Robert Duyos/Sun Sentinel

Tony Sparano, who has risen through the pro coaching ranks to become head coach, shows the hard-working, grind-it-out approach that has started to take hold in the NFL.

Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

Day by day, the decision to keep Tony Sparano as coach of the Miami Dolphins feels a little more comfortable.

That’s because, day by day, teams across the NFL are trusting their operations to coaches who fit Tony’s relatively low profile.

On Thursday, the Cleveland Browns chose Pat Shurmur, the Rams’ offensive coordinator, as their new head coach. It was Mike Holmgren who made the call. He, like Shurmur, was a coordinator with no previous head coaching experience when Green Bay named him head coach in 1992. The Pack got a couple of Super Bowl appearances and one Lombardi Trophy out of that deal.

Earlier last week the Carolina Panthers introduced Ron Rivera, a defensive coordinator with the Chargers, as their head coach. That followed Minnesota turning interim head coach Leslie Frazier into its full-time boss and Dallas doing the same thing with Jason Garrett. Both were NFL coordinators previously.

It’s a familiar trend, and not only with franchises struggling to find the winning touch.

Of the 12 teams that made the playoffs this season, 10 are led by men still working their first NFL head coaching gigs. Bill Belichick and Pete Carroll are the exceptions.

What does all this prove? Not enough to convince Sparano skeptics, a group that I mistakenly and temporarily allowed myself to fall into on the afternoon of that miserable 38-7 drubbing at New England.

The resolution now is to see Sparano once again as his NFL brethren do, as a guy who knows from experience what doesn’t work on Sunday just as well as he knows what does. Players don’t like hearing both sides of that equation, but they must, and Sparano isn’t shy about delivering the news.

Tony also has a comprehensive knowledge of every detail that matters in building an NFL team, from waiver-wire rules to Senior Bowl scouting to deciding when and if a player should be marooned on injured reserve. The other stuff comes down to the slow and stubborn development of winning trends taught to him by Bill Parcells and Marty Schottenheimer and Tom Coughlin and Chris Palmer, each of whom once included Sparano on their NFL staffs.

That’s the formula involved in hiring long-time assistants, a formula that San Francisco rejected in going with Jim Harbaugh, the big-name hire of the moment.

Harbaugh played an eternity of NFL games but only coached in the league for two seasons as an Oakland assistant and did not rise to the level of coordinator. He’ll have a lot of learning to do about the logistics of the job, which only makes shaking the 49ers from the doldrums of a 6-10 finish that much tougher.

By comparison, is Sparano that much closer to boosting the Dolphins from the platform of a couple of 7-9 years? My guess is yes, with Miami’s shockingly good 6-2 road record as an indication that tough wins remain within Tony’s reach.

Look back, meanwhile, to the Dolphins’ recent marriages to headline-grabbing coaches with legendary reputations.

Jimmy Johnson was here and gone in four teasing seasons, a period during which Dom Capers and Jim Fassel won NFL Coach of the Year awards. Both of them were long-time coordinators making the most of their first head coaching opportunities.

Later came Nick Saban to the Dolphins. Over the stretch of his two disappointing seasons as head coach, two more league insiders on the rise, Lovie Smith and Sean Payton, won NFL Coach of the Year awards. Before long, each was in the Super Bowl, too.

Also, a few weeks after Saban announced his return to the college game, the Steelers turned their team over to Mike Tomlin, a former Vikings defensive coordinator who in short order became Pittsburgh’s third Super Bowl champion coach.

Now we could compile another list of coordinators who showed themselves to be uncoordinated as head coaches. Cam Cameron belongs there.

There must be a reason other than money, though, that these longtime lieutenants keep getting a shot, no matter how loudly fans clamor for established coaching stars.

Maybe it’s because a hard hat fits better and lasts longer than a crown in this league, and it’s the Tony types who know and appreciate the difference.

Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

Updated: 8:38 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2011

Posted: 8:07 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2011

As the Dolphins continued their search Wednesday for an offensive coordinator and a quarterbacks coach, two more candidates emerged – one considered one of the NFL’s bright young minds, the other a deeply experienced coach with a direct tie to Tony Sparano.

