Kevin Coyle

Latest On Dolphins, DC Kevin Coyle

October 6th, 2015 at 7:56pm CST by Zachary Links

Dolphins interim head coach Dan Campbell is expected to make a decision on defensive coordinator Kevin Coyle by tomorrow, according to Ed Werder of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Current Miami linebackers coach Mark Duffner is an in-house candidate for the job if Coyle is removed, he adds.

Meanwhile, the Dolphins touched base with former Lions head coach Jim Schwartz about the vacancy, but he declined the opportunity, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Schwartz, who served as the Titans’ defensive coordinator from 2001 through 2008 and as the Bills’ DC in 2014, isn’t Miami-bound, but I would imagine that news does not bode well for Coyle’s chances of staying.

Coyle is “as disliked by his players as any coach we’ve encountered [in Miami],” according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald who has covered the team for many years. The Dolphins are 1-3 heading into their bye week with very weak production out of their defense, even with the offseason addition of Ndamukong Suh.

Dolphins Rumors: Coyle, Lazor, Tannehill

October 6th, 2015 at 11:11am CST by Luke Adams

While former Dolphins head coach Joe Philbin is now out of a job, it doesn’t appear a decision has been finalized on equally embattled defensive coordinator Kevin Coyle. According to Albert Breer of the NFL Network (via Twitter), new interim head coach Dan Campbell is expected to make a call today on Coyle, since Mike Tannenbaum empowered Campbell to make staff decisions.

As we wait to see what Campbell decides, let’s round up a few more Dolphins items….

According to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, Coyle is “as disliked by his players as any coach we’ve encountered here.” Jackson has heard from multiple sources that the benefits of Campbell replacing Philbin may only be marginal if Coyle or offensive coordinator Bill Lazor isn’t replaced as well.
If Campbell decides to make a change at defensive coordinator, linebackers coach Mark Duffner would be a candidate for the role, since he’s “well liked” within the organization, writes Jackson.
Jackson and Alex Marvez of FOX Sports (all Twitter links) are among those corroborating and confirming most of Aaron Wilson’s report from yesterday on an altercation involving Ryan Tannehill and Dolphins practice squad players.
Although no reporters have confirmed Wilson’s account that Tannehill told a player to “enjoy [his] practice squad pay check,” Jackson and Marvez both provided additional details on the practice incident, and Marvez says Campbell intends to conduct practices differently in the wake of that incident.
Jackson also noted that – as Wilson reported – Tannehill “said something to the effect that he would prepare a scout team trophy case” for linebacker Chris McCain following a turnover in practice.
Dolphins owner Stephen Ross admitted to Jackson that there’s a possibility he overestimated the talent on the club’s roster. “We knew where our weaknesses were and we thought we could overcome those weaknesses and develop players that could play at that level,” Ross said. “No team has all stars, but they work together as a team and they make up for the deficiencies that other players have. I didn’t see that development happening.”
Ross on whether he should have fired Philbin after the 2014 season: “That’s an easy thing to say now. In retrospect, sure. I didn’t believe it then. … I may be accused of having maybe too much loyalty, but I felt that we had the right people in place…. I don’t think anybody out there wants to win more than I do…. I put my money where my mouth is, and we’re doing everything we can to win.”

Dolphins Rumors: Coyle, Tannehill, Campbell

October 5th, 2015 at 4:22pm CST by Luke Adams

While multiple reporters, including Jason Cole of Bleacher Report and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter links), suggested earlier today that Dolphins defensive coordinator Kevin Coyle was likely to be shown the door along with Joe Philbin, Albert Breer of the NFL Network tweets that Coyle remains employed and is going about his job. Breer adds that Dan Campbell “has a call to make” on Coyle, suggesting the new interim head coach will make the decision on the DC’s status.

As we wait to see whether Coyle will continue to run the Dolphins’ defense, let’s round up several more items of interest out of Miami….

Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post provided an interesting report on the situation in Miami today, writing that Ryan Tannehill has been making negative comments toward practice squad players, who have been forcing him to turn the ball over in practice sessions. According to Wilson’s sources, the quarterback told players to “enjoy [their] practice squad pay check [and] practice squad trophy.”
If Wilson’s report is accurate, it’s a sign of a potentially dysfunctional locker room, but Eric Edholm of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter links) received a text message from a Dolphins player saying he was unaware of any rift between Tannehill and the club’s practice squad players. Of course, if the incident Wilson describe did happen, it’s unlikely that every Dolphin player would be eager to confirm it.
It was only a matter of months ago that the Dolphins signed Tannehill to a long-term extension, but that deal doesn’t really guarantee him a job beyond the 2016 season, as Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk observes. It may be a little early to say Tannehill’s long-term future in Miami is in jeopardy, but as Florio notes, new coaching staffs often aren’t tied to specific players on a team’s roster — even quarterbacks.
Dolphins owner Stephen Ross said today that Campbell will certainly be a candidate for the Dolphins’ permanent head coaching job in 2016, tweets James Walker of ESPN.com. For what it’s worth, agent Brent Tessler tweeted today that his clients on the Dolphins said the locker room “loves” Campbell and is feeling good about the move.
Ross was loyal to Philbin to a fault, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com, who says it would have made sense for the Dolphins to part ways with Philbin after the 2014 season. La Canfora also explores possibilities for Miami’s permanent coaching job, mentioning names like Eric Mangini, Sean Payton, and Jon Gruden, though their odds range from unlikely to very unlikely.
Lindsay H. Jones of USA Today identifies six potential head coaching candidates the Dolphins could consider in the coming weeks or months.

Dolphins Fire Joe Philbin, Promote Dan Campbell

October 5th, 2015 at 12:33pm CST by Luke Adams

12:33pm: The Dolphins have officially announced that former tight ends coach Dan Campbell is the team’s new interim head coach (Twitter link).

11:17am: Ross has issued a statement on the decision to part ways with Philbin, as Alain Poupart of Dolphins.com (TwitLonger link) passes along:

“This was a tough decision for me to make knowing how tirelessly Joe worked in his four years here to make this a winning team. He is a man of the highest character and integrity that I developed a close personal relationship with. I am extremely disappointed with how we have started the season, but I feel confident that we can improve quickly with the talent we have on our roster. We will soon be announcing an interim coach to lead the team going forward.”

Meanwhile, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report tweets that Coyle is expected to be let go as well, which doesn’t come as a surprise.

10:43am: Dave Hyde and Omar Kelly of the South Florida Sun Sentinel (Twitter links) have confirmed that the Dolphins have fired Philbin, replacing him with Campbell, the former tight ends coach.

10:14am: As of last night, the Dolphins were preparing to part ways with head coach Joe Philbin, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. Schefter cautions that owner Stephen Ross could reconsider and change his mind, but after yesterday’s loss in London, the team was leaning toward making a change as early as today.

According to Schefter, if the Dolphins do decide to fire Philbin, tight ends coach Dan Campbell would be the top candidate to be promoted to the head coach role on an interim basis. On Sunday, Albert Breer of the NFL Network identified special teams coach Darren Rizzi as another possible interim option for the Dolphins if they let go of Philbin.

Earlier today, Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald wrote that Ross is more likely to fire defensive coordinator Kevin Coyle than Philbin, though he acknowledged that Philbin is unlikely to continue as the Dolphins’ head coach in 2016, barring a massive turnaround. Presumably, if the team were to fire its head coach, the offensive and defensive coordinators’ jobs would be in serious jeopardy as well, which explains why Campbell and Rizzi have been mentioned as interim HC candidates.

While interim coaches typically come from inside the organization, Salguero doesn’t view the Dolphins’ internal choices as great ones, and wonders (via Twitter) if the team might look at Jim Schwartz, who has a history with the team’s underachieving free agent prize, Ndamukong Suh. However, as Jay Glazer of FOX Sports (Twitter link) observes, Miami would have to satisfy the Rooney Rule before hiring an outside interim coach, and it seems unlikely that the club would go through an extensive interview process during the season.

Of course, before identifying a replacement, the Dolphins will have to make an official decision on Philbin, which will likely happen sooner rather than later.

