The Miami Dolphins coaching search presses on into the third week of the offseason.

Thus far the Dolphins have interviewed interim coach Todd Bowles, Dave Toub, Jeff Fisher, Joe Philbin, Mike Zimmer, and now Mike McCoy. 

The Miami Dolphins have not tipped their hand toward a clear cut agenda or vision except for sound bites generated by owner Stephen Ross as looking for the next young “Don Shula.” 

Since being informed by Jeff Fisher that he was taking the Rams job, the Miami Dolphins have been in scramble mode to continuing casting the net even wider to include coaches on playoff losing teams.  These candidates can be hired right away.

Based on all of the interviews that are known, the Dolphins could narrow their option to three candidates and decide soon or in the near future.  Of course, teams such as Tampa and Oakland could take some of the preferred coaches off Miami's hiring list.

The three candidates deemed worthy of serious consideration are Joe Philbin, Mike Zimmer, and Mike McCoy.

Joe Philbin has a chance to be the coach of the Dolphins because of his offensive acumen.  He has been a position coach in Green Bay since 2003 after having had stints in Harvard, Iowa, and Northeastern as an offensive line coach.  He was named offensive coordinator in Green Bay in 2007 and has had a hand in Aaron Rogers and Matt Flynn’s development.  It is safe to say that Philbin has a wealth of experience with the West Coast offense and creating plays that include multiple receiver sets and play fast and explosive football.  Philbin is a highly recommended coach because of his experience working with Rogers and assisting him as a Super Bowl winning quarterback.  Some drawbacks to Philbin are that he has never been a head coach at any level and thus far in Green Bay’s system he has never called plays (Head Coach Mike McCarthy does).  In addition, Philbin recently lost a son in a tragic accident last week and it is not known if Philbin wants to be a head coach leaving the highly supportive and family oriented atmosphere in Green Bay.  Philbin is scheduled to interview in Tampa Bay and Oakland in the near future.

Mike Zimmer is a tremendous football coach and has been a defensive coordinator in Dallas, Atlanta, and Cincinnatti.  Zimmer has developed and designed defenses that have helped lead the Bengals into the playoffs two out of the last three seasons.  Zimmer shows versatility in his area of expertise as a defensive coach by changing his defense from a 4-3 to a 3-4 when Parcells took over as head coach in Dallas.  In addition, Zimmer survived coaching changes in Dallas prior to joining staffs in Atlanta in 2007 (left because Bobby Petrino quit on the team) and then Cincinnatti in 2008.  However, questions arise with Zimmer that deal with the recognition as a head coaching candidate now as opposed to earlier in his coaching career and why the Dolphins are considering him.  Could it be that Jeff Ireland is reaching for familiarity since both were in Dallas under Bill Parcells? Nonetheless, Zimmer garners interest based on his tough, hard-nosed style.  He is known as a compassionate coach of his players, has provided chances for success with Tank Johnson in both Dallas and Cincinnatti, and has competed at the highest level in the AFC North a very tough division to win. 

Mike McCoy is a very curious candidate in that it was not known that he would be interviewed until late yesterday, even though the Miami Herald’s Armando Salguero suggested it was possible he would be a candidate.  While Coach McCoy has been an Offensive Coordinator since 2009, he has learned under John Fox (Dan Henning was the OC with McCoy) and Marty Schottenheimer.   Among the offensive coordinators available to interview for advancement to head coach, he comes in with experience in dealing with a variety of different quarterbacks.  He has worked with Jake Delhomme and coached in a Super Bowl under John Fox.  He has worked with Miami’s current starter Matt Moore and Tim Tebow the past two seasons.  McCoy has an incredible amount of experience as a developer of QBs and play design.  He has even called the plays in Denver this season.  This season as the Broncos began the season at 1-4, McCoy designed a game plan for Tim Tebow that would play to his strengths and thus propelled the Broncos into the playoffs.  All of this was done mid-season!  Coach McCoy brings quarterback experience in college and in the World League (Amsterdam) and Canadian Football League (Calgary Stampeders).  The knock on McCoy is he has not been a head coach at any level.  However, he brings that young and fresh mind as a rising star on John Fox’s current staff in Denver.  He is being sought after by the Oakland Raiders and just concluded an interview in Miami. 

