(Photo Source: local10.com)

Rookie Head Coach Fires Veteran Offensive Line Coach Of Miami Dolphins

In a game that comes down to blocking and tackling, the Miami Dolphins haven’t done enough of either over the last few – ok, 10 – years. They don’t run the ball well, they don’t pass-protect well, they don’t stop the run and they don’t make the playoffs (once since 2009).

Now it’s all “new culture” and “firm direction” under rookie head coach Brian Flores. On Monday Flores fired new offensive line coach Pat Flaherty, who has held that position for several teams over the past 19 years.

Well, you can’t fire all the players. So you fire the coach. After two days of training camp.

Look, the Dolphins offensive line wasn’t going to scare anyone anyway. The Dolphins have sound enough left tackle in Laremy Tunsil and a veteran center, Daniel Kilgore, who lasted only through the first four games of last season. The other guys are, well, other guys. Emphasis on guys. No one can make steak out of tofu.

Flaherty coached the New York Giants offensive line through two Super Bowl victories, serving with them from 2004-15. Apparently, he got dopey overnight in the Miami heat. Flores replaced him with Dave DeGuglielmo, who was Miami’s o-line coach in 2017 and also has a hard name to spell. The Dolphins were 6-10 that season, losing their last three games. They allowed 52 sacks.

The analogy in the NFL is that teams are like a fish. Either you’re moving forward or backward. If you’re not moving, you’re dead. Right now we’d say the Dolphins are floundering, and it’s not quite August.

 
 
Post By: Larry Weisman, a longtime sportswriter for USA TODAY, blogs for Twistity.com. Follow him on Twitter @MrLarryWeisman