Jeff Hafley

Jeff Hafley, born on April 4, 1979, is an American football coach and a former player. He is currently the head coach for the Miami Dolphins in the National Football League, or NFL. Before this, he was the head coach at Boston College from 2020 to 2023.

Hafley grew up in Montvale, New Jersey and went to Pascack Hills High School. He played football as a wide receiver at Siena University from 1997 to 2000.

After finishing his playing career, Hafley started coaching. He worked with several teams, including WPI, Albany, Pittsburgh, and Rutgers, before joining the NFL in 2012 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He later coached with the Cleveland Browns and the San Francisco 49ers before becoming a defensive coordinator at Ohio State in 2019.

In December 2019, he became the head coach at Boston College, leading the team for four seasons. In January 2026, he was named the head coach of the Miami Dolphins.

Early life and playing career

Jeff Hafley was born on April 4, 1979, in Montvale, New Jersey. He played football and baseball at Pascack Hills High School, where he helped his team improve from 0–9 to 7–2 by his senior year. He played many positions, including quarterback, wide receiver, and safety.

Hafley chose to play football for the Siena Saints football team in 1997. Though he was a wide receiver, injuries limited his playing time. Instead, he spent time learning from coaches and helping them during games. He later graduated from Siena College with a history degree and earned a master’s degree from the University at Albany, SUNY in 2003.

Coaching career

Jeff Hafley began his coaching career in 2001 at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, where he had previously played football. He worked with the running backs and later moved to the University of Albany, where he became a defensive backs coach.

Hafley joined the NFL in 2012 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an assistant defensive backs coach. He later coached for the Cleveland Browns and the San Francisco 49ers. In 2019, he became co-defensive coordinator at Ohio State.

In 2019, Hafley was hired as head coach at Boston College. Over four seasons, he led the team to a 22–26 record and three bowl game invitations, though they only played in one. In 2024, he returned to the NFL as defensive coordinator for the Green Bay Packers. On January 19, 2026, he was named the 12th head coach of the Miami Dolphins.

Head coaching record

The section shows Jeff Hafley's record as a head coach in both college and the National Football League (NFL).

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Personal life

Jeff Hafley and his wife, Gina, have two daughters.