Sometimes the best change you can make is no change at all. The Miami Dolphins are doing exactly that with two spots on their 2026 coaching staff.

There’s been much focus on the blowtorch that’s being taken to the Dolphins’ football operation this offseason. Mike McDaniel and Chris Grier are gone. With them are names like Frank Smith, Anthony Weaver (who just signed on to be the Ravens’ defensive coordinator), Butch Barry, Marvin Allen, other members of the scouting staff, and more. Players are soon to follow. But Jeff Hafley has just made the best hire of this 2026 coaching staff by not making a hire at all. One of the team’s most respected position coaches will be back in 2026 — defensive line coach Austin Clark.

Dolphins DL coach Austin Clark (along with Joe Barry) survive the 2026 coaching staff purge

“No assistant on the staff has built up better sweat equity with their ability to pull the best out of players than Clark. Clark took over as the defensive line coach in Brian Flores’ final season in Miami and helped to develop both Zach Sieler and Christian Wilkins as standout stars. In 2024, he got a career-best year out of Da’Shawn Hand. His unit was a part of a franchise-record sack effort in 2023 under the direction of Vic Fangio as well.

Clark had an ambitious ask of his own in 2025 — molding a trio of rookie defensive tackles. Kenneth Grant, Jordan Phillips, and Zeek Biggers combined for 1,233 defensive snaps on the season. Grant, quietly, finished second in pressures (29) and third in run stops (20) among rookie defensive tackles this season. Clark’s five-year body of work speaks for itself.”

— Me, two weeks ago

When I put together a list of four assistants worth returning off of last year’s staff two weeks ago, Austin Clark was the first name that came to mind. Former cornerbacks coach Mathieu Araujo had just interviewed for the Jets’ defensive coordinator position — he served as the inspiration for the post. But Clark is and has been a no-brainer to bring back. We should be celebrating his return for his body of work and also for a consistent voice delivering the message of a new coaching staff to the young defensive interior.

The retention of 2025 LB coach Joe Barry is a strong one, too. Barry was the Packers’ defensive coordinator prior to Hafley and now the pair are teaming up with the Dolphins. Barry helped Jordyn Brooks blossom into an All-Pro in 2025 — he was electric. That presence on the coaching staff amid new faces on the staff with LB backgrounds will be helpful for Brooks. New defensive coordinator Sean Duggan is a former linebackers coach. Al Washington, from Notre Dame, was reportedly hired to be the 2026 linebackers coach in Miami.

But the big hire here is Clark. Miami invested heavily this past season at defensive tackle and those young players are going to hear the same voice this upcoming season to steer them through the changes. There’s plenty of those changes around Miami these days. I, for one, am glad Clark is not among them.

Returning coaches from the Miami Dolphins 2025 staff

DL Coach Austin Clark
LB Coach Joe Barry (role to be determined)
Offensive assistant Bobby Slowik (Now offensive coordinator)

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