The Miami Dolphins may choose to bring in a different seasoned defensive coordinator in place of one of the NFL’s most well-liked experienced coordinators.
Leslie Frazier, a former head coach of the Minnesota Vikings who has over 20 years of experience leading NFL defenses, is reportedly scheduled to speak with the Dolphins for the defensive coordinator position left vacant by Vic Fangio’s departure to join the Philadelphia Eagles.
Before taking a year off from coaching in 2022, Frazier was the defensive coordinator for the Buffalo Bills. He had wanted to be given another chance to become a head coach during this hiring cycle, but that hasn’t happened.
Frazier was interviewed for two head coach jobs
He was interviewed for positions by the Los Angeles Chargers and the Las Vegas Raiders, but neither team decided to hire him. When Miami chose Mike McDaniel to succeed Brian Flores in 2022, Frazier was a contender for head coach of the Dolphins. He made a good impression on Miami owner Steve Ross and the team’s officials.
After going 3-3 in his first season as the Vikings’ interim coach in 2010, Frazier was hired permanently that offseason. Between 2011 and 2013, he was the permanent coach in Minnesota, where he went 18-29-1. In 2012, he led the Vikings to the playoffs, but they were eliminated in the wild-card round after starting backup quarterback Joe Webb due to an elbow injury sustained by starting quarterback Christian Ponder.
Since 2017, Frazier—a member of the 1985 Chicago Bears squad that won Super Bowl XX—has served as the defensive coordinator for the Bills. He guided the Bills’ defense to the top place in yards and points allowed in 2021. The Bills finished sixth in yards and second in points allowed in 2022.
Frazier led forceful Bills defenses
The Bills gave up the fewest scores and second-fewest yards of any team between 2019 and 2022.
Prior to that, Frazier was the defensive coordinator for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2014 to 2015, the Minnesota Vikings from 2007 to 2010, and the Cincinnati Bengals from 2003 to 2004.
Since taking a leave of absence, Frazier has collaborated with NFL Network and The 33rd Team to maintain a connection to the game and demonstrate his expertise as an analyst.
When it was “the coach’s way or the highway,” Frazier played. The NFL and its players have seen significant transformation since then. As a result, Frazier grew used to changing things up to foster a closer relationship with his players.
Are Frazier and McDaniel are philosophically aligned?
“When I first entered the league, it was more like when a coach would say, ‘This is how we do it,'” Frazier told BuffaloBills.com. “That’s not quite like that anymore for the gamer of today. Sometimes you have to explain things to them since they’ll ask questions and ask why they have to do things a certain way. You may be by yourself in a room if you just declare “my way or the highway.”
The main problem the Dolphins defenders had with Fangio was just that, which is why a lot of the players were happy to see him go last week.
According to NFL reporter Aaron Wilson, the Dolphins are interviewing linebackers coach Anthony Campanile and outside linebackers coach Ryan Slowik for the defensive coordinator position, which began its first full week on Monday.
Before the Dolphins signed Fangio, Campanile had an interview for the position as defensive coordinator over the offseason. McDaniel kept Campanile from the previous coaching staff when he took over as head coach in 2022.
After joining the Dolphins staff for two seasons, McDaniel brought Slowik aboard. In 2022, he worked as a senior defensive assistant. This season, he was promoted to outside linebackers coach.
Slowik hails from a family of coaches. His brother Bobby is the highly esteemed offensive coordinator of the Houston Texans, while his father Bob, a former NFL assistant, currently coaches in the Canadian Football League.
