The Miami Dolphins have ended the services of offensive coordinator Mike Sherman today, concluding a two-year position with the team. Sherman joined the Dolphins after a four-year stint as the head coach at Texas A&M, where he coached Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill.
The addition of Sherman followed by the drafting of Tannehill was seen by many as a way to ease the rookie quarterback into his position with the team, keeping him in a similar offense to that which he played in college. However, the Dolphins finished the year with the 20th ranked passing offense and the 26th ranked rush offense. Play calling was consistently questioned throughout the season, with fans and media beginning to wonder if it was time for Tannehill to graduate from his college offense and begin working in an NFL system.
Now, that will happen.
The problems the Dolphins had this season were not all Sherman, as evidenced by the defense's inability to stop the run and the turmoil on the offensive line caused by the desertion of tackle Jonathan Martin and the subsequent suspension of guard Richie Incognito. But, there was enough of the blame to lay at Sherman's feet that owner Stephen Ross felt this move was necessary.
Two potential replacements for Sherman have already surfaced. The name most circulating in rumors right now is Green Bay Packers quarterbacks coach Ben McAdoo. Dolphins head coach Joe Philbin previously served as the Packers' offensive coordinator, with McAdoo working as the tight ends coach before being moved to the quarterbacks coach following Philbin's departure.
A couple of other names to watch are Kyle Shanahan, who worked the last four seasons as the Washington Redskins' offensive coordinator before being relieved of his duties when his father, Mike, was fired as the head coach, and Rob Chudzinski, who spent the 2011 and 2012 seasons as the Carolina Panthers offensive coordinator before a one-year stint as the head coach of the Cleveland Browns.
Miami finished this season 8-8, one game out of the playoffs, and on a two-game losing streak. A win in either game would have earned the franchise its first postseason appearance since 2008, but instead, they were outscored 39-7.