The rumors of potential coaching changes for the Miami Dolphins are reportedly true. And they're apparently going to start at the top. ESPN's Adam Schefter reported early Monday that as of Sunday night the Dolphins were planning to fire head coach Joe Philbin. While Schefter notes that Dolphins owner Stephen Ross could "always change his mind," he reports that the organization has been preparing in order to make the move "as soon as today."
Per Schefter, in Philbin's place, Dolphins tight ends coach Dan Campbell would become the interim head coach.
UPDATE, 12:00 p.m.: The Sun-Sentinel is reporting that Philbin has been fired and Campbell will be taking over in the interim.
Talk of Philbin's potential ousting had begun to swirl earlier this season, thanks in large part to the outsized expectations the Dolphins were dealing with thanks to the mammoth - or, at least, mammoth-looking - contract extension handed to quarterback Ryan Tannehill and the addition of monster defensive lineman Ndamukong Suh in free agency.
Unfortunately, through four games Tannehill and the offense have been punchless and Suh and the defense have been unable to wreak any semblance of havoc on the opposition.
Philbin took over a mess of a Miami team in 2012 and promptly brought them to a respectable 2nd-place finish in the rough-and-tumble AFC East. Unfortunately, he hasn't been able to bring the team past .500 finishes the last two seasons. Now, the Dolphins sit in last place in the division at 1-3 after an abysmally ineffective showing against the New York Jets in London early Sunday morning.
What likely stings most for Miami fans were the other options available for the Dolphins when they hired Philbin, a list which includes San Diego Chargers head coach Mike McCoy and New York Jets head coach Todd Bowles. If they had made the change this offseason instead of waiting until now, they may have had a shot at Atlanta Falcons boss Dan Quinn.
With Mike Tannenbaum in place as the de facto leader of the franchise, the transition to another era of Dolphins football may soon be underway.