Unlike deposed Dolphins coach Tony Sparano, none of these candidates have ever been a head coach at any level.  However, being a head coach in the NFL takes NFL experience. All of these coaches have risen in the past 10 years to the coordinator position.  Jeff Ireland and owner Stephen Ross have some thinking to do. 

Personally, I really think that Mike McCoy fits the mold of the Miami coach.  He is young at age 39, he is vibrant, he is versatile in changing the playbook entirely for Tim Tebow, and he brings a passion for winning and success with limited parts on offense and multiple injuries.  His game plan beat the Steelers in the playoffs!   He has all the tools and experience in working with good quarterbacks in the past.  He has coached in a Super Bowl early in his career.  In addition, he has experience in the only NFL and could put together a quality staff.    

For those of you who follow me on twitter (@phindaniel) you already know I was quite upset today when hearing the news that the Dolphins had lost the Jeff Fisher sweepstakes. I went on a little twitter rant however I felt I could best reach my audience through blog.

I’ve been a Dolphins fan for all my life and while there is plenty of to complain about in modern day history I’ve decided to only write how I feel Dolphins fans should feel since the Stephen Ross took over the team in 2008.

Today was a day in Dolphins history where I think the fans should legitimately be fed up and frustrated. While I know Ross made a strong push at Fisher even offering 64 millions he came up short again for his fan base.

I am not a fortune teller and I cannot predict whether losing out on Fisher will turn out good, bad or ugly however I can tell you that I think there is a bigger picture to be looking at here.

The fact is in this on going Dolphins search the boys upstairs have struck out on all three of their top options. No Cowher, No Gruden and No Fisher. Whether these 3 were the right options is not the point the point is that the Dolphins brass decided these 3 were the best candidates and most qualified and failed on each occasion to land any of them.

As all of you know this isn’t the first time Ross has come up short in the coaching search department as this years Jeff Fisher sweepstakes was eerily similar to last years Jim Harbaugh fiasco.

Then there is the fact that Ross and the Dolphins have absolutely no idea how to deal with PR. Time after time this franchise has been seen as a laughing stock since Ross signed on as owner. Whether it’s having celebrity owners, an orange carpet, coaching searches gone wrong, empty fans in the stands, the bottom line is Ross’s Dolphins are from the glory days.

While I still haven’t grasped how Jeff Fishers decision will affect the Dolphins going forward I can tell you as a fan I am tired of settling.

Whether it’s Chad Henne, Matt Moore ( solid backup don’t mean to hate but no franchise QB) big name coaches, second rate GM in Jeff Ireland.

I am tired of 6-10, 8-8 and 7-9 and if were losing we can’t even do that right taking ourselves out of position for Luck or RG3.

When I think of Stephen Ross’s Dolphins I think of the team that is constantly settling. So please Mr. Ross do something about it. If you make a big move and fail FINE, but do something out of the box, find us the next QB, whether it’s Ireland who does it or someone else make sure it’s done.

The NFL clearly can’t be controlled by a pocket book so if you don’t think your qualified step aside but for once please stop making me settle as a fan.

Today at about 2:30PM Eastern time, the Miami Dolphins and the rest of Dolfans everywhere learned that Jeff Fisher got free from Steve Ross' proverbial hook.

Saddened as much as Dolfan Nation was, many took to Twitter to voice their frustrations and took to the radiowaves on Sid Rosenberg's daily show on WQAM in Miami.

Jeff Fisher, the coach that Steve Ross and Jeff Ireland gave the royal tour complete with choppers and caviar took the job with the St. Louis Rams.

