Dolphins Hire AFC Foe’s Former Assistant as Special Teams Coordinator: Report

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NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported on January 28 that the Miami Dolphins hired Craig Aukerman as their special teams coordinator.

The Miami Dolphins have found a replacement for ex-special teams coordinator Danny Crossman — Craig Aukerman.

NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported on January 28 that the Dolphins are hiring Aukerman as the team’s new special teams coordinator.

Aukerman last coached in 2023 for the Tennessee Titans. During that season, he served as assistant head coach and special teams coach.

He ran the Titans special teams during the six seasons Mike Vrabel was the team’s head coach. Aukerman was also on the Titans coaching staff in 2017.

Aukerman began his NFL coaching career in 2010. He’s coached NFL special teams units in some capacity for 13 seasons.

He will replace Crossman, who the Dolphins fired on January 10 after three seasons.

Dolphins Hire Craig Aukerman as Special Teams Coordinator

Prior to 2010, Aukerman coached a few different position groups at the college level. In his last college position, he coached linebackers at Kent State in 2009.

During his first NFL season, Aukerman served as a defensive assistant with the Denver Broncos. But since then, he’s primarily focused on special teams in the NFL.

Aukerman joined the Jacksonville Jaguars coaching staff in 2011. He served as the organization’s assistant special teams coach. In 2014, he left to become defensive quality control coach and the assistant special teams coach for the then San Diego Chargers.

He became the team’s primary special teams coach in 2016.

Aukerman coached under Mike Malarkey twice. The first time was when Malarkey was the Jaguars head coach in 2012. He joined the Titans coaching staff under Malarkey in 2017.

The Titans parted with Malarkey after the 2017 campaign. But Aukerman received a promotion from assistant special teams coach to special teams coach in Vrabel’s first season.

From 2017-21, Aukerman was part of a Titans organization that posted a winning record every season.

Dolphins Parted Ways With Danny Crossman

After missing the playoffs for the first time under head coach Mike McDaniel, the Dolphins made some changes to their coaching staff this offseason. The most notably change was at special teams coordinator.

The Dolphins fired Crossman, who had been on McDaniel’s staff since he arrived in Miami during 2022.

During Crossman’s three seasons, the Dolphins had below average special teams units.

“Crossman was one of the longest-tenured coaches on Miami’s staff and remained in his role when McDaniel was hired in 2022,” wrote ESPN’s Marcel Louis-Jacques. “Since then, however, the Dolphins’ special teams unit ranks 21st in yards per punt return, 22nd in yards per kick return and 32nd in opponents’ yards per kick return.

“Miami also committed 21 penalties on special teams this season, tied for fourth-most in the NFL.”

Additionally, the Dolphins had one of the worst kick return coverage units during 2024.

Miami also parted ways with wide receivers coach and passing game coordinator Wes Welker this offseason. The Dolphins dropped from first in passing during 2023 to 15th this past season.

Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa missing six games played a major role in that statistical decline.

Although the Dolphins earned postseason berths in 2022 and 2023, Crossman became the third coordinator McDaniel has fired in his three years as Dolphins head coach. Miami fired defensive coordinator Josh Boyer after the 2022 season while they parted ways with defensive coordinator Vic Fangio after just one season last year.