Dolphins special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi named assistant head coach

The Miami Dolphins coaching hierarchy continued its midseason shuffle on Monday, with the team announcing they’re promoting Darren Rizzi to assistant head coach in addition to his duties as special teams coordinator.

Rizzi, in his seventh season with the organization, will still be in charge of the Dolphins’ kicking teams.

Rizzi’s unit has annually finished as one of the NFL’s best when all elements of special teams are factored in.

This year, Jarvis Landry leads the National Football League with 20.6 yards per punt return and is fourth in the AFC with 23.3 yards per kickoff return. Rookie punter Matt Darr ranks fifth in the National Football League, averaging 48.8 yards per punt.

The Dolphins reached out to a number of experienced head coaches in a search for help for new interim head coach Dan Campbell. Rizzi was the special teams and linebackers coach at Northeastern University in 1998. Rizzi began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Colgate in 1993.