Matt Applebaum joined the Miami Dolphins as assistant offensive line coach in 2026. The 2026 season marks Applebaum's sixth as an NFL coach. He has more than a decade of coaching experience, primarily at the offensive line position.
Prior to returning to the Dolphins, Applebaum spent three seasons (2023-25) as the offensive line coach at Boston College, his second stint with the team.
In 2025, Applebaum led an offensive line unit that helped the Eagles amass 400-plus yards of total offense four times and six games of 100-plus rushing yards. He coached offensive lineman Logan Taylor, who earned second-team All-ACC honors after starting all 12 games – eight at right guard, three at left tackle and one at right tackle. Under his guidance, offensive linemen Jude Bowry and Taylor both earned an invitation to the 2026 Senior Bowl.
In 2024, Applebaum helped four of the five starting offensive linemen earn All-ACC honors. The Eagles had two first-team selections in center Drew Kendall and tackle Ozzy Trapilo, while guard Jack Conley and Taylor claimed honorable mention. Three players from Applebaum's unit went on to the NFL in 2025. Trapilo was a second-round draft pick (56th overall) by the Chicago Bears, Kendall was a fifth-round selection (158th overall) by the Philadelphia Eagles and Conley signed with the New England Patriots as an undrafted free agent.
In 2023, the Eagles offensive line paved the way for the second-best rushing attack in the ACC (198.8 yards per game) and allowed only 1.46 sacks per game. Four of the five starting offensive linemen earned All-ACC honors, including guard Christian Mahogany (first-team), Trapilo (second-team), guard Kyle Hergel (honorable mention) and Taylor (honorable mention). Mahogany was selected by the Detroit Lions in the sixth round (210th overall) of the 2024 NFL Draft, while Hergel signed with the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent.
Before his second stint at Boston College, Applebaum spent the 2022 season with the Dolphins as offensive line coach.
In 2022, Miami earned a playoff berth for the first time since 2016. Applebaum helped the Dolphins finish with a top 10 offense (sixth, 364.5 yards per game), something Miami had not done since 1995. The Dolphins were second in yards per play (6.1) and second in net yards per pass attempt (7.7). Miami's 35 sacks allowed were tied for the ninth fewest in the league. Tackle Terron Armstead, who was added as an unrestricted free agent in the offseason, was named a starter for the AFC Pro Bowl team in his first season with Miami.
Applebaum spent two seasons (2020-21) coaching the offensive line at Boston College, where he had nine All-ACC selections and three All-Americans. The Eagles won six games in each of his two seasons there.
In 2021, three of Applebaum's starting offensive linemen earned All-American honors and all five received All-ACC recognition. Guard Zion Johnson was a first-team AP All-American and a first-round pick (17th overall) by the L.A. Chargers in the 2022 NFL Draft. Center Alec Lindstrom was a second-team AP All-American, a finalist for the Rimington Trophy, awarded annually to the nation's best center, and signed with the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent, while Mahogany was named second-team PFF All-American. Johnson and Lindstrom both earned first-team All-ACC honors, Mahogany was named second-team All-ACC, tackle Ben Petrula earned third-team All-ACC honors and tackle Tyler Vrabel earned honorable mention All-ACC recognition. Boston College ranked third in the ACC, allowing just 24.0 sacks during the season.
Boston College posted a winning record (6-5) in 2020, its first season under a new coaching staff led by current Dolphins Head Coach Jeff Hafley. Applebaum helped develop four players that earned All-ACC recognition. Lindstrom was named first-team All-ACC. Petrula earned second-team All-ACC recognition at guard, a position he moved to in the offseason. Johnson was third-team All-ACC and Vrabel earned honorable mention All-ACC honors. The offensive line helped the Eagles rank third in the ACC in passing offense (284.2).
Applebaum spent the 2018-19 seasons at Towson as offensive line coach. In both seasons, Aaron Grzymkowski earned All-CAA honors – second-team in 2019 and third-team in 2018.
The 2018 Tigers finished 7-5 and earned an FCS playoff bid. Offensive lineman Matt Kauffman earned FCS All-America honors and was named first-team All-CAA. Applebaum's unit helped protect quarterback Tom Flacco, who was named CAA Offensive Player of the Year. The Tigers had the top scoring offense (34.5) and total offense (465.0) in the CAA that season.
Applebaum spent the 2016-17 seasons at Davidson, where he coached the offensive line. He was promoted to offensive coordinator/offensive line in 2017. He also coached offensive line for Bucknell (2013) and Southeastern Louisiana (2015).
Applebaum was an offensive assistant for the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2014 and spent three seasons (2008-10) with the Washington Commanders in a variety of roles.
He joined Washington in 2008 as a pro personnel assistant before being promoted to college personnel assistant in 2009 and moving into coaching as an offensive assistant in 2010.
From 2011-12, Applebaum served as a graduate assistant at the University of Miami.
Applebaum's first coaching job came in 2008 at Central Connecticut State, where he served as tight ends coach and video coordinator.
A Yardley, Pennsylvania native, Applebaum was a two-year starter on the offensive line at Connecticut, where he graduated with a bachelor's degree in political science. He and his wife, Bethany, have a son, Colton.
