Dolphins Assistant Jim Caldwell Taking Leave of Absence for Health Issues

Miami Dolphins assistant head coach and quarterbacks coach Jim Caldwell announced Saturday he "will take a leave of absence to address health issues," per the team.

"I will be stepping back due to some medical complications that require my full attention," Caldwell said. "I want to thank Stephen Ross, Chris Grier, Coach Flores and the rest of the organization for the support they have given me and my family."

Caldwell will remain with the organization as a consultant for the 2019 season.

Dolphins head coach Brian Flores commented on Caldwell's status: "Our focus is on Jim's health and supporting him in every way that we can. With his knowledge and experience, Jim has been an invaluable member to our coaching staff and will continue to serve as a sounding board for me throughout the season."

The Dolphins hired the 64-year-old Caldwell in February after they hired Flores as their new head coach.

Caldwell was considered a significant addition to the coaching staff since Flores' only NFL experience is as a longtime assistant with the New England Patriots.

On the heels of an eight-year stint as the head coach at Wake Forest from 1993 to 2000, Caldwell made the leap to the NFL, and he now has 17 years of experience.

Much of that time was spent as an offensive assistant, but Caldwell also was an NFL head coach for seven years. He went 26-22 in three seasons with the Indianapolis Colts and later went 36-28 in four seasons with the Detroit Lions before he was fired at the conclusion of the 2017 season.

He made the playoffs four times in those seven seasons and reached the 2009 Super Bowl with Indianapolis.

Caldwell is also a two-time Super Bowl champion as an assistant, winning with the Colts in 2006 and with the Baltimore Ravens in 2012.

He brings a ton of experience to the table and would have been a major asset for a young head coach and a young team in the midst of a rebuild.

While Caldwell likely won't be on the sideline on game days, the fact that he is remaining with the Dolphins means he can still be of great help to Flores throughout the 2019 campaign.