The Rams, a team that has spent 10 years with mainly losing seasons have landed a very good coach in Jeff Fisher.  Fisher, reportedly stands to make upwards of 7.5 million per year on a 5 year contract and has final say on personnel.

For the Dolphins, dollars and cents were not the issue.  Steve Ross reportedly was willing to out spend anyone for the coach that Steve Ross badly wanted.  Steve Ross was very willing to go above and beyond for the coach that would turn the Miami Dolphins franchise into a contender and a pearl of the AFC East. 

Just last night, Adam Schefter reported that Jeff Fisher had a better than expected rapport with Steve Ross and Jeff Ireland.  The main thing was the organizational structure of the Dolphins franchise and Schefter acknowledged that control was a main issue for Fisher to be coach of the Dolphins.

Adam Schefter, a very well admired and respected reporter for ESPN believed as early this morning that it was an 80/20 chance that Jeff Fisher was coming to the Miami Dolphins to be the 10th head coach in their history.

Many Dolfans were waking up this morning hoping and wishing that Jeff Fisher was going to be appearing for a press conference later this afternoon and that Jeff Fisher was going to bring in the best coaching staff that money could buy.

As the day wore on, the report came through on text 239 (Sun-Sentinel Sports news) or ESPN via text on all of our phones:

Jeff Fisher has agreed to join the St. Louis Rams.

So why did this happen?

Based on my observations around the web:

Jason Cole of Yahoo! Sports hit the nail on the head this evening with his article on the Miami Dolphins letting Fisher slip away.

In his article, he quoted a conversation that Fisher had with Steve Ross where Fisher admitted, basically pouring his heart out:

Fisher discussed the need for final say and control over personnel when he reportedly told Ross:

“I’ve been a head coach for 17 years and 12 of them sucked because I had to fight for what I wanted.”

Steve Ross, either dismissed what Fisher said, or lives up to the reputation as the micro-managing meddling owner. 

Is this direct quote by Cole a direct shot at the Miami Dolphins' Steve Ross and Jeff Ireland?  It very well could be and it could help explain at how this exact situation unfolded into becoming a media frenzy filled with rumor and innuendo. 

In the coming days, the Miami Dolphins complete with the twosome of Jeff Ireland and Jeff Fisher will be dialing for dollars in getting in more coaches for interviews.

What's next?

The Miami Dolphins desperately need a coach and might be watching their coach on the sidelines of this weekend's four playoff games. 

Here is a synopsis of some possibilities:

Just today: Chris Kouffman @ckparrot a well respected draft guru at universaldraft.com mentioned Vic Fangio (DC Forty Niners), Chuck Pagano (DC Baltimore Ravens), and Milke Zimmer (DC Cincinnati Bengals) as possible head coaches for the Miami Dolphins.  He did not discount Dave Toub as a strong possibility.  (More on this later).

In addition, Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald mentioned quite possibly that an expanded coaching search of former Texas A&M coach Mike Sherman, current Carolina Panthers OC Rob Chadzinski, and New York Jets DC Mike Pettine would be in for interviews.

Lastly, as reported by the Miami Herald and confirmed by Chris Kouffman through a source with the Orlando Sentinel, the current special teams coach Dave Toub (pronounced Tobe) will be in for a second interview thus solidifying his chances of landing his first HC job in the NFL.

Many other current college coaches could receive overtures from Jeff Ireland in the next few days such as Chip Kelly of Oregon (denied interest, but he's in recruiting mode), Greg Schiano of Rutgers (has ties to the University of Miami), and any other surprise candidate that nobody knows about. 

If your head is spinning? It can't possibly be as bad as the Dolphins "spin" on the response and message that Steve Ross and Jeff Ireland failed to land Fisher.

In a parting shot, Steve Ross ended his statement today about not landing Fisher:

 “[Fisher] was the only candidate that had any head coach experience. I would’ve liked that in a way, but I don’t feel any worse off. . . . We’re very excited about these other coaches we’ve interviewed and we’ll continue to interview. I think all of them are outstanding.”

