Giants Interview Dolphins Assistant for Defensive Coordinator Job

Anthony Campanile, who has Northeast roots, is the fourth known candidate to interview for the vacant Giants defensive coordinator opening

Now that the season has concluded, Miami Dolphins assistants seemingly will make the rounds for head coach and coordinator openings around the NFL.

Offensive coordinator Frank Smith likely will interview for the Carolina Panthers head coach opening this week, and linebacker coach Anthony Campanile has been requested to interview for the New York Giants defensive coordinator opening, according to multiple reports.

In their search to replace Wink Martindale, the Giants have interviewed Ravens secondary coach Dennard Wilson, and Titans defensive coordinator Shane Bowen. They also have requested to interview Chargers defensive coordinator Derrick Ansley.

So Campanile is the fourth known candidate for the job.

While Campanile has never worked with Giants head coach Brian Daboll, he does have Northeast roots.

Campanile has coaching ties to the Northeast

Campanile played at Fair Lawn High and then at Rutgers. He was the defensive coordinator at powerhouse Don Bosco Prep from 2007-09 and the offensive coordinator there from 2010-11, before returning to Rutgers, initially as a defensive assistant. 

Campanile, 41, has been the Dolphins’ linebackers coach since 2020, after coaching that position at Michigan in 2019. 

He has never been an NFL defensive coordinator. But he was the co-defensive coordinator at Boston College in 2018. He worked at Boston College from 2016-18 and also coached defensive backs there. Before that, he was an assistant at Rutgers from 2012-15.

Campanile coached Rutgers’ tight ends from 2013-14 and wide receivers in 2015.

Campanile interviewed for the Dolphins’ defensive coordinator job last offseason. But head coach Mike McDaniel, entering Year 2 in 2023, hired longtime defensive coordinator Vic Fangio to replace Josh Boyer, who was fired.

During his four seasons with the Dolphins, Campanile has overseen the play of Miami's inside linebackers, a unit that has been relatively consistent for the past four seasons, courtesy of Jerome Baker, Elandon Roberts, David Long Jr. and Duke Riley's play. This season he was responsible for relaying the defensive plays from the booth to the green dot player on the field.

Will Carolina be Smith's only interview?

Smith has been mentioned as a potential candidate for the openings with the Los Angeles Chargers and Las Vegas Raiders, but this was the first formal request to interview him.

The Panthers also formally requested permission to interview Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik, Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan, Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald, Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris, Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken and Buccaneers offensive coordinator Dave Canales.

The Dolphins offense led the NFL in total offense in 2023, and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa led the league in passer rating in 2022.

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