Dolphins hire Craig Aukerman as special teams coordinator

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — The Miami Dolphins hired veteran assistant Craig Aukerman as their special teams coordinator on Wednesday.

Aukerman spent this past season as a special teams assistant for the Rams, who won the NFC West and made it to the divisional round of the playoffs. Before that, Aukerman spent seven seasons with Tennessee, five years as special teams coordinator (2019-2023) and two as a special teams assistant (2017-18).

He coached two Pro Bowl players in punter Brett Kern (2017-19) and long snapper Morgan Cox (2022). Kern led the NFL in both net punting average (44.6 yards) and gross punting average (49.7 yards) in 2017.

Aukerman was fired by Tennessee during the 2023 season after a disastrous game in which the Titans had a punt blocked and returned for a touchdown followed by punter Ryan Stonehouse suffering a season-ending leg injury on his next punt attempt.

Aukerman replaces Danny Crossman, who was fired earlier this month after six seasons in Miami.

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