Sure, but Steve Ross will feel much worse than today and hideout in his office on 5th Avenue in New York if the Miami Dolphins do not bring in a winning season and give the fans more than zero blackouts to cheer about.

What makes these interviewed coaches outstanding and certainly better than Jeff Fisher?

I suppose as Dolfans, it's back to the grind on twitter and the web for a glimpse of who is going to be the next "Young" Don Shula. 

Thanks for reading!

@DolphinMick on Twitter

Time to take a break from the Jeff Fisher soap opera, and discuss potential options for this off season for the Dolphins.

Going into this off season there are several needs the Dolphins must address, the biggest one has remained the same for the past 13 years obviously being a franchise quarterback that the Dolphins have yet to find. The Dolphins could also use some help in the form of a right tackle and maybe a free safety and pass rusher. With that being said I think there is a small need that goes under the radar for the Dolphins this off-season. That need is adding some depth at the running back position.

Reggie Bush has quickly become my favourite player in this roster as he proved this year he can be a true running back in this league. That being said lets not forget he does have a history to be a fragile running back. Bush has player over 12 games in a season only 3 times out of his 6 year career. The Dolphins even experienced a late season scare with Bush as he was not able to finish the Dolphins last game of the season. While Bush has earned the feature role in the offense back up Daniel Thomas did not get his career off the way he anticipated.

 

The young second round draft pick struggled at the beginning of the season to stay healthy but then when he finally got in the line up rushed to a 107 yard and 95 yard game after those two games his season went down hill, rushing over 70 yards only once the rest of the season. Thomas also did not take advantage of his opportunity to start in week 17 rushing for only 28 yards on 12 carries.

While I don’t think the Dolphins can or should give up on Thomas so early I do implore them to potentially look from some depth in free agency. Lex Hilliard simply is not capable of taking the load should Bush get another injury. Steve Slaton who did a okay jump filling in when asked is set to be a UFA also creating a greater need.

Names I think the Dolphins should consider are, Maurice Morris formerly of the Detroit Lions, Cadillac Williams (STL) , Earnest Graham and Derrick Ward. None of these options are very attractive however there are inexpensive options that could provide the Dolphins with some extra depth should need the situation arise where it was needed. These options also are running backs with pass catching ability which could be helpful to the Dolphins offense.

 

Eric Clapton and his band mates from Cream once wrote a song called Crossroads, it’s a classic rock and roll song that will live on for years to come and it is also the current status of the Miami Dolphins.

Whether it's false reporting from fans, big time national media reporters or people straight up just not knowing the bottom line is as Thursday night ends both the Dolphins and Rams are still awaiting Jeff Fishers decision. While there are many factors that will play into Fishers decision the fact is that it will have a major impact on the Phins.

Friday the 13^th might have serious implications on the future direction of this franchise. The path led by the moustache man seems quite simple as Schefter reported Fisher is a big Ireland fan, so I would expect that they would work together in making personnel decisions.

Fisher has been a part of rebuilds and I assume wants no part of that in Miami and would make it a priority to first find his QB and second bring in pieces through the draft and free agency to help build a winner quickly in Miami. Fisher probably realizes that he would have more resources in Miami then he did with the Titans.

I expect things to move very quickly if Fisher does in fact come to Miami and it is already rumoured that he has a potential staff step up. Mini Shotty and Greg Williams are two names that have been linked to Fisher. It would seem that Fisher is committed and committed now which is refreshing for a Dolphins fan that is accustom to mediocrity.

Now the big question is what happens if Fisher decides to coach the Rams?

There is the wait and see on Joe Philbin approach which is enticing due to his success with the Packer offence and the potential of Matt Flynn being brought in but there are also questions of what type of staff he would form and his lack of head coaching experience.

Then there is the Mike Zimmer option, my personal plan B as I have previously blogged however there is also the worry that this team needs to be focused on the offensive side on the ball which is not Zimmer’s expertise.