The Dolphins brought in Cleveland Browns offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, 35, for an interview Wednesday, according to ESPN, although it was unclear whether he was being considered to succeed offensive coordinator Dan Henning or quarterbacks coach David Lee.

Chris Palmer, Sparano’s long-time mentor who brought him to the NFL 12 years ago, will interview this week for both jobs, NFL Network reported.

Palmer, 61, has been coaching in college and the pros since 1972, including a stint as coach of the Browns and quarterbacks coach for the New York Giants and Eli Manning.

Also on the Dolphins’ short list are San Diego Chargers assistant head coach Rob Chudzinski, a former offensive coordinator in the NFL and at the University of Miami, and Dallas Cowboys tight-ends coach John Garrett, who worked with Sparano in Dallas in 2007 and reportedly interviewed with Miami on Wednesday.

Daboll, the Browns’ offensive coordinator the past two seasons, is a disciple of Bill Belichick and former Browns coach Eric Mangini, who was fired recently.

Daboll was a defensive coaching assistant and wide receivers coach with New England (2000-06), where he won three Super Bowl rings. He was poached by Mangini and the New York Jets in 2007 to be quarterbacks coach.

After two seasons in New York, including one year working with Brett Favre, Daboll followed Mangini to Cleveland, becoming his offensive coordinator in 2009.

But their time in Cleveland did not go well. The Browns finished 5-11 both seasons, and Daboll’s offense never fared better than 29th in points or yards.

In 2010, the Browns finished 31st in points – one spot behind the Dolphins – and 29th in total yards.

Daboll was not fired when Mangini lost his job Jan. 3, although the Browns are expected to replace the coaches on offense.

Palmer was the Browns’ head coach in 1999-2000 when the team was an expansion franchise. He and Sparano met in 1986, when Palmer became head coach at the University of New Haven and Sparano was a young offensive-line coach.

Palmer next went to Boston University and brought along Sparano, giving him his first experience as an offensive coordinator in 1989. They later worked together on the Browns; Sparano was offensive quality-control coach.

Palmer now is coaching Hartford in the United Football League. His defensive-line coach is Sparano’s son, Tony Jr.

Palmer has had spotty success in the NFL as a coordinator (with Jacksonville and Houston) and head coach. His Browns were 5-27 in his two seasons, finishing last in points and total offense. The expansion Texans never finished higher than 19th in total offense in his four seasons.

But his Jaguars’ offense finished in the top 10 in points and yards in 1997-98, and they reached the playoffs both times.

He has had more success as a quarterbacks coach. He had that role with the Patriots in 1996 when they reached the Super Bowl, helped Dallas’ Tony Romo become a Pro Bowler for the first time in 2006 and became the Giants’ quarterbacks coach in 2007, helping Manning lead the team to a Super Bowl title.

Broward adamant against Dolphins stadium deal

County opposition makes deal in Miami-Dade impossible
By Brittany Wallman
Sun Sentinel

Broward County commissioners denounced a plan to send hotel tourist taxes to the Miami Dolphins stadium, using terms like “vile’’ and “shameful’’ and saying they’d effectively kill it.

Now they’ve made it official, voting solidly in opposition Tuesday to a proposal to spend Broward’s hotel bed taxes to fix up the 23-year-old Sun Life Stadium in Miami-Dade County.

Their vote made stopping passage of a proposed state bill (HB141) one of the county’s legislative priorities in 2011. The proposed bill would make it legally possible for Broward to spend tourist taxes outside county borders, on the stadium.

Even if it passes in Tallahassee, though, County Commission approval would be needed to make it happen.

Supporters said renovating the stadium where the Dolphins play is crucial to attract Super Bowls to South Florida. And, the argument goes, hotels and businesses in Broward County reaped millions in benefits from that special game.

Broward tourism chief Nicki Grossman said last week that hotels in this county got more business from the Super Bowl than those in Miami-Dade did.

Several Broward commissioners came out against the plan last week, when news of the proposal first hit the public stage. But not until Tuesday was it clear that it doesn’t have the votes to pass in Broward.

