Add a former Miami Dolphins player into the mix for the team’s head coaching vacancy.
The Dolphins have requested to interview Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard, according to a league source.
That makes for seven known coaching candidates to emerge in three days of Miami’s coaching search upon hiring new general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan to spearhead the search.
Sheppard, 38, who played linebacker for the Dolphins more than 10 years ago, just completed his first season leading the Lions’ defense after Aaron Glenn, who previously held that role, took the head coach job with the New York Jets. He was linebackers coach the previous three seasons and outside linebackers coach in 2021.
Sheppard played on the 2014 and 2015 Dolphins under Joe Philbin and then current Lions coach Dan Campbell, when he was interim Miami coach in 2015 upon Philbin’s firing.
He had an eight-year career with five different teams from 2011 through 2018. He played in 107 games with 63 starts, making 429 tackles in his career.
Under Sheppard, the Lions were 18th in total defense and 22nd in scoring defense in 2025.
Sheppard joins the six coach interview requests revealed Saturday and Sunday: former Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh, former Cleveland Browns coach Kevin Stefanski, San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator and former New York Jets coach Robert Saleh, Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula and Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley.
Sullivan comes to Miami after being vice president of player personnel of the Packers. So, aside from being familiar with Hafley, he has seen Sheppard rise the coaching ranks within the NFC North division.
The inclusion of Sheppard, who is Black, would fulfill the Dolphins’ requirements under the Rooney Rule, as long as they also follow through on interviewing San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh.
The rule mandates that NFL teams interview at least two outside diverse candidates (minority or female) for open head coach, general manager or coordinator roles. Saleh is Arab-American, of Lebanese descent.
Miami’s head coach job is open because the team fired former coach Mike McDaniel last week. As McDaniel has landed head coach interviews around the league, he also is bound to interview with Campbell for the Lions’ vacant offensive coordinator role.