We can’t forget the Chud coaching option everyone’s favourite Little Giant’s fan. Chud is probably the hottest coordinator in the league this year after the work he did with Sir Cam Newton.

Whatever will happen on Friday the 13^th or over this weekend or dare I should say a little long will have a great impact on the future of this organization so here’s to hoping were heading into the right

Dear Coach Fisher,

As you are mulling over your options, please considering the following should you decide on Miami:

1. Miami is a special place and has special fans. Miami fans travel in droves to West and East Coast

2. Should you decide on the 4-3. Choose your defense wisely. Terminate the players who have less than 10 tackles And zero sacks. Keep guys like Odrick, Soliai, Langford, and feel free to add additional pieces.  An injured Urlacher, unhealthy Briggs from Chicago would be healthy enough to dominate on the defense.

Please trade Koa Misi for a 7th rounder. Jeff Ireland can assist with getting value in the 7th round.  He can be like a puppy dog on draft day.  While you are out getting the "groceries" he can be on 32 phone calls at once getting value.

3. Do not run Reggie Bush on an Iso play or veer, ever! Let Reggie run wild out of other formations. Let him line up out wide in the slot.

4. Please keep Matt Moore because he is a leader and is good for any 8 games next season. Start whoever you want, draft whoever you want, and trade for whoever you want. I guarantee that after a 4-4 start, Matt Moore is your guy for the rest of the season.

5. Please upgrade the tight end position. Fasano has done well. We just need a fast explosive tight end see TE Chris Cooley in Washington or even Fred Davis.  When in doubt take both!

 6. If you draft a Wide Receiver, please find one to compliment Brandon Marshall. One that can drive Marshall to work so he doesn't take a cab and talk to on the phone at night if he just needs a friend.  One that can catch and hold on to the ball in traffic and is not afraid of the first down marker.

 7. If there isn't language in your contract about seeing your son play at Auburn on Saturdays, there really should be.

 8. When considering what to do with Jake Long, ask him to go to the right side and then trade for a Left Tackle or acquire one in free agency. Long can stay healthier moving to RT.

 9. The 8th or 9th pick should be converted into a first rounder and two second round picks. That's it. Don't get in the way of trying to draft a QB at 9/8 unless Andrew Luck suddenly slips and falls and requires surgery on his left arm. Then forget everything listed above and trade away picks and Jake Long, but only if you speak with Oliver Luck first.

 10. Remember the first year is about beating teams in the division. Win those games. Don't watch film on other opponents especially the ones in the NFC west. They all stink. Even the Rams a team you are considering. They'll lose more because Bradford is a modern day Trent Green.

 * Miami is not the place to live. Please live near the facility. We need to see your car parked there George Constanza style. We want you to work your tail off.

 ** When in doubt in game situations, field position doesn't win ball games. Go for every 4th and 2 all game long. Don't punt before a half if you are in striking distance. Don't celebrate a field goal, ever!  A golf clap will do. Use your mathematical intelligence from USC to calculate how many points you should win by.

If you meet all of these expectations, we will all, as Dolfans sport our own Mustache in celebration and welcome you with open arms.

Sincerely,

Dolfans everywhere

In the 2011 off season the Dolphins started a full fledge media circus in the process of trying to lure now 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh, now one season removed it would seem that the Dolphins are going for round 2.

While note entirely their fault the Dolphins have been forced to wait for the past week or so for Jeff Fisher to make his decision to coach either the Dolphins or Rams. Despite initial reports from Jay Glazer that it was all but inevitable that Jeff would be the Rams coach it appears for whatever reason (a potential move to LA, preference of organizational structure) Fisher has shifted his preference to Miami.

With that being said nothing is ever simple in Miami and today for a short amount of time the media circus caused from a Dolphins coaching search reappeared.

It is a bit unclear whether a rumour started from a fan or from media however there was a report that ESPN radio announced Fisher was in the midst of signing with Miami and there would be a press conference later in the day to make the announcement.

