Read the full transcript from HC Jeff Hafley's media availability on May 19, 2026.
So how do you want the team to approach this phase of the offseason?
Jeff Hafley: We've been through Phase 1 which was learning. So Phase 1 in this whole process is really classroom – classroom and strength and conditioning. Phase 2 is classroom, strength and conditioning and then individual drills. And now you take Phase 3, which is what they call it, which is OTAs and now you're kind of building off of that. Can you take coaching? Can you take what you've learned in the classroom, what you've taken learning your fundamentals and techniques and now not change who you are and start making stuff up and putting that all together. So it's kind of like part to whole, can they do that? I think that's really important as we look and continue to evaluate everybody – who can do that, how can we get them better. Even if you look at yesterday, I thought yesterday was an awesome start, but some guys reverted to fundamentals and techniques that we're not teaching or they just kind of went out there and had to get the dust off a little bit. So I think those are the things that are really important. It's the attitude and effort, the things that they can control. How fast are they practicing? Because look, I mean, this isn't as physical as practices as we want to be; this is OTAs. We have to practice within the rules, but are they running to the ball or are they straining physically when they can, and are they straining mentally when they can? I think that's really important. So learning how to do it our way, coming closer as a team and hopefully we'll continue to do that. But obviously playing within the rules of the OTAs is limited in some aspects, but there's a lot of areas for us to work.
A question and a follow up about De'Von Achane. Are we going to see him out at practice today?
Jeff Hafley: Yeah, he'll be out at practice.
And getting him to agree to terms, do you think that sends a message to Aaron Brewer and Jordyn Brooks about their potential extensions?
Jeff Hafley: I'm not sure. I think that's a better question for them than it is for me and I don't want to speculate on that. I think it sends a good message when you have a player who is here on his first contract and has produced and had success, to reward that player with a second contract, and I know that's important to Sully (Jon-Eric Sullivan) and I.
Describe your first interactions with De'Von Achane and why is he a great player to build around?
Jeff Hafley: My first interactions were when I first got here, just talked to him about what I saw of him when we played against him and just really like any other player, just got to know him. Got to know him as a person, asked about his family. Just kind of like any other guy right now, just really trying to get to know him. So that's the biggest thing, but he's been around. It's not like he just showed up after he signed his contract, so excited that it's done and he'll be here going forward. He's a great player that I'm really glad that we have.
Was it a relief to get that settled or how would you characterize the feeling about getting the business side of it done with him?
Jeff Hafley: I just think excited, happy for him. I think that's probably the biggest thing, and that wasn't about me. I had confidence that it would get done and I was patient with it. Happy for him, happy for his family and happy for the Dolphins.
What's your coaching style as a head coach? Do you like to bounce around, sit back, kind of overview everything or get in there with everybody?
Jeff Hafley: I think it's different right now, probably different in the offseason. Like I've said to you before, I was just in the offensive meeting going over the offensive install, sitting in there. So I know exactly what's going on on the offense so I can be dialed in to everything and not just the defense. I think that's probably different than you'll see me in the season. I'll be more in the defensive room running those meetings. Out on the field right now, if you see me during individual, I'll be bouncing probably every few minutes from group to group to group to group, so I'm seeing what everybody is doing and not just being on the defensive side of the ball. And then during practice, I've kind of been floating around the offense and the defense. I'm really observing right now. I'm watching the coaches. I'm watching the players. I want everything run a certain way and I'm kind of taking notes and then having staff meetings and then having team meetings like I did this morning. I think now is a really good time to get things exactly how we want it, both from a coaches' standpoint to a players' standpoint, from how we practice. So probably bouncing more around right now than you'll see me come training camp and the season, I think as somebody who's going to call the defense then I'll have to shift my attention fully to that. So bouncing around today is probably how you'll see me.
With Mallik Willis, he's kind of taking on this new role as a starting quarterback and all the leadership responsibilities that come along with that. Curious how have you seen him adapt to that change?
Jeff Hafley: I think he's done a really nice job. It's early. We've had one practice. We've been in meeting rooms, we've been in walkthroughs and we've been doing individual. My main focus for him right now is to learn, learn the scheme, get to know the players and not overdo the whole leadership thing. I think that's my job and our job right now so he can focus on becoming the best quarterback and the best player and the best teammate he can be. Don't worry about the other stuff right now, and that's been my message to him so he doesn't have to worry about all that. I think that's really important as we get started.
There's like an uproar online of just the brutal schedule that came out for you guys. Second-hardest schedule in the NFL. What were your thoughts when you saw it come out? But in general, how do you start to set out the outside noise of what the expectations are for you, for this team, and what the outside expectations are in general for the Dolphins?
