New Miami Dolphins head coach Jeff Hafley stood before his team on Tuesday and didn’t mince words about the rebuilding road ahead. As the Dolphins opened Phase 1 of their voluntary offseason workout program, the new regime finally got its hands on a dramatically overhauled roster, complete with a new franchise quarterback and a glaring absence in the backfield.
Jeff Hafley Embraces First-Day-of-School Energy With the Miami Dolphins
The Dolphins are starting fresh. With the former Packers defensive coordinator taking the reins, Tuesday’s gathering at the Baptist Health Training Complex was strictly about laying the foundation. Phase 1 rules limit teams to conditioning and meetings, meaning the footballs stayed locked away while the coaching staff established its ground rules.
“Today’s a lot of me kind of setting expectations, going over rules, talking to them about the culture, the foundation, my expectations,” Hafley said during his Tuesday press conference. “And then really for the position coaches, offense, defense and special teams, it’s probably a lot of like first day of school.”
Hafley noted that his offensive and defensive coordinators addressed their respective units before breaking the roster down into smaller positional groups. The goal is simple: getting everyone on the same page before the physical grind accelerates.
“Guys getting to know each other, that’s going to take time as we learn to connect and get to really know one another, but the coaches were excited,” Hafley said. “It’s like the first day of school. There’s a level of excitement. We have a lot of new players. We have a lot of new coaches.”
The energy shift is necessary for a franchise that saw major turnover this offseason. Malik Willis has arrived on a three-year, $67.5 million deal to replace Tua Tagovailoa under center. General manager Jon-Eric Sullivan brought in Hafley to maximize a roster that features massive changes on both sides of the ball.
“I think some players are probably anxious, some are probably nervous. I’m sure some are excited and looking forward to it,” Hafley said. “I’ve been looking forward to this since I took the job.”
Miami Dolphins Set the Tone Without De’Von Achane
Not every foundational piece was in the building. Breakout running back De’Von Achane skipped the voluntary session as he seeks a long-term contract extension. Achane is coming off a massive 2025 campaign that saw him rack up 1,350 rushing yards, surpassing his rookie total while earning his first Pro Bowl nod. In 2025, he ranked second in PFSN’s NFL RB Impact Rankings with an Impact score of 87.1.
Hafley brushed off the holdout, calling it part of the business, and focused on the players who showed up to install the new program. The Dolphins have until June’s mandatory minicamp to iron out the financial wrinkles with their star runner. Until then, Hafley is soaking in the honeymoon phase of his first NFL head coaching gig.
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“Do I love coming to work every day? Sure, but when the players are here, then I really love coming to work every day,” Hafley said. “As soon as they step in, go to the cafeteria and eat right now and just the building has come alive, and that’s why we do what we do.”
The pads won’t come on for months, and the schematic installation is barely in its infancy. But the Dolphins have officially turned the page, leaning into the nervous energy of a new era.
