Chan Gailey will not return to the Dolphins, per a club announcement. The offensive coordinator has resigned, ending his second tenure with the franchise. 
“I want to thank Chan for all of his hard work and dedication in what was a unique year,” Head Coach Brian Flores said. “He played an important role on the staff and in the development of our young roster. I wish him all the best.”
Flores will move on to his third offensive coordinator in his third year has the Dolphins’ head coach. He sacked Chad O’Shea after 2019. This time around, Gailey was widely criticized for his inability to develop Tua Tagovailoa. Sunday’s disastrous performance didn’t help Gailey’s case as the rookie tossed three interceptions in the loss to Buffalo. The Dolphins of course took a big step forward in 2020, but that was more due to the progression of the defense than the offense.
It’s not immediately clear if Gailey — who turned 69 on Tuesday — will continue coaching. He’s been an NFL lifer, first breaking into the league as the Broncos’ tight ends coach all the way back in 1985. It might not surprise you to learn a lot of the criticism has centered around his old-school ways. Still, he’s held a number of big time jobs, including when he was head coach of the Bills from 2010-12. He was also the head coach of the Cowboys from 1998-99, and spent 2015-16 as the Jets’ OC. He retired after that 2016 season, and spent the next few years out of football before Flores brought him back.
Flores obviously isn’t going anywhere, but as a defensive coach, he now has a big decision ahead of him. Cycling through coordinators like this isn’t ideal, and the team needs to decide whether Tagovailoa is the long-term answer or if they need to start from scratch.
Andrew Ortenberg contributed to this post.
I know Flores is a great young coach but wow he goes through OCs like water so far
Remember when the Bears had to get a new OC every year to keep Jay Cutler from sulking?
Brian F better start getting involved on the O side. This are his handpicked staff he’s continually firing. At some point, they (management) looks at the HC.
I’m no scout, but its pretty clear OSU, Clemson, Bama, Oklahoma routinely put players into the NFL. This pads players college stats playing against inferior opponents.
Haskins didn’t have a problem throwing 50 TD’s in the OSU but its pretty clear he was well overmatched against equally talented players on D. The 1 years wonders in 2020 college are UF & Bama’s QB’s. We’re being told, both have ‘first round talent’. Why?
Because they do have 1st round talent. Haskins did as well. Talent is not the issue, it’s the ability of the player to adapt that talent to the NFL-or, sometimes, the ability of the team to adapt to his.
Gailey did fine with Fitzpatrick at the helm. But Fitz is a veteran who also has experience with Gailey himself. Maybe Tu’a is a bust, or maybe the offense needs to change to suit him. Only time will tell.
These coaches get too much blame put on them. Tua had basically no offseason and then they threw him in the fire after telling him they were going to sit and develop him. All the while Fitzpatrick has been playing the better football. This was a no win situation for anyone on the offensive side of the ball.
But according to the NFLPA/JC Tretter, everyone did fine without any off-season workouts, training or preseason games. I don’t necessarily agree with that, but its the stand they’re taking.
It also makes me think the nfl will ultimately use that to not just push for a 17th regular season game, but go 1 step further and try for 18.
Lyingsfan I agree. I can’t see how this could be about Tua’s development. Tua never should have played this season. Fitz was looking great and was replaced simply for the Dolphins to see what they had in Tua. Although I believe they missed the mark drafting Tua it wasn’t fair to him either. He missed all of 2019 with a serious injury and had a fraction of a normal NFL preseason to prepare. Even if I believed he was an NFL QB I wouldn’t have expected a ton.
I have identified a pattern: Chan Gailey’s offense are only effective with Ryan Fitzpatrick. However, Fitzpatrick flat out thrives with Gailey. His best seasons (2010 Bills, 2015 Jets, 2020 Dolphins) have been under his tutelage. Otherwise, Gailey’s offenses have suffered miserably. I wonder if this is a product of poor quarterback play or if Gailey’s offenses are simply too complex
Gailey supposedly has a more digestible playbook than most, which is why Miami hired him in the first place for Tua. But considering the lack of practice time and offseason preparation, it’s not entirely shocking Tua didn’t thrive. Granted, Herbert was nasty but with far superior weapons around him.
Fox I’m not a Tua fan but in fairness we cannot discount the amount of rust he had not playing in 2019 on top of shortened preseason
I’ve been complaining about this for most of the season. I don’t have the stats for it, but it seemed like every time I looked, he was 7-10 for 50 yards. You need to stretch the defense occasionally.
Gailey’s offensive system is dink and dunk. That along with no viable deep threat at WR is why those stats are what they are.
The Miami Dolphins O-Line was one of the youngest in the league starting at times 3 rookies. The WR situation was bleak with injury prone Parker again sitting out games and also the quick threat Grant often injured. The Dolphin’s receivers were either rookies or practice squad guys outside up and coming TE Gesicki. So no real threat. Not a lot of separation.. At least what I watched. Tua was throwing short outs for that reason. FITZ just had the confidence to throw the contested balls in tight coverage. The Dolphins need playmakers on offense and a certain Alabama WR would fit nicely.
Chan Gailey sounds like Champ Bailey’s version of Leon Sandcastle.
“Gailey was widely criticized for his inability to develop Tua Tagovailoa. Sunday’s disastrous performance didn’t help Gailey’s case as the rookie tossed three interceptions in the loss to Buffalo.”
Maybe it’s not Gailey’s fault. Maybe it’s Tua’s fault. And maybe that’s why the offense looked better with Fitzpatrick at the helm.
IF YOU WATCHED THE PRIOR GAME WHERE FITZ CAME IN THE PLAY CALLING ALL OF A SUDDEN LOOKED ALOT DIFFERENT THE RECIEVERS WERE GETTING MORE OPEN.