As time started to tick, the social media world slowly discovered that the rumour was completely false and while many insiders such as Michael Lombardi or SI’s Don Banks report that Fisher still is leaning towards the Dolphins there has been no official word on what Fisher decision will be and there was certainly never a press conference planned.

The power of social media was shown 10 fold this afternoon as the entire dolphins fan base was excited then disappointed and perhaps even more pissed off within hours. Some would argue that while we all love sitting on our computers anxiously waiting for twitter breaking news that twitter is often not the best form for releasing this type of news as this is the second time the dolphins fan base will be left disappointed. While I still believe Fisher will land in Miami it appears there is no avoiding the circus for this Dolphins organization.


After another day of waiting it appears Fisher will hopefully/ finally make up his mind this Friday.

Shefty reported today, Source said Jeff Fisher is making sure he has ideal situation. "This is not about money, not about negotiating. This is about winning."

Dolphins fans and Rams fans are running out of patience, so please for Tim Tebow’s sake please make your decision already.

Like it or not, Stephen Ross is the boss.  He payed a handsome fee for the Miami Dolphins in 2008 and he found a way to make the team seem more like they played in Hollywood with orange carpets and celebrity minority owners, but without the "Showtime" feel on the field.

Of course, he's been saddled with current GM Jeff Ireland and heavy media coverage hovering over his headquarters in Davie, Florida like the chopper he owns to avoid traffic. 

As Dolfans, we feel slighted, we feel like the sky is falling constantly with a "woe is me" attitude, and we feel the stigma of what it means to be a Dolfan rooting for a team that has had 3 coaches fail to get the Dolphins over the hump that is the AFC East. (Sparano's first season had a 4-2 record versus the AFC East, but the only season where the playoffs was achievable.)

In 2005, Nick Saban in his press conference talked about being relentless and he put the AFC East on notice.  Seasons of 8-8 and 6-10 did the Dolphins no favors and before he had a chance to improve the team in his image, he left.

As Dolfans we were scratching our collective heads as to why the Alabama job was better than an NFL job.  We soon found out when Saban bolted for nearest exit and took his fridge full of Little Debbie Cakes with him. 

In 2007, Randy Mueller and Cam Cameron, the equivalent of Jeff Bridges and Jim Carey in the Dumb and Dumber film took the stage by resting their hopes on a quarterback on journey man quarterback Trent Green that would carry the team to new heights only to see a record number of teammates on IR.  Cameron and Mueller were gone at season end.  Not even a sole win and gaining the #1 pick could save them.

In 2008, the Miami Dolphins hired Bill Parcells to right the ship, to bring back respectability, to get big and strong guys that wanted to play in Miami and that strived to be Bill's guys.  Not even Bill Parcells could hire a football coach that had head coaching experience. He brought in Tony Sparano.  Sparano did not finish with a bang and the dynamic offense that was promised was status quo from previous years after a slow 0-7 start in 2011.

It is now 2012 and the season had some real ups and downs and as fans we all had qualms about whether or not the Dolphins should tank the season for a number one pick in the draft or win games for their embattled coach Tony Sparano.  I can admit I found myself quitting on the team in the 4th quarter and then cheering like heck when the Dolphins played well together to win 6 games.   

As Dolfans we have to realize that the task of getting the right coach is the responsibility of our principal owner in Stephen Ross.  Mr. Ross has that task of finding the best coach for this team.  He has the task of winning over the fans, but he wants people to enjoy the product on the field.  He wants to sell tickets.  The Miami Dolphins are Stephen Ross' team.  Not any coach that will be in Miami.  Purely Stephen Ross' team.

We cannot come to grips why the Miami Dolphins franchise is not one of those pearls in the ocean of NFL teams.  Why the Miami Dolphins are no longer "dolphin safe" and do not come with a guarantee because they are poached constantly by all other football teams in the division. Playing versus Belicheck and Brady is not a comforting feeling for any coach and the uprising of the Jets and quite possibly the Bills has left the Dolphins looking up instead of down to the competition. 

