In a letter sent Friday to the team’s season-ticket holders, Dolphins owner Stephen Ross thanked them for “unwavering” support, and acknowledged the team’s failures.
“I had high expectations headed into this year and the on-field results have been disappointing . . . for you, our staff, our coaches, our players and alumni players, and certainly for me,” Ross wrote.
“There are no shortcuts or magic formulas to winning,” he explained. “I know it will take hard work for us to get where we want to go and I can assure you that everyone at the Dolphins is working hard to honor the proud winning tradition of our great franchise.”
Ross also said that executive V.P. of football operations Mike Tannenbaum will lead the process to pick the next coach, and that the effort “will not be constrained by convention.”
“This search will be thorough and we will take it wherever we need to go,” Ross said. “I appreciate everything Dan Campbell has done this season and he has earned the opportunity to be considered for head coach. We’ve also identified several promising candidates and will begin work immediately.”
Many would say Campbell hasn’t done nearly enough to get the job, but it makes sense to reward Campbell for his willingness to take the whistle and finish out the season. The goal for now will be to find a guy from whom the whistle won’t be taken prematurely.