Commissioner Chip LaMarca said he’s a sports fan but could never support it. He issued a statement Thursday that the Dolphins should “focus more on winning more than one game at home during the season instead of trying to pilfer tax dollars from our local government.” He emphasized his opposition Tuesday.

Commissioner Kristin Jacobs agreed, saying Broward shouldn’t wait for the bill to pass to have this debate.

“This is the point where we stand up and say ‘No. Hell, no,’ “ she said.

Dolphins senior vice president of media relations Harvey Greene said Tuesday the team is “disappointed’’ Broward would snuff out debate “long before everyone has been able to weigh the merits of a specific proposal.’’

He said the team holds out hope that “once all of the facts are known about what is at stake and what the benefits are to the local community, that a dialogue will be welcomed and a more constructive and informed discussion can occur.”

Dolphins CEO Mike Dee had floated the idea to hoteliers and tourism officials in Broward in recent months, but the team was unprepared to defend it or champion it when the idea became public last week. Likewise, no one stepped up to support it Tuesday.

The divisive proposal’s first step would be passage in the state Legislature. Then the county commissions in Broward and Miami-Dade would have to vote to implement it. Miami-Dade’s side of the equation would be a one-cent increase in the hotel bed tax to pay towards stadium rehab and enhancements of that county’s convention center. Broward could raise its tourist tax a penny also, under the proposed bill, though no one has said that would be necessary.

That Broward voted Tuesday to include its opposition in this year’s state legislative priorities means lobbyists for the county will have to work in Tallahassee against the bill. That puts one prominent county lobbyist in a squeeze. Ron Book works for Broward, but also is the lobbyist for the Dolphins.

Commissioner Kristin Jacobs said she found it “troubling’’ that “our own lobbyist is up there lobbying for the bill.’’ She asked interim county attorney Andrew Meyers what could be done. He said he’ll check, adding that “the potential remedy is termination’’ of his contract.

Book wasn’t present but said via e-mail that he’d seek a waiver releasing him from acting as the county’s lobbyist on this issue.

“If they do not approve,’’ he said, “we will look at our options.’’

Another of Book’s recent clients, the operators and tenants of Broward’s major sports venue, also are vehemently opposed. That’s the Bank Atlantic Center in Sunrise, where the Panthers play ice hockey.

Sunrise Sports & Entertainment President Michael Yormark told commissioners Tuesday that the attempt to snare Broward’s tax dollars is under a false guise as a Super Bowl issue.

“This is not about Super Bowls,’’ he told them. “This is about a roof being put on top of a facility so it can enter the entertainment industry and compete for concerts and shows and other events.’’

The Panthers arena was built with taxpayer support in Broward. The county contributes $9 million in tourist taxes each year for 30 years, in a deal that started in the mid-1990s, Vice Mayor John Rodstrom said. The arena operators have to share profits with the county, if the profits hit a certain threshold. But Rodstrom said that’s only happened once.

Only two of Broward’s nine commissioners – Stacy Ritter and Rodstrom – said they’d entertain the Sun Life stadium proposal.

The tax move would need six Broward County Commission votes, though, a super-majority.

Five commissioners were against it outright, and two, Barbara Sharief and Ilene Lieberman, weren’t present to say how they felt.

Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

Updated: 5:08 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 9, 2011

Posted: 4:03 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 9, 2011

DAVIE — “We’re at a happy place right now,” Tony Sparano said Saturday, a stony scowl on his face.

It took a two-year contract extension as head coach of the Miami Dolphins to coax those words out of his mouth.

Anything less and it would have been tough for Sparano to sit beside Stephen Ross at an awkward media gathering, listening to the team owner explain his clumsy and ultimately fruitless pursuit of a high-profile replacement.

Money fixes just about anything in the NFL or any other business, however, which means that Ross gets to say or believe anything he wants about what’s best for the Dolphins, a company that he’s still learning how to run.

This month marks two years of team ownership for Ross. From the small sample of public statements he has made, we know that he believed the Dolphins had enough to win the Super Bowl last season, and that Chad Henne had enough to be the greatest quarterback in franchise history, and that ushering entertainers like Fergie and Jennifer Lopez and Gloria Estefan into the Sun Life Stadium experience would make Dolphins home games irresistible to fans.