Whether we like it or not, Mr. Ross is the boss.  He is the owner.  It is his money.  Can we choose to not buy into his product? 

Sure we can.  As can we get rid of the Sunday Ticket if we live outside of Florida or we can stop buying Miami Dolphins jerseys and hats.

At this point, we are Dolfans, we must stand strong and even though we might not support what the owner does, believe that he is giving it his best shot so we don't have to be eliminated from the playoffs every October.

It would appear that the Dolphins are going to lose the battle for Jeff Fisher. Jay Glazer reports that he would be shocked if Fisher isn’t the next coach of the Rams in the next 48 hours.

Jay Glazer is also reporting that the Dolphins, sensing Fisher will pick the Rams, are now starting to move on to other candidates.  Glazer claims the candidates include Falcons offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey (pictured), Bengal’s defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer, and Packers offensive coordinator Joe Philbin.

First off, I would be very disappointed if the Dolphins chose Mularkey who led a very average Falcons offense this year and was absolute crap when he was here in Miami.

If I was Jeff Ireland (G-d forbid) my plan B if Fisher doesn’t work out would be Mike Zimmer. Zimmer is a player’s coach who seems to garner a great amount of respect from his player. He has built a pretty strong defense in Cincinnati in recent years. People might criticize Zimmer’s defense in recent weeks however he has been without the Bengal’s best corner Jonathan Hall who they lost for the season.

Zimmer is a team first guy, similar to Sparano, who hopefully has better game management skills then Tony.

Zimmer was the defensive coordinator in Dallas in 03 where the Cowboys gave up the fewest yards in the NFL while running an aggressive speedy 4-3 defense. Zimmer also had has experience running a 3-4 which he did when he was forced to switch his defense when Parcells arrived in Dallas. Zimmer coached for the Cowboys from 94-06 and worked with Jeff Ireland the last four years

In 2009, Zimmer earned NFL Assistant Coach of the Year honors from Pro Football Weekly/Pro Football Writers and from CBSSports.com. He also won the assistant of the year award from FOX broadcaster and Hall of Fame quarterback Terry Bradshaw.

The only issue I have with Zimmer is that the Dolphins need an offensive mind that can help develop a young Quarterback. I don’t have much trust in Ireland finding the right offensive mind to compliment Zimmer however I do think Zimmer would be a decent plan b.

As the Miami Dolphins coaching carousel turns, next on the docket is Mike Mularkey, Offensive Coordinator of the Atlanta Falcons.

This candidate comes as no surprise as he has been instrumental in developing Matt Ryan in Atlanta and formulating excellent game plans that have thrived under Mike Smith's defensive philosophy.

Previously fired by Bill Parcells in 2008, it is interesting to see that a portion of the Parcells regime, in Ireland would go after Mularkey. 

Mularkey has a wealth of coaching experience including a stint in Buffalo as a head coach, TE coach/Offensive Coordinator in 2006 and 2007 that was not permitted to call plays for Cam Cameron in Miami, and lastly his last four years calling plays and making Atlanta a winner.  (I might add that the 2007 Dolphins scored 267 points and in 2006 they scored 260 ...thanks Steve Stone, with Mularkey as OC/TE coach.)

That is hardly an approvement.  However, Mularkey has experience.  Mularkey has an extreme amount of confidence in game-planning and quarterback development.

Mularkey is your perfect candidate as a re-tread and one of two candidates that have been a head coach when you add Jeff Fisher to the mix.

Jeff Fisher who?  Jeff Fisher according to ESPN101.com is on the "verge of accepting" the Rams offer. 

An offer that Stephen Ross cannot beat and opportunity to mold a franchise QB in his image and show the NFC West that the Rams are tough!

However, stay tuned here to PhinsPhocus and follow me on Twitter @DolphinMick or @PhinsPhocus for the latest analysis of this coaching search!