Ron Middleton joined the Miami Dolphins as tight ends coach in 2026. The 2026 season marks Middleton's 26th in the NFL – his 16th as a coach after 10 seasons as a player.

Ron Middleton joined the Miami Dolphins as tight ends coach in 2026. The 2026 season marks Middleton's 26th in the NFL – his 16th as a coach after 10 seasons as a player.

Prior to joining Miami, Middleton spent four seasons (2021-24) with the New York Jets, where he served as tight ends coach. Under his tutelage, Tyler Conklin topped 50 receptions and 400 receiving yards in four consecutive seasons.

In 2024, Conklin set a new single-game career high in receiving yards, tallying five receptions for 93 yards (18.6 avg.) against divisional rival New England. The game marked Conklin's 15th game of 50-plus receiving yards since 2022.

In 2023, Middleton helped Conklin set a new career high in receiving yards (621) and tied his career highs in receptions (61) and yards per catch (10.2), finishing in the top 15 among all tight ends in receiving yards and receptions. Middleton continued to develop 2022 third-round selection tight end Jeremy Ruckert, who ranked in the top 10 among all second-year tight ends in receptions, receiving yards and yards after catch.

In 2022, Middleton helped Conklin finish in the top 10 among tight ends in the league in receptions, receiving yards, yards after catch and receiving touchdowns (minimum 85 targets). Conklin produced first downs on 16 of his 33 third-down targets, tied for the third most in the NFL (among tight ends with a minimum 130 third-down routes).

In his first season with the Jets in 2021, Middleton's unit saw five different players record at least one reception of 16-plus yards, tied for the most by any team in the league that season and the most on a Jets team since 2007. Veteran tight end Ryan Griffin led the unit in receptions, receiving yards, touchdowns and explosive plays. He caught at least one pass in each of his 14 games, marking the eighth longest streak by a Jets tight end since 2000.

During the 2021 season, Middleton served as interim head coach in the Week 16 matchup against the Jaguars and led the Jets to a 26-21 victory, as the team tied the franchise single-game record with five fourth-down attempts.

Following the 2021 season, Middleton was selected as the head coach of the National Team in the 2022 Senior Bowl and led his team to a 20-10 victory.

Prior to joining the Jets, Middleton spent eight seasons (2013-20) with the Jacksonville Jaguars as tight ends coach, also serving as special teams assistant in his first three seasons (2013-15). Between 2013-17, a Jaguars tight end produced four touchdowns in a season four different times (Julius Thomas, 2015-16; Marcedes Lewis, 2013, 2017). In 2017, Middleton's unit was critical in helping the team lead the league in rushing yards per game (141.4) despite only having three tight ends on the active roster.

Prior to his time in Jacksonville, Middleton spent five seasons (2008-12) at Duke, serving as associate head coach/special teams coordinator/tight ends coach. Under his guidance, kicker Ross Martin and punter Will Monday received first-team Freshman All-America honors in 2012, tight end Cooper Helfet earned honorable mention All-ACC honors twice (2010, 2011), and kicker Will Snyderwine was named first-team All-America in 2010 after making 21 field goals, a school single-season record.

Middleton spent the 2007 season at Alabama as tight ends/special teams coordinator. Under Middleton's guidance, kicker Leigh Tiffin totaled 111 points and made 25 field goals, a school single-season record, while Javier Arenas ranked among the SEC's top 10 in both kickoff and punt return average.

From 2004-06, Middleton was the tight ends/assistant special teams coach with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In each of his seasons as tight ends coach, a Bucs tight end produced at least 35 receptions and multiple touchdowns.

Middleton also spent time with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after being selected for the Bill Walsh Minority Fellowship during training camp in 2003.

Middleton spent five seasons (1999-2003) at Ole Miss, where he served first as tight ends coach (1999-2001) then as running backs/special teams coordinator (2002-03). During Middleton's tenure, the Rebels participated in four bowl games and kicker Jonathan Nichols set 15 school records, earned All-SEC honors and earned the Lou Groza Award as the nation's top placekicker in 2003.

Middleton began his coaching career at Troy University, where he spent two seasons (1997-98) as tight ends/tackles coach.

Middleton played 10 seasons as a tight end for Atlanta (1986-87), Washington (1988, 1990-93), Cleveland (1989), Los Angeles Rams (1994) and San Diego Chargers (1995). He appeared in 118 games with 66 starts, totaling 42 receptions for 266 yards (6.3 avg.) and three touchdowns. He entered the league as an undrafted free agent with Atlanta in 1986.

Middleton was a four-year letterman at Auburn (1982-85), where he won three of four bowl games and earned co-offensive MVP recognition as a junior and senior. He graduated with a degree in pre-law/history in 1988 and later earned his master's in sports and fitness management from Troy in 1998. He and his wife, Kalita, have five children, Desman, Ron II, Zaria, Mariah and Allen.