Dolphins Zeroing In on Sparano as Coach
The Miami Dolphins appear to be closing in on hiring Dallas Cowboys offensive line coach Tony Sparano as their new head coach.
Sparano is scheduled to be in the Miami area tonight. Dolphins General Manager Jeff Ireland traveled to Dallas today on the private jet of team owner Wayne Huizenga to pick up Sparano. This will be Sparano's second interview for the head coaching job left vacant when the Dolphins fired Cam Cameron as their coach after a 1-15 season.
A source close to the deliberations said the hiring could be completed Wednesday if the talks proceed smoothly and all goes well in contract negotiations.
Sparano was regarded as the favorite throughout the search process to land the job in Miami. He worked for Dolphins front office chief Bill Parcells when Parcells was the Cowboys' coach. Ireland was in the Cowboys' front office at the time. Sparano also interviewed for head coaching vacancies with the Atlanta Falcons and Baltimore Ravens in recent weeks, and became available to be hired when the Cowboys' season ended with Sunday's loss to the New York Giants in an NFC semifinal.
The Dolphins also have interviewed defensive coordinators Leslie Frazier of the Minnesota Vikings, Rex Ryan of the Ravens and Jim Schwartz of the Tennessee Titans. Sparano's hiring would complete the remaking of the team's power structure begun when Huizenga hired Parcells, who fired Cameron and General Manager Randy Mueller and hired Ireland.
By Mark Maske |
January 15, 2008; 4:45 PM ET
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Dolphins
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Posted by: Roy Hobbs | January 15, 2008 6:19 PM
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Bill Parcells when leaving Dallas indicated how grateful he was to Jerry Jones for the opportunity to coach the Cowboys. Well, he used that opportunity to then steal his new GM and HC from Dallas. Typical Parcells. The NFL's gypsy.