Overall, Ross seems uncommonly starstruck for a billionaire with access to powerful people in all walks of life. That, plus a lifetime fondness for all things Michigan, sent him jetting to California to court Jim Harbaugh as his new coach without bothering to fire Sparano first.

Now that the dust on all that has settled, and the dirt, too, Tony has to understand that it could happen again.

As good a coach as Sparano may eventually demonstrate himself to be, he’ll never have the crackle of celebrity. He’ll never be the straw that stirs the drink, or the center of cocktail party conversation at Ross’ Palm Beach mansion.

“A lot of it probably attributes to the Michigan connection, if nothing else,” Ross said of his Harbaugh hunt.

Ross’ name is on the university’s business school, the result of a $100 million gift to his alma mater, and some of his fondest Saturday afternoon memories include watching Harbaugh quarterback the Wolverines.

“The idea of hearing so much about somebody and going out there to meet him, he is a lot of what I’ve heard,” Ross said.

Ross concluded, however, while talking to Harbaugh, that “you don’t make change for the sake of change because things aren’t going the right way.” He advised Harbaugh to stay at Stanford, climbed back on the jet and texted Sparano that his job was safe after all.

This is short-attention-span theatre, so familiar to fans with their weekly rants on who should be fired and who should be benched and who should be added to the roster in the name of rapid renovation.

Ross isn’t kidding, then, when he said he fully identifies with fans. He had everybody cheering last off-season with his big-money acquisitions of Brandon Marshall and Karlos Dansby. Now he’s getting booed, but it’s more for failing to land Harbaugh than for hurting Tony’s feelings.

The real disappointment here is that Ross never tried to contact Bill Cowher or Jon Gruden, and made a big point of emphasizing that on Saturday. It would have added to his credibility as a builder of dreams if one of those Super Bowl winners had been Ross’ target rather than a flavor-of-the-month college coach.

Owners don’t get to be owners, though, by fretting over second-guessers. They shuffle personnel according to the whims of the moment and try to make up for bad decisions with moves that are bolder yet.

Meanwhile, consider Sparano’s contract extension a more formal apology, and a more significant one, than the one that Ross made Saturday with the cameras rolling.

He spoke in an upstairs boardroom at the team’s training facility, a space overcrowded with 40 reporters and cameramen. The auditorium would have worked better, but Ross admits his naivete in such matters. The thought that Dolphins fans would be tracking his negotiations with Harbaugh on a minute-by-minute basis, or that Sparano might be undermined by the process, supposedly never occurred to him.

Now the same childlike wonder is required of us in accepting that Ross is thoroughly pleased with Sparano as his coach, and that things with the Dolphins will be so much better in 2011 than they were in 2010.

“Everything I did was because I wanted a winner, just like the fans did, and to talk to the hottest coaches,” Ross said. “I think the fans like that. … I will deliver a winner. That is my commitment.”

Won’t ever catch this guy shooting for anything but the moon.

Should the Dolphins continue this unsettling drift, or even if Sparano begins to rally them back toward the playoffs, keep close that characterization of Ross’ enduring philosophy.

Let it be your happy place.

MIAMI — Jim Harbaugh forced the Miami Dolphins to call an audible.

Harbaugh and the Dolphins broke off talks Thursday, and the team was expected to retain Tony Sparano as coach, two people familiar with the negotiations said. Both people spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the negotiations were to remain confidential.

Dolphins owner Stephen Ross courted Harbaugh in a meeting in the San Francisco area, two other people with knowledge of the situation said. But after the meeting, Harbaugh was still considering staying at Stanford, one person said.

Harbaugh also met Thursday with the president of the university and the provost. The school made an amended offer to the coach with enhancements from an offer presented in early December.

A late-season collapse by the Dolphins put Sparano’s job in jeopardy. He has a year left on his contract and was at work at the team’s complex in Davie, while Ross was on the other side of the country courting Harbaugh.

Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck may have helped the Cardinal’s chances of keeping Harbaugh by deciding to stay to get his degree instead of cashing in on the chance to be the likely No. 1 pick in this year’s NFL draft. Luck, a sophomore, announced his decision Thursday.

