Joe Philbin and Dennis Hickey – Can they be on the Same Page?

late last month the Miami Dolphins brought in former director of player personnel, Dennis Hickey, from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to become the team’s new general manager taking over for the embattled Jeff Ireland. The hiring came after Miami was unable to lure guys like Lake Dawson from Tennessee and Nick Caserio from New England.

A surprising hire to many, the move seems likely to give a lot of input on the personnel decisions to head coach Joe Philbin, on his third year with the team in 2014.

Prior to 2012 when Philbin was interviewing for potential landing spots, one of the teams he visited was the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Hickey was involved in the interview process and the two have had a pretty good personal relationship since.

Having both, the front office and head coach on the same page as far as personnel is concerned is a must for running a winning franchise. Even though the verdict is still out on Hickey, it was no secret that Philbin and Ireland didn’t really see eye to eye.

Reports recently surfaced that Philbin wanted the Dolphins to trade with kansas CIty Chief’s Pro Bowl tackle Branden Albert during this past off season. There was also scuttlebutt regarding Incognito and how Philbin wanted him cut after he felt up a charity event worker at a team event back in 2012.

Considering that the Dolphins allowed the most sacks in the NFL in 2013 and lost two starters on the offensive line to the first locker room bullying scandal in NFL history, it’s worth thinking how the season could of been if either one of those two moves had been made. Instead, at 8-8 Miami finished a victory away from a playoff berth.

A record of 15-17 in Philbin’s two seasons with the Dolphins, Joe will be feeling the pressure to win this coming season. Miami has gone five straight years without a winning season – the longest in club history. While the most maligned general manager in the NFL is gone, his replacement has yet to receive an enormous amount of praise early on.

It does however appear that the front office and coaching staff are getting not he same page; Something it wasn’t during Ireland’s tenure as general manager. Only time will tell if Hickey will be “The” guy in Miami to elevate the franchise, but having a stable relationship between the General Manager and the head coach can only be seen as a good thing.