defense is blossoming into one of the most stout units in the NFL. If the Dolphins can continue to shut down opposing offenses, it wouldn't be a surprise to see their winning streak continue and culminate in a playoff berth.

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Saints Stumble with Short-handed Squad

New Orleans knew Monday's game would be tough with such a depleted roster. The Saints showed a ton of fight throughout the game, especially on defense. But missing so many key pieces was too much to overcome.

Saints enter tonight’s game vs. the Dolphins with 22 players on the reserve/COVID list…. pic.twitter.com/8ym6RN7kai

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 28, 2021

New faces on the field have been an unfortunate theme throughout the season for the Saints. 

Per NFL Next Gen Stats, Saints had 3 players start for the first time this season tonight: Caleb Benenoch, Ian Book and Easop Winston Jr., bringing their total to 57 different starters this season, an NFL record (1 ahead of this year's Texans and the 2019 Dolphins).

— Mike Triplett (@MikeTriplett) December 28, 2021

Cameron Jordan was one of the few bright spots for New Orleans. After earning NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors, he remained a model of consistency and followed up with two sacks on Monday.

SACKED! 🙌

The NFC Defensive Player of the Week @CamJordan94 coming in hot 🔥#WPMOYChallenge | 📺: ESPN (WDSU locally) pic.twitter.com/NvbvuM7On9

— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) December 28, 2021

The Saints entered the game with the fifth-ranked rush defense in the league, with an average of 96.6 yards allowed on the ground. On Monday, they held Miami to 86 yards on the ground.

But the New Orleans offense couldn't get anything going, understandably so, with a rookie quarterback making his first career start. Book was under siege throughout the night as Miami overwhelmed him with constant pressure.

Not. 😤
Today. 😤

📺: Watch #MIAvsNO on @ESPNNFL pic.twitter.com/gpHMV8OhVP

— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) December 28, 2021

New Orleans has to hope to return to full strength for the final two games of the season. The Saints are fighting for a playoff spot in the NFC, but Monday's loss was a major setback.

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What's Next?

The Dolphins will go for their eighth straight win on Sunday against the Tennessee Titans. The Saints will look to bounce back that same day in a division matchup vs. the Carolina Panthers.

The Miami Dolphins placed rookie wide receiver Jaylen Waddle on the reserve/COVID-19 list on Thursday, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

Given that Miami's game against the New York Jets is three days away, Waddle could be in danger of missing the contest.

The Dolphins made Waddle the second wideout to come off the board in the first round of the 2021 NFL draft when they selected the former University of Alabama standout with the No. 6 overall pick.

Thus far in his debut NFL season, Waddle has perhaps exceeded expectations with 86 receptions for 849 yards and four touchdowns, plus a rushing score.

While Waddle's collegiate production was dwarfed by Crimson Tide teammate and 2020 Heisman Trophy winner DeVonta Smith, Waddle was a key part of Alabama's offense nonetheless.

His best season came as a freshman in 2018 when he made 45 grabs for 848 yards and seven touchdowns, averaging 18.8 yards per reception.

After a dip in production the following season, Waddle seemed poised to put up big numbers as a junior in 2020, however, a broken ankle limited him to six games.

Waddle was a dominant force in those six games with 28 receptions for 591 yards and four touchdowns. His 21.1 yards per catch further established him as the premier deep threat in the 2021 NFL draft as well.

Perhaps the most impressive part of Waddle's 2021 season was that he worked his way back from a broken ankle in order to play in the Tide's College Football Playoff National Championship Game win over Ohio State.

Playing was a risk in terms of potentially getting injured and hurting his draft stock, but Waddle likely endeared himself to NFL teams by showing will and determination.

The selection of Waddle was a clear message from the Dolphins that they wanted to surround quarterback Tua Tagovailoa with as many weapons as possible.

In addition to taking Waddle, Miami signed wideout Will Fuller in free agency, adding them to a receiving corps that already included DeVante Parker, Albert Wilson and Preston Williams.

If Waddle is unable to play Sunday against the Jets, Parker will likely be Tua's go-to target with Wilson, Williams, Mack Hollins and Isaiah Ford likely earning more looks as well.

It could also mean a bigger role for tight end Mike Gesicki and the Miami running backs in the passing game.

The Miami Dolphins are one of the hottest teams in the NFL, riding a five-game winning streak.

But before that, the team languished in a seven-game losing streak, and criticism followed. Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa talked about dealing with that online vitriol during an appearance on The Joe Rose Show with Zach Krantz on AM 560 Sports WQAM (Miami) on Monday:

I'm not blind to it. It's not like I turn a deaf ear to all of this. But, for me, it's take it for what it's worth. You just gotta continue to be yourself and do what you do. No one else can come into the game and do the things that you want to do, that you want to achieve, for you. You've got to go out there and do it for yourself, do it for the team, and really, that's what it's all about...

Not all of the criticism is coming from social media, either. In the past two weeks, New York Jets defensive lineman John Franklin-Myers and New York Giants defensive back Logan Ryan have taken shots at the young quarterback.

John Franklin-Myers said Tua beat the #Jets by throwing up “prayers” and “sometimes prayers are answered.”

— Connor Hughes (@Connor_J_Hughes) November 21, 2021

"I don't know if you guys saw my high school quarterback tape, but I'm going to put it out there, emergency," Ryan told reporters after the Dolphins beat the Giants 20-9 on Sunday. "A lot like Tua, a lefty. I can throw two-yard passes to the left."

Tagovailoa, 23, has had an up-and-down NFL career after being the No. 5 overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft. He started his rookie season behind Ryan Fitzpatrick on the depth chart, though he eventually took over as the starter and led the team to a 6-3 mark, throwing for 1,814 yards, 11 scores and five interceptions while completing 64.1 percent of his passes. 

A fractured middle finger has limited him to eight starts this year and a 4-4 record. He's thrown for 1,945 yards, 12 touchdowns and six interceptions while completing 70.9 percent of his passes, showing growth at the position. 

He threw for 244 yards and two scores in Sunday's win over the Giants, though after the game he said there's plenty of room for improvement in Miami's offense. 

.@Tua connects with @mackhollins for 6️⃣! 🙌

📺: Watch #NYGvsMIA on @NFLonFOX pic.twitter.com/6Pb7X3WNz8

— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) December 5, 2021

.@Tua 🤝 @IAF_1

📺: Watch #NYGvsMIA on @NFLonFOX pic.twitter.com/ZVRvN5bxlR

— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) December 5, 2021

"I'm glad we won, but I think there's a lot of things that we left out there on the field—a lot of plays that we wish we could have back," he told reporters. "But then again it falls back to the execution of us. ... I think we can get better, continue to get better, find ways to get better."

One thing that won't help is listening to outside criticism. Tagovailoa appears to have figured that part out.