INDIANAPOLIS — Kevin Patullo was a hot name in NFL coaching circles when he was promoted to offensive coordinator with the Philadelphia Eagles last season.

After a bad year in that role, some in the league may have been down on him. But once Dolphins coach Jeff Hafley gave him a shot for an interview, he knew he wanted him on his initial coaching staff.

“When I interviewed him, I was blown away,” Hafley said at his news conference at the NFL scouting combine Tuesday. “The knowledge that he has, the football experience that he has, what he did for that entire organization — don’t forget he won a Super Bowl.”

Before Patullo had the lone year leading the Eagles’ offense in 2025, he was their pass game coordinator from 2021 through 2024, adding associate head coach to his title in 2023. He helped develop quarterback Jalen Hurts into a Super Bowl winner, albeit one proficient in using his legs to lead Philadelphia’s offense, but having Hurts grow passing the ball to wide receivers A.J. Brown and Devonta Smith, running back Saquon Barkley and tight end Dallas Goedert.

Already promoting Bobby Slowik, who will call plays on offense, to offensive coordinator, Hafley realized he needed Patullo on the staff under him to help with a passing game that could see change next season.

“Behind the scenes, what he did with that offense and with that whole team and listening to him talk and his football knowledge and not just about offense, but about game management, about situational football,” Hafley continued, “I got off the Zoom and I said to Bobby, ‘We’ve got to try to hire this guy’ — and he had other opportunities and other options. I think he’s going to be a huge asset to what we do, and I think often it’s unfair to judge anybody off of one single year.”

Slowik and Patullo share a common experience in how they were fast risers upon reaching the offensive coordinator rank to then go besmirched with a down season.

Last offseason, under coach Mike McDaniel, Slowik was brought on board as senior passing game coordinator, an additional spot on the staff created for him. It now has resulted in a promotion for Slowik to offensive coordinator under a new head man. Meanwhile, Patullo comes in as passing game coordinator this year.

Key front office executives

A couple of key people in new general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan’s corner as he dives into his first offseason of roster building for the Dolphins are assistant GM Kyle Smith and new senior personnel executive Jon Robinson. News on the latter hire was revealed late Monday night by NFL Network.

Robinson was Tennessee Titans GM from 2016 to 2022. Smith held the same assistant GM title for the Atlanta Falcons the past three seasons, before they fired their former GM, Terry Fontenot.

“I’m the current GM, Jon Robinson has been a GM, and I think Kyle Smith will be a GM,” Sullivan told a small group of South Florida media members Tuesday at the combine before he later took the podium. “I think they’re phenomenal sounding boards for me.

“First and foremost, very good human beings, but more than that, they’re forward thinkers who have a way of doing things that are not here to tell me what they think the boss wants to hear. They’ll tell me their thoughts and their opinions, which will help me move forward as I need to. They’re both really good at what they do. They bring a lot to the table.”

The new addition of Robinson particularly helps Sullivan in his first venture leading an organization’s roster management, after more than two decades in various positions with the Green Bay Packers.

“Jon Robinson has sat in this chair. He knows what’s ahead. He understands the pitfalls, roadblocks,” Sullivan said. “So I’d be a fool not to lean on him.”

Smith is the son of A.J. Smith, former GM of the San Diego Chargers from 2003 to 2012.

“Kyle grew up in this thing. He’s the son of a longtime GM,” Sullivan said. “He’s very good at what he does. And I’m really excited to have those guys kind of next to me as we move forward.”