Harbaugh met Wednesday with the San Francisco 49ers about their coaching vacancy. He may consider other suitors as well.

The Cardinal coach returned Tuesday to the Bay Area following their 40-12 Orange Bowl victory over Virginia Tech in the stadium Ross owns. Ross, Dolphins CEO Mike Dee and general manager Jeff Ireland were on the Stanford sideline before the game.

Ross flew to the Bay Area late Wednesday and departed California for Florida 24 hours later without a new coach. Harbaugh is the only candidate Miami is known to have interviewed.

Ross said before the season he expected the Dolphins to reach the Super Bowl. Instead, for the eighth time in nine years they failed to reach the playoffs, losing their final three games to finish 7-9.

The Dolphins endured a 38-7 drubbing at New England on Sunday and lost at home in December to three sub-.500 teams. Their 1-7 home record matched the worst in franchise history.

Sparano led Miami to the AFC East title in 2008, his first year as an NFL coach. He has a three-year record of 25-23 with the Dolphins, who haven’t won a playoff game since 2000 and haven’t reached the Super Bowl since 1984.

New Denver Broncos chief football executive John Elway has said he hopes to interview Harbaugh for their job, and new 49ers general manager Trent Baalke is looking for the coach to replace Mike Singletary, who was fired.

AP Sports Writers Larry Lage in Ann Arbor, Mich., and Janie McCauley in San Francisco contributed to this report.

MIAMI – Jim Harbaugh forced the Miami Dolphins to call an audible.

Harbaugh and the Dolphins broke off talks Thursday, and the team was expected to retain Tony Sparano as coach, two people familiar with the negotiations said. Both people spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the negotiations were to remain confidential.

Dolphins owner Stephen Ross courted Harbaugh in a meeting in the San Francisco area, two other people with knowledge of the situation said. But after the meeting, Harbaugh was still considering staying at Stanford, one person said.

Harbaugh also met Thursday with the president of the university and the provost. The school made an amended offer to the coach with enhancements from an offer presented in early December.

A late-season collapse by the Dolphins put Sparano’s job in jeopardy. He has a year left on his contract and was at work at the team’s complex in Davie, while Ross was on the other side of the country courting Harbaugh.

Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck may have helped the Cardinal’s chances of keeping Harbaugh by deciding to stay to get his degree instead of cashing in on the chance to be the likely No. 1 pick in this year’s NFL draft. Luck, a sophomore, announced his decision Thursday.

Harbaugh met Wednesday with the San Francisco 49ers about their coaching vacancy. He may consider other suitors as well.

The Cardinal coach returned Tuesday to the Bay Area following their 40-12 Orange Bowl victory over Virginia Tech in the stadium Ross owns. Ross, Dolphins CEO Mike Dee and general manager Jeff Ireland were on the Stanford sideline before the game.

Ross flew to the Bay Area late Wednesday and departed California for Florida 24 hours later without a new coach. Harbaugh is the only candidate Miami is known to have interviewed.

Ross said before the season he expected the Dolphins to reach the Super Bowl. Instead, for the eighth time in nine years they failed to reach the playoffs, losing their final three games to finish 7-9.

The Dolphins endured a 38-7 drubbing at New England on Sunday and lost at home in December to three sub-.500 teams. Their 1-7 home record matched the worst in franchise history.

Sparano led Miami to the AFC East title in 2008, his first year as an NFL coach. He has a three-year record of 25-23 with the Dolphins, who haven’t won a playoff game since 2000 and haven’t reached the Super Bowl since 1984.

New Denver Broncos chief football executive John Elway has said he hopes to interview Harbaugh for their job, and new 49ers general manager Trent Baalke is looking for the coach to replace Mike Singletary, who was fired.

___

AP Sports Writers Larry Lage in Ann Arbor, Mich., and Janie McCauley in San Francisco contributed to this report.

MIAMI (AP) – Jim Harbaugh’s blowout victory in the Orange Bowl made a big impression on Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross.

Harbaugh met Thursday with Ross in the San Francisco area about the Dolphins’ coaching job, two people with knowledge of the situation said. Both spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the meeting was to remain confidential.

