Dolphins Continue Assembling Coaching Staff

New safeties coach Joe Kasper previously worked with head coach Mike McDaniel in the NFL
Dolphins Continue Assembling Coaching Staff
Dolphins Continue Assembling Coaching Staff /
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The Philadelphia Eagles coaching staff has been raided since their run to the Super Bowl this past season, and now the Miami Dolphins have looked that way for their new safeties coach.

And while the hiring of Joe Kasper, confirmed by a league source, might seem out of the blue, some digging showed a prior connection not to new defensive coordinator Vic Fangio but to head coach Mike McDaniel.

Kasper served as a player personnel and development with the Cleveland Browns in 2013-14, and in that second season the team's wide receivers coach was — that's right — Mike McDaniel.

Since then, Kasper spent two years as a high school and four years as a college coach (including three at Duke) before spending the past two seasons as a defensive quality control coach for the Eagles.

Fangio did do some consulting work for the Eagles ahead of the NFC Championship Game and the Super Bowl, but he said Monday during his introductory press conference he worked with the offense to give them a feel for what the Kansas City Chiefs defense was doing.

Fangio also revealed he's friends with Eagles GM Howie Roseman and head coach Nick Sirianni, so it's entirely possible — if not likely — that one or both of them have spoken highly of Kasper's potential as a coach.

Additionally, Kasper played safety at Baldwin-Wallace University, where he graduated with a degree in political science.

DOLPHINS COACHING STAFF CHANGES

Kasper replaces Steve Gregory, who was fired Jan. 16 along with defensive coordinator Josh Boyer, outside linebackers coach Ty McKenzie and assistant linebackers coach Steve Ferentz.

Offensive line coach Matt Applebaum was fired later in January and replaced by former 49ers and Broncos assistant Butch Berry.

The hirings of Kasper and Berry, along with that of Renaldo Hill as defensive pass game coordinator, have yet to be officially announced. The expectation is that outside of Fangio, all hirings will be announced at the same time.


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Alain Poupart
ALAIN POUPART

Alain Poupart is the publisher/editor of All Dolphins and co-host of the All Dolphins Podcast. Alain has covered the Miami Dolphins on a full-time basis since 1989 for various publications and media outlets, including Dolphin Digest, The Associated Press, the Dolphins team website, and the Fan Nation Network (part of Sports Illustrated). In addition to being a credentialed member of the Miami Dolphins press corps, Alain has covered three Super Bowls (for NFL.com, Football News and the Montreal Gazette), the annual NFL draft, the Senior Bowl, and the NFL Scouting Combine. During his almost 40 years in journalism, which began at the now-defunct Miami News, Alain has covered practically every sport at one time or another, from tennis to golf, baseball, basketball and everything in between. The career also included time as a copy editor, including work on several books such as "Still Perfect," an inside look at the Miami Dolphins' 1972 perfect season. A native of Montreal, Canada, whose first language is French, Alain grew up a huge hockey fan but soon developed a love for all sports, including NFL football. He has lived in South Florida since the 1980s.