NFL Rumors: Former Wisconsin Coach Bret Bielema Could Join Dolphins Staff

The Miami Dolphins are looking to hire New England Patriots defensive play-caller and linebackers coach Brian Flores, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network:

On Saturday, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reported that Flores would attempt to hire ex-Wisconsin and Arkansas head coach Bret Bielema to his staff.

Jackson reported that a source believes Bielema could become Flores' defensive coordinator in Miami. He also said that Patrick Graham, the Green Bay Packers' defensive run game coordinator and inside linebacker coach, could also be in the defensive coordinator mix.

Bielema, who has worked this season as a consultant for the Pats, went 68-24 in from 2006 to 2012 at Wisconsin. He led the Badgers to back-to-back Rose Bowl appearances.

Bielema then left Wisconsin for Arkansas, but he did not have similar results. From 2013 to 2017, the Razorbacks went just 29-34 under his watch, including an 11-29 mark in SEC play. The Razorbacks did win bowl games in 2014 and 2015, but the team never finished better than 8-5.

The 49-year-old Bielema played football at the University of Iowa and made stops there and at Kansas State before he landed with the Badgers as the team's defensive coordinator in 2004.

If he lands in Miami, Bielema will have some excellent talent to work with in the secondary thanks to defensive backs Xavien Howard and Minkah Fitzpatrick. The defense as a whole needs work, however, as the team allowed 27.1 points per game, which was the sixth-worst mark in the NFL.