Ross flew from his home in New York to San Jose, Calif., for the visit even while Tony Sparano remained Miami’s coach. A late-season collapse by the Dolphins left Sparano’s job in jeopardy.

While Stanford may lose Harbaugh, Cardinal quarterback Andrew Luck opted to stay in college to get his degree instead of immediately cashing in on the riches of being the likely No. 1 pick in the NFL draft. Luck announced his decision Thursday.

ESPN was first to report Harbaugh’s meeting with Ross. Harbaugh met Wednesday with the San Francisco 49ers about their coaching vacancy and may consider other suitors as well.

Harbaugh returned Tuesday to the Bay Area following Stanford’s 40-12 Orange Bowl victory over Virginia Tech in the stadium Ross owns. Ross, Dolphins CEO Mike Dee and general manager Jeff Ireland were on the Stanford sideline before the game.

Harbaugh was a star quarterback at Michigan, which also has a coaching vacancy. But Wolverines athletic director Dave Brandon has said he expects Harbaugh to take an NFL job.

Ross is also a Michigan graduate and a major contributor to the university. The school of business carries his name.

Landing Harbaugh will require a significant financial commitment. New Denver Broncos chief football executive John Elway has said he hopes to interview Harbaugh for their job, and new 49ers general manager Trent Baalke is looking for the coach to replace Mike Singletary, who was fired.

If Harbaugh reaches an agreement with the Dolphins, he would become their sixth coach since 2004. They haven’t won a playoff game since 2000 and haven’t reached the Super Bowl since 1984.

Sparano has a year left on his contract, but a late-season collapse may have sealed his fate. He has been working this week at the team’s complex in Davie, Fla., and when he took an afternoon walk Thursday, he encountered a cluster of media staking out the facility.

“You guys need to find a better hobby,” Sparano said.

While the Dolphins don’t technically having a coaching vacancy, they also must comply with the NFL’s Rooney Rule, which requires any team with a head coaching vacancy to interview at least one minority candidate. Harbaugh is the only candidate they’re known to have interviewed.

Miami decided to make courting Harbaugh its first priority. He’s 58-27 overall as a college coach and 29-21 in four seasons at Stanford. He took over a 1-11 team when he was hired in December 2006 and quickly transformed the program. The Cardinal set a school record for victories this season by going 12-1.

Harbaugh played 15 seasons in the NFL for the Bears, Colts, Ravens, Chargers and Panthers. He also has NFL coaching experience – he was the Raiders’ quarterbacks coach in 2002-03, then spent three seasons as head coach at the University of San Diego.

Harbaugh’s brother, John, is the coach of the Baltimore Ravens, who are in the AFC playoffs.

Ross said before the season he expected the Dolphins to reach the Super Bowl. Instead, for the eighth time in nine years they failed to reach the playoffs, losing their final three games to finish 7-9.

They endured a 38-7 drubbing at New England on Sunday and lost at home in December to three sub-.500 teams. Their 1-7 home record matched the worst in franchise history.

Sparano, who led Miami to that lone postseason berth in 2008, has a three-year record of 25-23.

—

AP Sports Writer Janie McCauley in San Francisco contributed to this report.

MIAMI (AP) – Jim Harbaugh’s blowout victory in the Orange Bowl made a big impression on Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross.

Harbaugh met Thursday with Ross in the San Francisco area about the Dolphins’ coaching job, two people with knowledge of the situation said. Both spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the meeting was to remain confidential.

Ross flew from his home in New York to San Jose, Calif., for the visit even while Tony Sparano remained Miami’s coach. A late-season collapse by the Dolphins left Sparano’s job in jeopardy.

While Stanford may lose Harbaugh, Cardinal quarterback Andrew Luck opted to stay in college to get his degree instead of immediately cashing in on the riches of being the likely No. 1 pick in the NFL draft. Luck announced his decision Thursday.

ESPN was first to report Harbaugh’s meeting with Ross. Harbaugh met Wednesday with the San Francisco 49ers about their coaching vacancy and may consider other suitors as well.

Harbaugh returned Tuesday to the Bay Area following Stanford’s 40-12 Orange Bowl victory over Virginia Tech in the stadium Ross owns. Ross, Dolphins CEO Mike Dee and general manager Jeff Ireland were on the Stanford sideline before the game.

