Coach Flores’ announces staff
Mix of youth and experience comprises group of assistant coaches for new Dolphins coach Flores
Features 1st-time coordinators, 4 former Patriots assistants.
New Miami Dolphins coach Brian Flores’ staff features first-time offensive and defensive coordinators, four former Patriots assistants and one former NFL head coach.
The Dolphins announced Flores’ 16-member coaching staff Friday, highlighted by the hiring of Chad O’Shea as offensive coordinator, Patrick Graham as defensive coordinator, Danny Crossman as Miami’s special teams coach and former Indianapolis Colts and Detroit Lions head coach Jim Caldwell as assistant head coach and quarterback coach.
“His experience as a head coach will be invaluable to me,” Flores said of Caldwell, the most accomplished of his 16 assistants. “Jim is a great teacher, highly organized and somebody that I have a lot of respect for.”
Like Flores, O’Shea, who previously coached receivers, is coming from the New England Patriots, the franchise he’s spent the past 10 years with.
“Chad is extremely smart, innovative and hard working,” Flores said about O’Shea, who he’d run stairs with at stadiums before games. “He brings a lot of energy to practice and meetings. Chad has a great rapport with players.”
Graham, who spent last season as the defensive run game coordinator and inside linebacker coach with the Green Bay Packers, has 10 years of NFL coaching experience, and also worked with Flores in New England.
“Pat is a Yale guy. He’s extremely bright. He is great with the fundamentals and has very strong leadership ability,” Flores said. “We worked together in New England and I know the type of passion he has and the way he works.”
Crossman has served as a special teams coach for all 26 years of his coaching career, including the 16 he spent in the NFL, where he’s been the special teams coordinator
for the Carolina Panthers (2005-09), Lions (2010-12 and Buffalo Bills (2013-18).
“Danny is full of energy and extremely good with the fundamentals,” Flores said. “I am excited to have him.”
Rounding out Flores’ staff is Josh Boyer, who will coach cornerbacks and serve as the defensive pass game coordinator. Boyer spent 13 years with the Patriots, most recently coaching cornerbacks, where he helped develop five different Pro Bowl and AllPro talents.
Karl Dorrell, who will coach receivers, returns to the Dolphins, where he spent four seasons coaching receivers and quarterbacks during Tony Sparano’s tenure.
Pat Flaherty, who will coach the offensive line, George Godsey (tight ends), Marion Hobby (defensive linemen), Rob Leonard (linebackers) and Jerry Schuplinski (assistant quarterback coach) will also join Flores’ staff, as will former NFL receiver Tijuan Wunderwood, Matt Lombardi and Josh Grizzard, who will all share duties as Miami’s quality control coach.
Tony Oden, Eric Studesville and Grizzard are the only holdovers from Adam Gase’s coaching staff. Oden, who coached cornerbacks under Gase last season, will coach Miami’s safeties. Studesville will continue to coach Miami’s tailbacks, a position he’s held since last season. Grizzard has been Miami’s offensive quality control coach since 2017. Defensive tackle Gerald Willis III was one of Miami's top playmakers last season.