Miami Dolphins address a question mark with another one on Tuesday
The Miami Dolphins' special teams have been anything but special in recent years. Miami efforts in the return game have been pedestrian at best, which is particularly disappointing given the speed and athleticism on the roster. Punting has been underwhelming as well. In fact, if not for Jason Sanders' steady right foot, it would have […]
The Miami Dolphins' special teams have been anything but special in recent years. Miami efforts in the return game have been pedestrian at best, which is particularly disappointing given the speed and athleticism on the roster. Punting has been underwhelming as well. In fact, if not for Jason Sanders' steady right foot, it would have been forgettable altogether.
That wasn't lost on the fans, who put much of the blame on former special teams coordinator Danny Crossman. Mike McDaniel obliged their complaints after the season concluded, firing Crossman after 6 years in Miami.
His successor was identified on Tuesday, per NFL Network's Tom Pelissero, and it's a curious hire. The Dolphins are reportedly signing former Tennessee Titans special teams coordinator Craig Aukerman.
Aukerman selection is a curious one based upon how his last job ended. He was the special teams coordinator for the Tennessee Titans from 2018 to 2023. His time in Nashville ended very unceremoniously. After the Colts blocked 2 punts in back-to-back drives in a 31-28 Indianapolis overtime win, Mike Vrabel gave Aukerman his walking papers. He didn't coach during the 2024 season.
As such, Aukerman comes to South Florida with some significant question marks, at least in the punt coverage department. That's an area where Miami was less than perfect in 2024. Jake Bailey had a punt blocked against New England back on October 6.
However, Aukerman was able to get a lot out of his punters during his time with the Titans. Bert Kern was a Pro Bowler from 2017-2019 and Ryan Stonehouse led the league in yards per punt in 2022 and 2023 (53.1 for both). That's an area where the Dolphins could stand to improve, as Bailey averaged 47.1 yards per punt in 2024 (up from 45.7 in 2023), but only 40.7 net punting yards for both 2023 and 2024.
We'll find out if McDaniel's roll of the dice pays off in 2025.
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