Harbaugh was a star quarterback at Michigan, which also has a coaching vacancy. But Wolverines athletic director Dave Brandon has said he expects Harbaugh to take an NFL job.

Ross is also a Michigan graduate and a major contributor to the university. The school of business carries his name.

Landing Harbaugh will require a significant financial commitment. New Denver Broncos chief football executive John Elway has said he hopes to interview Harbaugh for their job, and new 49ers general manager Trent Baalke is looking for the coach to replace Mike Singletary, who was fired.

If Harbaugh reaches an agreement with the Dolphins, he would become their sixth coach since 2004. They haven’t won a playoff game since 2000 and haven’t reached the Super Bowl since 1984.

Sparano has a year left on his contract, but a late-season collapse may have sealed his fate. He has been working this week at the team’s complex in Davie, Fla., and when he took an afternoon walk Thursday, he encountered a cluster of media staking out the facility.

“You guys need to find a better hobby,” Sparano said.

While the Dolphins don’t technically having a coaching vacancy, they also must comply with the NFL’s Rooney Rule, which requires any team with a head coaching vacancy to interview at least one minority candidate. Harbaugh is the only candidate they’re known to have interviewed.

Miami decided to make courting Harbaugh its first priority. He’s 58-27 overall as a college coach and 29-21 in four seasons at Stanford. He took over a 1-11 team when he was hired in December 2006 and quickly transformed the program. The Cardinal set a school record for victories this season by going 12-1.

Harbaugh played 15 seasons in the NFL for the Bears, Colts, Ravens, Chargers and Panthers. He also has NFL coaching experience – he was the Raiders’ quarterbacks coach in 2002-03, then spent three seasons as head coach at the University of San Diego.

Harbaugh’s brother, John, is the coach of the Baltimore Ravens, who are in the AFC playoffs.

Ross said before the season he expected the Dolphins to reach the Super Bowl. Instead, for the eighth time in nine years they failed to reach the playoffs, losing their final three games to finish 7-9.

They endured a 38-7 drubbing at New England on Sunday and lost at home in December to three sub-.500 teams. Their 1-7 home record matched the worst in franchise history.

Sparano, who led Miami to that lone postseason berth in 2008, has a three-year record of 25-23.

—

AP Sports Writer Janie McCauley in San Francisco contributed to this report.

Eric Laakso, who played seven seasons as an offensive lineman for the Miami Dolphins, has died at the age of 54, the National Football League team said on its website.

Laakso was found dead of natural causes on Dec. 25, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported, citing the Broward County, Florida, medical examiner’s office.

Laakso was drafted out of Tulane University in 1978 and played in 86 games for the Dolphins, making 61 starts, including 48 straight. He was a member of both the 1982 and 1984 Dolphins’ teams that reached the Super Bowl, and was named to the All-NFL first team by the Sporting News in 1983.

“He was an inspirational player who was always viewed as a team leader,” Nat Moore, the Dolphins’ vice president/special adviser who was Laakso’s teammate, said in a statement.

POMPANO BEACH, Fla. — Former Miami Dolphins tackle Eric Laakso, a member of two Super Bowl teams in the 1980s, has died at age 54.

Laakso, who had battled heart disease, was found dead at his home Saturday, the Broward Medical Examiner’s Office said Monday.

Laakso played at Tulane before being drafted by the Dolphins in 1978. He spent seven seasons with them, started 61 games and was part of Miami’s two most recent Super Bowl teams in 1982 and 1984.

A funeral will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Menorah Gardens in Southwest Ranches, Fla.

POMPANO BEACH, Fla. (AP)—Former Miami Dolphins tackle Eric Laakso, a member of two Super Bowl teams in the 1980s, has died at age 54.

Laakso, who had battled heart disease, was found dead at his home Saturday, the Broward Medical Examiner’s Office said Monday.

Laakso played at Tulane before being drafted by the Dolphins in 1978. He spent seven seasons with them, started 61 games and was part of Miami’s two most recent Super Bowl teams in 1982 and 1984.

A funeral will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Menorah Gardens in Southwest Ranches, Fla.