When Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores decided to relieve offensive coordinator Chad O’Shea at the end of the season, Miami fans were shocked by the team’s sudden redirection on the offensive side of the ball. After all, Miami’s offense had come alive over the course of the final 10 weeks of the season and the Dolphins had found a way to move the ball consistently despite zero threat of a ground game.
If the rest of the league’s reaction to O’Shea being on the market is any indicator, it seems as though Flores was justified in his desire for a change. Because time after time, hire after hire, O’Shea was passed over for gigs. He had an ally in New York in Joe Judge — the same man who poached away Dolphins defensive coordinator Patrick Graham. He had the New England Patriots — a familiar face that he’d called home for quite some time.
And numerous other openings, none of which were offered to O’Shea. Until now, that is. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport is reporting that O’Shea has landed in Cleveland and will serve as the team’s WRs coach and passing game coordinator.
First and foremost, it is good to see O’Shea land on his feet and secure a gig. His time in Miami was brief, but he was a contributor to a surprisingly fun season and you never want to see someone locked out of their profession.
But it is somewhat curious that it has taken O’Shea this long to find a role — and that he’s taking a demotion to get back into the saddle. Who knows if we’ll ever know the full story of why a change was necessary after just one season together in Miami, but what we know in the aftermath is that O’Shea wasn’t viewed as a hot commodity.
