Phins rounding out the 2026 leadership group
The Miami Dolphins continued to shape their 2026 coaching and football operations landscape with two notable additions, NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero reported: Kyle Smith as assistant general manager and Chris Tabor as the new special teams coordinator. These hires bring seasoned experience into Miami’s rebuilding phase, addressing both front office depth and a key phase of game strategy.
Smith Brings Experience & Draft Acumen
Kyle Smith, born in 1984 and with a lengthy NFL personnel resume, joins Miami after a successful tenure with the Atlanta Falcons, where he most recently served as assistant general manager. Before Atlanta, Smith spent several years with the Washington Commanders’ front office, playing key roles in scouting and player personnel. His rise included time as vice president of player personnel and director of college scouting, where he helped shape draft strategy and evaluate collegiate talent.
Smith’s hiring strengthens the Dolphins’ personnel department under general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan. Smith’s background in scouting and talent evaluation complements Miami’s aggressive offseason approach, particularly as the team navigates roster upgrades and draft decisions. His familiarity with different front office philosophies and talent pipelines is expected to add structure and insight to Miami’s long-term roster building.
Tabor: Veteran of Special Teams with Bills Background
On the coaching side, the Dolphins hired Chris Tabor as their special teams coordinator, replacing Danny Crossman. Tabor arrives from the Buffalo Bills, where he served in the same role during the 2025 season, bringing continuity and experience to a unit that faces pressures to maximize field position and efficiency.
Tabor’s résumé includes prior stops as Carolina Panthers’ special teams coordinator and a stint as interim head coach of that franchise. He’s known for strong fundamentals, situational awareness, and emphasizing hidden yardage gains and field position battles—key ingredients for consistent NFL special teams success.
Bills Special Teams Performance Under Tabor
The Bills’ special teams performance in 2025 was solid but not elite on a league-wide basis. According to available analytics rankings, Buffalo finished around 13th in special teams performance among 32 NFL teams during the regular season, a middle-of-the-pack showing.
Yet, there were standout individual contributions. Bills kick returner Ray Davis earned First-Team All-Pro honors after leading the league in kick return yards (943) and scoring on a 97-yard kickoff return—a notable achievement for any special teams coordinator to oversee.
For Miami, you can bet with the best pay per head that adding Smith and Tabor signals a focus on strengthening two core areas: talent acquisition and the often-undervalued special teams phase of the game. Special teams can tilt close games and impact field position, so having a coordinator with recent NFL experience—especially in a division rival’s system—could pay dividends. Meanwhile, Smith’s front office depth adds another experienced voice to player evaluation and roster strategy.
With these moves, the Dolphins are continuing the organizational refresh that began this offseason, blending front office expertise with coaching talent aimed at building consistency across all three phases of the game.
Go Phins!!!