Brendan Farrell joined the Miami Dolphins as assistant special teams coach in 2019.

Brendan Farrell joined the Miami Dolphins as assistant special teams coach in 2019.

The Dolphins signed a new punter in 2021 and Farrell helped Michael Palardy have one of the most successful seasons of his career. Palardy had a career-high 31 punts inside the 20, which ranked third in the NFL. In the final nine games, Palardy placed 20 punts inside the 20, eight inside the 10 and four inside the five, winning AFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors in Week 13 vs. the N.Y. Giants. The Dolphins also blocked a punt in Week 12 vs. Carolina, as linebacker Duke Riley took the ball off the punter's foot and cornerback Justin Coleman returned it two yards for a touchdown.

In 2020, Farrell helped the Dolphins win 10 games for the first time since 2016. Kicker Jason Sanders set a franchise record by converting 92.3 pct. of his field goals. His 144 total points tied a team record and his 36 field goals were second-most in Dolphins history. Sanders earned first-team All-Pro honors for the first time in his career and won two AFC Special Teams Player of the Month and two AFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors. Punt returner Jakeem Grant was second in the NFL with 330 punt return yards. NFL writer Rick Gosselin ranked the Dolphins seventh in his annual special teams rankings.

In Farrell's first season with the Dolphins in 2019, Miami's special teams had several standout plays. Sanders earned AFC Special Teams Player of the Month for December after he kicked 13 successful field goals in the final month of the season. He was also named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week twice, including after the Dec. 1, 2019 game vs. Philadelphia when Sanders caught a 1-yard touchdown pass from punter Matt Haack on a fake field goal. The play was named the NFL Bridgestone Clutch Performance Play of the Year at NFL Honors. Miami's return units also had success as Grant returned a kickoff 101 yards for a touchdown on Nov. 17, 2019 vs. Buffalo. It was Grant's third career special teams return touchdown, which was a new team record.

Prior to Miami, Farrell spent six seasons (2013-18) as a special teams analyst at the University of Alabama. The Crimson Tide won two national championships, played in four national title games, made five appearances in the College Football Playoff and won four SEC crowns during his tenure. Alabama was 78-8 (.907) overall and went 44-4 (.917) in the SEC during the six seasons he was on staff.

Farrell helped the Crimson Tide special teams become one of the top units in the nation. They led the SEC in total special teams metrics in 2013 and 2018, led the nation with six special teams touchdowns in 2015 and were first in FBS in net punting average in 2013 (42.4) and 2014 (44.7). In 2017, punter J.K. Scott was a finalist for the Ray Guy Award, given annually to the nation's top punter, and earned first-team All-SEC honors. Scott was a first-team All-American and also earned first-team All-SEC honors as a freshman in 2014. He went on to become a fifth-round pick (172nd overall) by Green Bay in the 2018 NFL Draft. In 2013, punter Cody Mandell earned first-team All-SEC honors and wide receiver Christion Jones was named SEC Special Teams Player of the Year.

Prior to Alabama, Farrell spent four years (2009-12) at Northwestern State, where he was assistant head coach, special teams coordinator and coached tight ends. In 2012, his punt return unit was third in FCS with an 18.2 average. In 2011, Farrell's special teams units led the Southland Conference in kickoff returns (25.1 avg.) and field goal percentage (100.0 pct.) and ranked second in kickoff coverage (19.9 avg.).

Farrell was on LSU's coaching staff for three seasons (2006-08), where he helped the Tigers win the 2007 BCS National Championship and SEC Championship. As a quality control coach, Farrell worked closely with tight ends and special teams. He helped mentor kicker Colt David and punter Patrick Fisher, who both earned first-team All-SEC honors in 2007.

Farrell was a graduate assistant at Middle Tennessee State from 2004-05 and began his coaching career as special teams coordinator and running backs coach at Wayne State from 2002-03.

Farrell played linebacker and safety for four seasons (1996-99) at Notre Dame, where he double majored in English and history. He earned his master's degree in sports administration at Wayne State.

Farrell and his wife, Kasia, have three sons, TJ, Gabriel and Patrick.