Dolphins Hire Vance Joseph As New DC, Hire Other Assistants
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DAVIE (CBSMiami) – The Miami Dolphins coaching staff is beginning to take shape.
New head coach Adam Gase appears to have found his new defensive leader.
Per multiple reports, the Dolphins have hired Cincinnati Bengals defensive backs coach Vance Joseph as their new defensive coordinator.
Additionally, Armando Salguero of CBS4 news partner the Miami Herald is reporting that Miami has hired Bengals linebackers coach Matt Burke to have the same position with the Dolphins.
The Dolphins have also hired Bengals LB coach Matt Burke to be their LB coach.
— Armando Salguero (@ArmandoSalguero) January 12, 2016
Miami fired defensive coordinator Kevin Coyle mid-season in October after 3 1/2 seasons with the team.
The Dolphins gave up a franchise record 4,000 passing yards and ranked 22nd in the league in points allowed this season.
Joseph will be a first time defensive coordinator, though he drew interest from teams following the end of the 2014 season.
The Bengals kept Joseph from interviewing for any new jobs but couldn't do the same this year as his contract expired following Cincinnati's loss to Pittsburgh in last weekend's NFL Wild Card Playoff game.
This season Cincinnati had the fifth-best opposing quarterback rating in the NFL while ranking third in interceptions with 21.
Joseph was with the Bengals for two seasons, previously holding the same role with the Houston Texans and San Francisco 49ers.
He also played in the NFL in 1995 and 1996.
Matt Burke, Joseph's colleague in Cincinnati, is also joining the Fins as the team's new linebackers coach.
Burke not only worked the position group in Cincinnati, but also for Detroit from 2009 to 2013.
He also spent five years with the Tennessee Titans where he served as an administrative assistant and defensive assistant/quality control coach.
With the release of Dan Campbell, Shane Day is stepping in as tight ends coach.
Day was the assistant offensive line coach with the Washington Redskins for the past two seasons.
Returning to the Dolphins is Chris Foerster who will coach the o-line.
The veteran offensive line coach has 23 years of NFL experience under his belt.
Foerster has worked for the Miami Dolphins, Minnesota Vikings, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Indianapolis Colts, Baltimore Ravens, San Francisco 49ers and Washington Redskins.
Two season ago, Foerster and Day worked together, so familiarity at the line will be there.
The final coaching addition announced Tuesday night was Shawn Jefferson.
Jefferson will be the Dolphins' new wide receivers coach.
Jefferson played wide receiver for 13 seasons in the NFL and spent the past 11 years coaching for the Detroit Lions and the Tennessee Titans.
Besides the coaching changes, Eric Stokes will now serve as senior personnel executive.
Stokes served as the team's assistant general manager for the past two seasons.
Gase has said the team may not hire an offensive coordinator immediately because he will be handling the offensive play calling in 2016.