East Notes: Philbin, Coyle, Murray, Patriots

October 4th, 2015 at 4:41pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Despite falling to 1-3 after today’s loss to the divisional rival Jets, Dolphins head coach Joe Philbin said he plans to retain defensive coordinator Kevin Coyle, according to Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald (Twitter link). Of course, Philbin himself might not be around for much longer, and even if does stay on, the call on Coyle’s status might not fall to Philbin.

Here’s more from Miami and the rest of the NFL’ two East divisions:

Rumors have swirled that Philbin could be fired if the Dolphins lost in London today, but now that they have, Philbin still didn’t express any worries about his fate, writes James Walker of ESPN.com. “We still can’t panic,” Philbin said. “It all seems like the walls are closing in on you. We all realize that. So we gotta look at things and be honest about where we are, what we’re doing well and what we’re not doing well.”
One reason that Philbin’s job might be safe is that the Dolphins lack a viable candidate to take over on a interim basis, per Salguero in a separate piece. Neither the offense nor the defense has played well enough where it would make sense to elevate Coyle or OC Bill Lazor to the top job, and no one on Miami’s staff has any head coaching experience. Linebackers coach Mark Duffner and assistant offensive line coach Jack Bicknell Jr. each have led teams at the collegiate level, however.
DeMarco Murray ran for 36 yards against Washington today, more than tripling his season total entering the contest, but the Eagles running wants more work. “No, I’m not. I don’t think I am,” Murray told Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link) when asked if he was getting enough touches. Murray did allow that he knew he signed up for something of a timeshare with the Eagles, but still expects to see the ball more.
In his latest notes piece, Ben Volin of the Boston Globe looks at how several teams — including, notably, the Patriots — have taken to trading for players rather than finding similar free agents. Since the preseason ended on September 4, notes Volin, there have been 17 NFL trades — four more than the past four years combined. We at PFR certainly won’t complain about the uptick in player movement.

Latest On Dolphins’ Coaching Staff

October 3rd, 2015 at 8:54pm CST by Sam Robinson

On Friday, we heard the Dolphins were considering coaching changes if the season didn’t begin to turn quickly, and more of that’s emerged from Miami media hours before 2015’s first London game.

A blowout loss in London will force Dolphins owner Stephen Ross to consider firing Joe Philbin, Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald reports. The fact that multiple division rivals will, in this scenario, have routed the Dolphins in consecutive weeks won’t doom Philbin as much as the looming bye week that teams forced to play in the London game receive the following Sunday.

With that expanded window to reshape matters, it’s paramount for the fourth-year coach to have the Fins ready, and for the team to avoid a listless performance should a bad start again occur as it did in the 41-14 loss to the Bills, Salguero writes.

The Raiders executed this schedule-based maneuver after the Dolphins’ 38-14 win last season in London.

A lack of a presumptive in-house successor could prevent Ross from making such a move, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk offers, in assigning much of the blame for the Dolphins’ 1-2 start on Bill Lazor and Kevin Coyle as Philbin. The Raiders went to ex-Dolphins coach Tony Sparano after firing Dennis Allen last season.

As for Coyle, players are cloaking themselves as anonymous sources in venting frustration about the defense, according to Barry Jackson of the Herald. Topics like using practice time on inconsequential issues and a vanilla defensive scheme are causing the gripes about Coyle, a 59-year-old first-time NFL coordinator, Jackson writes.

The Dolphins rank 26th defensively with 391.0 yards ceded per game, with quarterbacks’ passer ratings against a thus-far-woeful secondary soaring. Although Walt Aikens and Reshad Jones have enabled QBs to post ratings in excess of 130, Bobby McCain‘s 232 yards yielded are the fourth-most in the league, Jackson offers.

So, a lot could be on the line for a Week 4 neutral-site game that will occur before many football fans are awake.

Dolphins Considering Coaching Changes?

October 2nd, 2015 at 5:09pm CST by Luke Adams

After a Week 1 victory over Washington, the Dolphins have dropped two straight games in disappointing fashion, and if the club loses again this weekend in London against the Jets, significant changes could be in store. According to Rand Getlin of NFL.com, the Dolphins are mulling a shake-up of the coaching staff if they lose to New York.

