Miami Dolphins coaching search 2022: Leslie Frazier added to interview request list

The Miami Dolphins continue to cast a wide net as they search for their next head coach. After firing Brian Flores on Monday, the team has built a list of at least five coordinators from other teams they are requesting to interview. Reports so far have indicated Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, San Francisco 49ers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel, Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, Arizona Cardinals defensive coordinator Vance Joseph, and Cowboys offensive coordinator Kellen Moore are all on Miami’s radar to fill their vacancy. On Wednesday, a sixth name surfaced.

According to The MMQB’s Albert Breer, Miami has requested Bills defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier for an interview. That request makes two teams, Buffalo and Dallas, where the Dolphins are considering both offensive and defensive coordinators.

Frazier played in the league from 1981 through 1985 as a cornerback for the Chicago Bears, including being a part of the team’s Super Bowl XX victory. Unfortunately for Frazier, he injured his knee during the Super Bowl, an injury that ended his career. He began his coaching career at Trinity College (now Trinity International University) in 1988 as their head coach, holding the position through 1996. He moved over to the University of Illinois in 1997 as the team’s defensive backs coach, then assumed the same role with the Philadelphia Eagles in 1999. He got his first defensive coordinator position in 2003 with the Cincinnati Bengals, holding the job through the 2004 season. In 2005 he was named a defensive assistant with the Indianapolis Colts, then assumed the title of assistant head coach and defensive backs coach the next season. In 2007 he was named the Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator, adding the assistant head coach title in 2008. During the 2010 season, he became the Vikings’ interim head coach when Brad Childress was fired, becoming their head coach in 2011 and holding the position through 2013.

After three seasons, he was fired by the Vikings and hired by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as their defensive coordinator for the 2014 and 2015 seasons, with the team not picking up his option for the 2016 season. He moved to the Baltimore Ravens for that season, working as their secondary coach before being hired in 2017 as the Bills defensive coordinator, adding the assistant head coach title in 2020.

Miami seems to be considering multiple options with their search for the next head coach, interviewing both offensive and defensive-minded coaches, as well as coordinators without any head coaching experience as well as some who have had that previous experience. Under league rules, teams cannot interview coaches from teams playing in the Wildcard round until after the weekend. All of the known interview requests from the Dolphins have included coaches that meet that criteria, so we likely will not get official notification that the team has conducted an initial interview until sometime next week.