From 2001 to 2011, Hafley began his coaching career as an assistant with WPI (2001), Albany (2002–2005), Pittsburgh (2006–2010) and Rutgers (2011) in a variety of roles, finding himself now on the defensive side of the ball. He began his NFL coaching career in 2012 as an assistant defensive backs coach with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before being promoted to defensive backs coach the following season. He took the same role with the Cleveland Browns (2014–2015) and the San Francisco 49ers (2016–2018) before taking on his first defensive coordinator role with Ohio State in 2019.
On December 13, 2019, Hafley was announced as the head football coach for Boston College. He led the Eagles to two bowl games across four seasons, only participating in one due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Hafley was 22–26 over his career with the Eagles. Coming off his team's first winning season, he elected to take a position as the defensive coordinator for the Green Bay Packers, where he served until 2025.
On January 19, 2026, Hafley was named the 12th head coach of the Miami Dolphins.
In February 1997, Hafley committed to play football for Ed Zaloom's Siena Saints football team.[4] As a member of the Saints football team, Hafley was exclusively a wide receiver, but a rash of injuries hampered him from really getting extended playing time. He would spend his time in the coaches' office and watch film, and then go to the games and sit up in the booth, and help them coach.[5]
Hafley began his coaching career, with a familiar face helping him get in the door, under head coach Ed Zaloom at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in 2001, whom he had played for at Siena.[7] Serving as the running backs coach, the Engineers finished the season 5–5.[8]. The Following season, he joined Bob Ford's staff at University of Albany upon the recommendation from Zaloom.[9] After spending two seasons as a graduate assistant, achieving his Master's Degree, he was promoted to defensive backs coach in the winter of 2003.[10] In 2004, Hafley helped mentor Kurt Campbell, who played the rover position, get drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the 2005 NFL Draft.[11] Campbell was the first ever NFL draft pick in school history.[12]
In the winter of 2005-06, Hafley was debating taking a position as a graduate assistant with the Pittsburgh Panthers, moving up to the NCAA Division I FBS level. When he was doubting himself, a conversation with his former head coach Jay Bateman, pushed him to take the job when Bateman told him to "bet on yourself."[13] Hafley took the job with Pittsburgh, joining Dave Wannstedt's staff and sleeping in the team's facility for two years on an air mattress.[13] He didn't have a place to live, but his drive stood out to Wannstedt, who promoted him to a full-time assistant in January of 2008.[14]
Following Wannstedt's resignation at Pittsburgh, he recommended Hafley to Greg Schiano at Rutgers, who hired him as the secondary coach in 2011.[15] While at Rutgers, the Scarlet Knights were the ninth-ranked passing defense in the country;[16]Duron Harmon earned first-team All-Big East honors, and Logan Ryan received second-team accolades. Both Harmon and Ryan were drafted by and played for the New England Patriots.[17]
NFL assistant coach
In 2012, Hafley made his NFL coaching debut with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.[18] He joined the Bucs as assistant defensive backs coach and spent 2013 as the secondary coach/safeties. That season, Hafley oversaw a unit which helped the team finish tied for third in the NFL with 21 interceptions.[19] On January 27, 2014, Hafley was hired by the Cleveland Browns to coach their secondary. Hafley would remain in this role for 2 seasons (2014–15), before being relieved of his duties due to a coaching overhaul.[20] On January 24, 2016, Hafley was hired by San Francisco 49ers' new head coach Chip Kelly to coach the defensive backs.[21]
Ohio State
In 2019, Hafley was hired to be the co-defensive coordinator at Ohio State. Hafley quickly established himself as one of the best recruiters in the country, being ranked ninth overall recruiter for the 2020 class by 247Sports.com.[22]
In his first season, due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, Boston College's schedule was to be played in full, but there would be no one in attendance at games played in Massachusetts. Due to a Boston College school rule, everyone who was a student and faculty was to receive a vaccination. With one players on the Eagles refusing to get the shot, Hafley and the school, helped find that student athlete a new home to transfer to.[24] In the season opener, Boston College opened at Durham, North Carolina and defeated Duke 26–6.[25] In his first home game, Boston College defeated Texas State 24–21.[26] The following week Hafley and the Eagles were narrowly defeated by #12 North Carolina, 26–22.[27] The next week, the Eagles were defeated Pittsburgh 31–30 in overtime.[28] The Eagles then travelled to Blacksburg, Virginia where they were defeated by #23 Virginia Tech.[29] The next week, Boston College defeated Georgia Tech 48–27.[30] Boston College then traveled to Clemson, South Carolina where they were narrowly defeated by #1 Clemson 34–28, being shut out in the first second half by the Tigers defense.[31] In the 2020 version of the Holy War, Boston College was scorched by #2 Notre Dame, 45–31.[32] The Eagles wrapped up the final home game with a 34–27 victory over Louisville.[33] The following week, Boston College finished the regular season with a 43–32 defeat in Charlottesville, Virginia to Virginia.[34] Despite being Bowl eligible, the Eagles opted out of playing in any Bowl due to the toll the season took on them throughout the Covid-19 Pandemic.[35]
During his four years with the team, Hafley led the Eagles to a 22–26 overall record and had three bowl game invitations, but BC only played in one of those three games.[36]
Green Bay Packers
On January 31, 2024, Hafley was hired by the Green Bay Packers to be their defensive coordinator, marking his return to the NFL after five seasons in the college coaching ranks.[37] At the conclusion of the 2024 NFL season, the Packers were ranked 5th in yards allowed.[38] Despite the offseason acquisition of All-Pro defensive end Micah Parsons, the team regressed in Hafley's second year as coordinator, having the 12th ranked defense in yards allowed (though the team was ranked sixth in total yards before Parsons suffered a season-ending injury in week 15.)[39][40]
Miami Dolphins
On January 19, 2026, Hafley was named the 15th head coach of the Miami Dolphins (the 12th in franchise history to start coaching in Week 1).[41]
↑Despite being bowl eligible, Boston College was the first of many NCAA programs to withdraw from postseason participation due to concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic.
↑The Military Bowl was cancelled the day before it was scheduled due to positive COVID-19 cases in the Boston College program.
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