Dolphins Interviewing Three Coaches In Person Monday, Including Patrick Graham

Josina Anderson reported this past week that Raiders DC Patrick Graham was set to interview in person with the Dolphins for their head coaching vacancy on Monday. 

That makes three candidates coming in to Miami tomorrow to interview, with other reports indicating Lions DC Kelvin Sheppard and Packers DC Jeff Hafley will be finalists. 

Monday is a big day because it’s the first day coaching candidates who were still employed by other teams could interview in person. Teams have to interview two minority candidates from outside the organization in person to satisfy the Rooney Rule and be cleared to hire a head coach. 

Sheppard and Graham would both fulfill the Rooney Rule. Other reports have indicated Hafley is the frontrunner in the Dolphins’ minds for their vacancy, and with his interview schedule set to take him to Tennessee on Tuesday, there would be some urgency to get a deal done and not let him leave. 

Graham, 46, began his coaching career at Wagner as a graduate assistant back in 2002. He later spent three years at Richmond before landing his first NFL coaching job with the Patriots in 2009 as a defensive coaching assistant.

After seven years in New England, the Giants hired Graham as their defensive coach in 2016. Graham joined the Packers a year later as their LBs coach and run game coordinator before taking the Dolphins’ defensive coordinator job in 2019. 

From there, the Giants hired Graham as their defensive coordinator for the 2020 season. 

The Raiders hired Graham for the same position back in 2022.

In 2025, the Raiders ranked No. 25 in scoring and No. 14 in total defense, including No. 17 against the run and No. 14 against the pass. 

Sheppard, 37, is a former third-round pick of the Bills back in 2011. He lasted over two years in Buffalo before he was traded to the Colts in return for DE Jerry Hughes.

Sheppard lasted just over a year in Indianapolis before he was waived at the start of the 2014 season before signing on with the Dolphins at the start of the 2014 season. Sheppard had brief stints with the Giants and Bears before returning to New York.

He finished his career with the Lions in 2018 and became their OLB coach in 2021. He also worked as a director of player development at his alma mater LSU in 2020.

From there, the Lions hired Sheppard as their outside linebackers coach in 2021. He worked his way up the ranks and was promoted as linebackers coach in 2022. From there, he became the team’s defensive coordinator in 2025.

For his career, Sheppard appeared in 107 games and recorded 429 tackles, three sacks, two interceptions and 11 pass defenses.

Hafley, 46, began his coaching career at WPI back in 2011. From there, he worked for Albany, Pittsburgh, and Rutgers before taking his first NFL coaching job with the Buccaneers as their assistant defensive backs coach

Hafley had stints with the Browns and 49ers before becoming the co-defensive coordinator at Ohio State in 2019. Boston College hired him as their head coach the following year, and he held the position until Green Bay hired him as their defensive coordinator before the 2024 season. He finished with a 22-26 record at BC. 

In 2025, the Packers defense ranked No. 12 in fewest yards allowed, No. 11 in fewest points allowed, No. 18 in fewest rushing yards allowed, and No. 11 in fewest passing yards allowed.

We’ll have more on the Dolphins’ HC search as the news is available.