After adding top free agent Ndamukong Suh and making several other offseason moves to bring in talent, the Dolphins were viewed as a strong playoff contender, with anything less than a postseason berth viewed as a disappointment. Through three weeks, however, the Patriots, Bills, and Jets have all looked like stronger squads, which could mean an uphill battle for Miami to earn that playoff spot.

According to Getlin, multiple sources “inside and around the franchise” have indicated that there’s widespread frustration among Dolphins players with certain members of the coaching staff. As Getlin details, some players are unhappy with that they consider to be flawed offensive and defensive play-calling.

“We’ve been going out there, and practicing our (tails) off every day, but as players, we’re tired of being embarrassed,” one member of the Dolphins told Getlin. “If we get beat in Europe, (players) are going to throw in the towel. It isn’t the players. We have all the talent in the world.”

While another loss might not mean the end of Joe Philbin‘s tenure in Miami, defensive coordinator Kevin Coyle definitely appears to be on the hot seat. Even after adding Suh, the Dolphins’ defense hasn’t been effective, and the team’s free agent prize hasn’t been producing like he did in Detroit. As for Philbin, owner Stephen Ross has shown confidence in the past in his head coach, extending Philbin last year when it seemed just as likely that he’d be let go.

“[Ross] is a remarkably loyal person,” one source told Getlin. “But I don’t think that loyalty is limitless.”

Extra Points: Pryor, Jets, Dolphins, CAA

September 28th, 2015 at 1:40pm CST by Luke Adams

Last week, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com reported that the Seahawks would be working out quarterback-turned-wide-receiver Terrelle Pryor. We later heard word of Pryor’s tryout with the Jets, though it wasn’t clear if he ever made it to Seattle. Today, Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk writes that the ex-Raiders signal-caller is auditioning for the Seahawks as a receiver this week. While PFT’s report makes it sound like it’ll be Pryor’s first workout with the Seahawks this season, La Canfora suggests (via Twitter) that the 26-year-old is auditioning for the club “again.”

Whether it’s Pryor’s first or second tryout for Seattle, it’s clear the team is interested in seeing what he can do as a wideout. While he didn’t last long on the Browns’ roster, Pryor has enough speed and athleticism to make him an interesting – albeit raw – project, so we’ll see whether or not the Seahawks decide to take a flier on him.

In the meantime, let’s check in on some other items from around the league….

The idea that the Jets would sign both Muhammad Wilkerson and Sheldon Richardson to blockbuster deals “has always been a fairytale,” writes Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. Although he cautions that the team hasn’t given up on the idea of negotiating a multiyear extension for Wilkerson, Mehta suggests that perhaps the standout defensive lineman could be franchised in 2016 and then used a trade chip to try to move up in the draft to land a franchise quarterback.
It’s probably too early to start talking about Dolphins head coach Joe Philbin being on the hot seat, but defensive coordinator Kevin Coyle may not last much longer in Miami if the club’s poor defensive play continues, says Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link).
Player agent Todd France has officially joined CAA Sports, bringing approximately 50 NFL clients with him, writes Liz Mullen of SportsBusiness Journal. Broncos wideout Demaryius Thomas and Bills defensive lineman Marcell Dareus are among France’s clients who got lucrative, long-term contracts this year.

AFC Notes: Jets, Bills, Dolphins, Browns

September 27th, 2015 at 8:11pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick performed nicely for the Jets in leading them to a 2-0 start, completing well over 60 percent of passes and tossing four touchdowns against two interceptions. However, the 11th-year man came back to earth on Sunday in a 24-17 loss to the Eagles. He threw a whopping 58 passes and three picks while averaging a paltry 4.88 yards per attempt. Afterward, head coach Todd Bowles gave Fitzpatrick a vote of confidence, but he acknowledged that the 32-year-old is going to have to limit mistakes to stay atop the Jets’ depth chart.

“Ryan (Fitzpatrick) is our starter,” said Bowles, per ESPN’s Rich Cimini (Twitter link)

Bowles then added, “You’re not going to win a game throwing three interceptions.”

