Dolphins Appoint Packers Assistant as New Defensive Coordinator
In a significant move for the Miami Dolphins, head coach Jeff Hafley has appointed Sean Duggan as the team’s new defensive coordinator. This hiring comes after Duggan spent one season as the linebackers coach for the Green Bay Packers.
Duggan’s Coaching Journey
Sean Duggan, 38, has a clear history of collaboration with Hafley. The two coaches have worked together across three different teams:
- Ohio State (2019): Duggan was a graduate assistant while Hafley served as defensive coordinator.
- Boston College: Duggan was Hafley’s linebackers coach for two years and later co-defensive coordinator.
- Green Bay Packers (2024): Duggan was a defensive assistant under Hafley, who was the defensive coordinator.
Duggan also has experience from his time coaching linebackers at Hawaii in 2016 and at Massachusetts in 2017 and 2018. Originally from Cincinnati, he joined the Packers as a defensive assistant in March 2024, shortly after Hafley took the position in Green Bay.
Transition in Miami
Hafley intends to call defensive plays himself but sought a coordinator who is well-versed in his system. Duggan steps in to replace Anthony Weaver, who held the position over the past two seasons. Weaver interviewed for several head coaching roles this offseason but was not considered for the Dolphins job.
Dolphins Coaching Staff
Alongside Duggan, Miami’s coaching staff is shaping up. The team’s current lineup includes:
- Offensive Coordinator: Bobby Slowik
- Special Teams Coordinator: Chris Tabor
- Linebackers Coach: Al Washington
- Defensive Backs Coach: Ryan Downard
- Receivers Coach: Tyke Tolbert
- Running Backs Coach: Ladell Betts
- Cornerbacks Coach: Jahmile Addae
- Offensive Line Coach: Zach Yenser
- Defensive Quality Control Coach: Wendel Davis
- Quarterbacks Coach: Nathaniel Hackett
- Assistant Offensive Line Coach: Matt Applebaum
- Assistant Special Teams Coach: Darius Eubanks
- Assistant Defensive Line Coach: Chuck Nadulue
Compensatory Picks Situation
In another development, the Dolphins have faced a setback regarding compensatory picks. They missed the opportunity to gain extra selections in the 2026 and 2027 drafts when the Las Vegas Raiders and Arizona Cardinals opted against hiring Weaver. Had either team hired him, Miami would have received compensatory picks at the end of the third round in those drafts, as part of the NFL’s initiative to promote minority coaches.
This story was first published on February 1, 2026, providing a glimpse into the off-season transitions and strategic choices made by the Dolphins’ organization.
