Ladell Betts joined the Miami Dolphins as running backs coach in 2026.

Ladell Betts joined the Miami Dolphins as running backs coach in 2026.

The 2026 season marks Betts's 11th in the NFL – his second as a coach after nine as a player. He also has four years of experience as a collegiate coach and eight years at the high school level.

Prior to joining Miami, Betts spent the 2025 season as the running backs coach for the New York Giants. Under his guidance, the Giants finished fifth in the NFL in rushing yards per game (129.1). Betts helped develop rookie running back Cam Skattebo, who tallied 101 carries for 410 yards (4.1 avg.) and five touchdowns before suffering a season-ending injury in Week 8.

Betts spent the previous four seasons (2021-24) at Iowa as running backs coach.

In 2024, Betts mentored consensus All-American Kaleb Johnson, who broke single-season school records in scoring (138), overall touchdowns (23) and rushing touchdowns (21). Johnson tallied 1,537 rushing yards on the season, the third-most in program history, was a Doak Walker Award finalist and named the Big Ten Ameche-Dayne Running Back of the Year.

In 2023, the Hawkeyes won 10 games, including their final four, to capture the Big Ten West Division title for the second time in three years, advancing to the Citrus Bowl and finishing the season ranked No. 24. Betts mentored Leshon Williams, who led the team with 821 rushing yards, becoming the 52nd player in program history to surpass 1,000 career yards.

In 2022, Iowa won eight games, including five of its final six, and capped the season with a 21-0 victory over Kentucky in the Music City Bowl. True freshman Kaleb Johnson led the Hawkeyes' ground game, earning Freshman All-American honors after rushing for 779 yards, an Iowa freshman-record, and six touchdowns.

In his first season at Iowa, Betts coached junior Tyler Goodson, who led the Hawkeyes' rushing attack with 1,151 yards and six touchdowns, earning him third-team Big Ten honors. The Hawkeyes finished the year ranked 23rd after posting a 10-win season, including clinching the Big Ten West Division and an appearance in the Citrus Bowl.

Prior to his stint at Iowa, Betts spent five years at Pine Crest High School in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He served as the head coach for two seasons (2019-20) after serving as the offensive coordinator for three seasons (2016-18).

Betts previously was the offensive coordinator at Boca Raton High School from 2014-15. He began his high school coaching career as the running backs coach at Coral Springs Christian Academy in 2013.

Betts played nine NFL seasons as a running back for the Washington Commanders (2002-09) and New Orleans Saints (2010). He appeared in 111 games with 14 starts, totaling 821 carries for 3,326 rushing yards (4.1 avg.) and 15 touchdowns, while adding 188 receptions for 1,646 receiving yards (8.8 avg.) and three touchdowns. He totaled 87 kickoff returns for 2,085 yards (24.0 avg.) and one touchdown. He was a second-round pick (56th overall) by Washington in the 2002 NFL Draft.

Betts was a four-year letterman at Iowa, where he was the only running back in program history to lead the team in rushing four straight years. He ranks second in career rushing yards (3,686), fourth in all-purpose yards (4,397) and 19th in career scoring (162). As a senior in 2001, he was voted team captain and co-Team MVP. He earned second-team All-Big Ten honors twice (2000, 2001) and was named co-Team MVP in 1999.

A Blue Spring, Missouri native, Betts earned his bachelor's degree from Iowa in 2001. Betts and his wife, Shatarah, have five daughters, Tamryn, Saire, Soleil, Saavi, and Suraj, and one son, Torino.