A look at a few other AFC teams, including some notable injury news:

Although a hamstring injury has slowed Bills running back LeSean McCoy since August, head coach Rex Ryan is reluctant to give him a week off, per ESPN’s Mike Rodak (Twitter link). McCoy, whom Ryan estimates to be at 80 percent, wasn’t much of a factor in the Bills’ 41-14 thrashing of Miami on Sunday. The three-time Pro Bowler rushed for a mere 16 yards on 11 carries, though he did find the end zone for the first time this year on a 10-yard reception.
Like McCoy, receiver Sammy Watkins – one of Buffalo’s other big-time playmakers – was limited Sunday because of injury. The second-year man caught one pass for 39 yards before leaving with a calf injury. Ryan referred to Watkins’ ailment as a “big concern” after the game, Joe Buscaglia of WKBW tweeted.
While McCoy and Watkins didn’t make huge impacts Sunday, the same wasn’t true for most of their offensive cohorts in Bills uniforms. Their embarrassment of the Dolphins should lead to the end of defensive coordinator Kevin Coyle‘s tenure, opines Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald. Among Salguero’s reasons: The Dolphins have just one sack this year (none in the last 11-plus quarters), and tackle Ndamukong Suh has gone from a superstar in Detroit to a nonentity in Miami. That won’t cut it for a player who signed a mega-deal worth over $100MM to join the Dolphins in the offseason.
Browns quarterback Josh McCown injured his right hand in the team’s 27-20 loss to Oakland on Sunday and subsequently had X-rays, which were negative, according to ESPN. “I don’t want to speak on it,” McCown said. “I’ll let coach (Mike Pettine) speak on it, but I feel good.”

Coach Notes: Bucs, Bears, Marrone, Coyle

January 16th, 2015 at 2:37pm CST by Luke Adams

The Buccaneers have parted ways with quarterbacks coach and interim offensive coordinator Marcus Arroyo, according to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times (via Twitter). Arroyo stepped in to run Tampa Bay’s offense during the 2014 season during Jeff Tedford‘s absence, but hadn’t been mentioned as a candidate to step into the role permanently since the team officially let Tedford go at season’s end.

Let’s round up a few more afternoon news items and rumors on the coaching front….

One coach the Buccaneers tried to interview for their OC opening was Mike Mularkey of the Titans, but Tennessee turned them down. John Fox and the Bears are expected to seek permission to speak to Mularkey about the offensive coordinator position in Chicago, according to Mike Garafolo of FOX Sports (via Twitter), so we’ll see if the Titans say no to Fox as well.
Following Teryl Austin‘s lead, Doug Marrone has canceled his head coaching interview with the Broncos, which had been scheduled for Saturday, tweets Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. Marrone will wait to see what happens with Gary Kubiak, who is set to talk to Denver on Sunday, and is viewed as the frontrunner for the position.
Despite some initial uncertainty at the end of the regular season, defensive coordinator Kevin Coyle will remain with the Dolphins for the 2015 campaign under head coach Joe Philbin, writes Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald.
Current and former Falcons coaches are among Jack Del Rio‘s targets for the Raiders, according to Bill Williamson of ESPN.com and Dianna Marie Russini of NBC 4 in Washington (Twitter links). Williamson continues to hear that Del Rio has interest in Mike Tice, but Atlanta won’t give the Raiders permission to interview the offensive line coach. Per Russini, Del Rio is trying to hire Mike Smith as his defensive coordinator, but it most likely won’t happen.
Russini (Twitter link) is hearing that Mike Shanahan may be in play for the 49ers‘ offensive coordinator job under Jim Tomsula.
Former Bills offensive coordinator Nate Hackett is interviewing with the Jaguars today for the team’s OC opening, tweets Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union. Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (Twitter link) hears that at least two other clubs are also interested in Hackett.
We can also add the Jaguars to the list of teams looking to interview Adam Gase for their offensive coordinator opening, tweets Schefter. The Falcons and Rams want to speak to Gase about an OC role as well.
If Teryl Austin lands the Falcons‘ head coaching job, Packers safeties coach Darren Perry looks like a candidate to become his defensive coordinator, according to Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com (Twitter link).