Jeff Hafley: I don't look at the outside expectations. I'm just worried about OTAs right now and trying to get this team where we want it to be before we break and then getting ready for training camp. As far as the schedule goes, as soon as I took the job, I knew who we were going to have to play. So when we play them, where we play them and what order it's in; I didn't really get too concerned or caught up with it. They handed me the schedule. I looked at it and figured out where we were going Week 1, Week 2 and Week 3 maybe. And after that I looked at the bye week to see when we were playing there. We got to play who we have to play, and I'm really not concerned of when they are. We'll be excited to play wherever we have to play, whoever we have to play, and we'll do the best we can to be ready for those games. But it didn't really change how I thought about it at all.
Did the team express a preference in schedule building to have a back-to-back West Coast opportunity?
Jeff Hafley: We did. We expressed interest in that.
What do you like about it?
Jeff Hafley: We've talked about staying out there if we can find a facility that suits us and allows us to do everything that we want to do, so we can just kind of head out there one time. It'd be a good time to bond with the team and then make our way back rather than take two trips, come back late. Another trip, come back late. But at the same time, we want to make sure that we find somewhere where we can stay, where we can train, where we can meet, where we can practice that's going to be up to the standard that we need for the players, and if we can't, then we'll come back.
Are you guys going to do any joint practices during preseason?
Jeff Hafley: Yeah, we're going to have a joint practice Week 1. We'll go to Washington, so we'll practice against them. And then after that we'll have New York (Giants) come here and we'll have a joint practice there, but that will be it. We won't do three. We'll do two.
We got Austin Clark last week and he talked about the three second-year defensive tackles coming back this year and looking better. I just wanted to get your perception on how they took their first full NFL offseason to make their bodies and their craft just better.
Jeff Hafley: Yeah, I just think it's the experience. I think your rookie year is really hard. You go from your season, then you go to potentially the Combine to Pro Days to 30 visits, right to rookie minicamp, to OTAs and you barely get to catch your breath. So now they understand what it takes to make it through a whole NFL season. They had an offseason to kind of rest and recover, and those guys did a really good job. They worked hard. A lot of them were here before we even started. A lot of them were here before we even started – they were here when I got here, so they seemed to never leave. They did a really good job in the weight room. They have been doing a good job in the weight room with Todd (Hunt). I think Austin has done a really good job coaching those guys, and we'll expect them to take a step, just like we will with everybody.
Austin Clark when we talked last week, he teased some kind of body transformation for Kenneth Grant. What are the results of how much work he's been putting in this offseason and how has he shown up?
Jeff Hafley: I really wasn't here to see him physically in person a whole lot last year. I watched the tape. I think his body looks great, but before I make any statements there, I've got to see him play the game. I'm very pleased with how hard he's working and his individual work, but again, it's very, very limited practice reps and in OTAs there's no pads on. We're not really playing football on the inside. It's all working together and making sure we take care of one another.
Building off of that, how do you gauge offensive line play during OTAs and the pre-pad practices?
Jeff Hafley: Your fundamental work, I think that's really important, then the mental aspect of it. Are they doing the right things? Are their combos going up to the right people? Are they handling pressures? Are they picking up on things mentally and then watching their feet, watching their hand placement because again, it's a different type of football in OTAs than it will be once we start training camp.
What have you learned about Jordyn Brooks since being here?
Jeff Hafley: Great leader, loves football, works really, really hard. He's made the right way. I've really enjoyed him. You see the film, you see the type of player that he is; but once you get to know him you kind of understand why. I think his work ethic is elite and he loves football. He absolutely loves the game and he wants to meet. He wants to go over stuff. He wants to learn. He's a fun guy to coach.
This team might not have I guess traditional wide receiver one in the Tyreek Hill/Justin Jefferson since this season. Do you have to have that or can you have a good season with three number twos and a number three. What are your thoughts on that?
Jeff Hafley: I think it's too early to make that statement. We haven't practiced very much. We haven't practiced against anybody. We haven't played a game. So let's let our coaches develop these guys and give these guys a chance to see if we do have a number one.
Will Aaron Brewer be out there?
Jeff Hafley: Yeah.
Just know with the contract I wanted to make sure.
Jeff Hafley: Yeah, Brewer will be out there. You caught me off guard on that one. I was like, is there something I don't know?
Is there anyone we might not see that we would later want to ask a question about?
Jeff Hafley: That's a – you've got to give him credit. He worded that one very well. (laughter) No, I think – I can't read your mind, but I'm pretty sure everyone you think you'll see will be out there.
Back to Kenneth Grant, is part of your vision for him maybe snaps at defensive end in that four down linemen look?
Jeff Hafley: Right now we'll start him off on the inside and see how we develop, who else develops on the edge. In certain packages, maybe. If we get into five down, he could be a guy that bumps out there. If we want to play certain fronts and get in a different spacing, yeah, I could see him potentially moving around. Him and (Zeek) Biggers and some of those other guys, they give us some flexibility that's really nice to have. So yeah, we'll see. You won't see that today though. Don't get your hopes up.
