Dolphins fire Josh Boyer

Posted by Myles Simmons on January 19, 2023, 3:12 PM EST
USA TODAY Sports

Miami’s defense will have a different look in the team’s second season under head coach Mike McDaniel.

The Dolphins announced they’ve fired defensive coordinator Josh Boyer, safeties coach Steve Gregory, outside linebackers coach Ty McKenzie, and assistant linebackers coach Steve Ferentz.

“I am grateful for Josh’s contributions this year and throughout his tenure with the Dolphins,” McDaniel said in a statement released by the team. “The defense made strides through the season, so coming to this decision was not easy, but ultimately I feel it is in the best long-term interests of the Miami Dolphins and the continued growth of our players and team.”

Boyer came from the Patriots to the Dolphins with head coach Brian Flores back in 2019. He was first the defensive pass game coordinator and cornerbacks coach before being promoted to defensive coordinator in 2020.

He was retained for the first year of McDaniel’s tenure. But the Dolphins were No. 18 in yards allowed and No. 24 in points allowed in 2022. The club was also No. 27 against the pass.

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45 responses to “Dolphins fire Josh Boyer”

  1. Never like seeing someone getting fired, but this defense has tons of talent and didn’t play like they did.

  5. Come on down Vic Fangio, Byron Jones really sealed Boyers fate we he decided not to play this year and Boyers defense relies on two elite cornerbacks so they 0 blitz the heck out of teams….

  6. Vikings should call this guy… number 18 in yards allowed and number 24 in scoring defense would be a huge upgrade from 31st and 30th.

  7. Uhhh, I’m pretty sure it was an absolutely mauling defense that almost won the Dolphins that last Bills game. What a scapegoat. They had 3 turnovers and 7 sacks against a SB favorite team in the playoffs.

  8. Wilkins, Phillips, Chubb, Sieler, Ogbah, X, Needham and Holland form a very good group. Let’s see what a new D coordinator can do with these guys.

  9. Sure seems like a lot more firing of coaches than typical this postseason. Almost like deflection of fault by making it all roll downhill.

  17. When you realize every former NE assistant is a double agent it all makes sense how bad they are

  18. No fan of Boyer by any means HOWEVER the offense was responsible for most of the losses this season.

  20. Thank God! This defense is loaded with talent and while it rose to the occasion in some games; it underperformed all year. It is unfortunate that this is mostly due to the major injuries, but still his adjustments during games was non existent. The worst in the league at TE coverage and the worst in the league against running QBs. HELLO! We are in a division with Josh Allen! Bend but don’t break does not work! Good riddance!

  22. Boyer had to go. That defense should have played/schemed better. Lots of good players on that side of the ball. Not to mention, McDaniel is certainly entitled to bring in his own guy.

  23. Big difference here is this guy was a holdover from previous regime, whereas most other firings were for HC’s to save their own hides. McDaniel wasn’t going anywhere.

  24. Not so wonerkids McDaniel & Staley are the worst kind of leaders. Throwing coaches under the bus is the exact opposite of accountability and integrity

  25. On one hand, I understand the logic. Blitz happy teams are susceptible to giving up big plays. On the other hand, the blitz happy scheme kept you in a game with your 3rd stringer. It was impressive cause Allen is the best QB under pressure.

    Either way, I don’t care what Miami does. Just hoping they don’t get Lamar since the Bills already struggle versus elite speed.

  26. lastwordonpft says:
    January 19, 2023 at 3:56 pm
    It’s an epidemic of desperate head coaches throwing underlings under the bus…

    —————

    Yep. All the insecure and desperate teams are doing it.

  27. The defense was the only reason the Dolphins were even in it against the Bills. Offense was the issue. And time management by the head coach.

  29. All the crappy teams do this. No way will this help anything. The defense was pretty good, the QB was out. They dont have one becuse Tua needs to retire before he has another head issue. I hope he does.

  31. Boyer was give a chance and he failed. The defense was not good except sporadically throughout the year.

  32. The guy was replaced last year by Flores when Miami started out 1-7. He was held over after Flores was fired to maintain some continuity on defense. Rare in today’s NFL world. Instead we got the same dump of a DC who relied on a scheme that gave away big play after big play.

    Anyone who has sat down and actually watched his play calling and schemes would walk away wondering, why? Maybe Flores should have fired him after that 1-7 start a year ago?

    Also, it doesn’t matter what happened in BUF. His 2 year resume is enough.

  33. 3rd and 17 and he calls a zero cover blitz against the Bills in the playoffs and Diggs burns them. I knew then it’s time for him to go!

  35. I kinda felt that Boyer secured his position by the way the defense played against the Bills. That was missing a starting safety, starting nickel CB, starting DE, and starting boundary CB. The secondary was so depleted they were constantly starting special teamers and practice squad guys. I thought he did well with what he had towards the end. I think the big plays when we didn’t get home with the blitz is what was the final straw. Even with a secondary full of backups he was still willing to constantly bring the house and leave guys venerable. Curious as to who we get.

  38. It wasn’t Boyer who failed for 7 straight games last year, it was Flores. Boyer took over when Flores decided to be done with the team. With that said, I think this was a good move and hopefully we can get Vic. For those saying that the defense carried the team against Buffalo, why then did the offense score 31 and the defense gave up 34? A good defense doesn’t give up that many points and expect to win games.

  39. Fangio coming to Philly after JG gets a HC job this offseason. He was already in the building this year as a “consultant” and is friends with Sirianni.

  41. 60ftlesbianoctopus: Defense played great that game. But was that defense the best they played every game? Or just that team? Or just the third time they played that team? Or just this last QB? The “but that one game” argument doesn’t hold up.

  42. Kinda hard to blame him. Missed 3/5 of his starting secondary for most of the year, on a defense that is predicated on shutting down the pass first. Had TWO undrafted rookies as starters was a sign how bad things were…

  43. 60ftlesbianoctopus says:

    January 19, 2023 at 3:27 pm

    Uhhh, I’m pretty sure it was an absolutely mauling defense that almost won the Dolphins that last Bills game. What a scapegoat. They had 3 turnovers and 7 sacks against a SB favorite team in the playoffs
    ——
    And what about the rest of the year? It’s hilarious that commentators on here continually bring up 1 playoff game from someone to bolster their point because the 1 playoff game is likely the closest theyve come to watching a game all year. It’s the same fools who kept claiming Foles was elite until he played this yr🤦‍♂️

  45. 70dolphinfan says:
    January 19, 2023 at 9:43 pm
    It wasn’t Boyer who failed for 7 straight games last year, it was Flores. Boyer took over when Flores decided to be done with the team. With that said, I think this was a good move and hopefully we can get Vic. For those saying that the defense carried the team against Buffalo, why then did the offense score 31 and the defense gave up 34? A good defense doesn’t give up that many points and expect to win games.

    Xxxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxxx

    During Miami first 8 games last year under Flores, Boyer called the defensive plays. They started 1-7. Flores took over and never gave it back. Also, Flores never gave up on his defense, he did give up on his offense. He wouldn’t sit down for offensive game planning and stopped talking to Tua. This isn’t even debatable.

    So I have no idea where the above scenario took place. Looking back McDaniels should have brought in his own guy and gone from there.

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