Latest news with #Aukerman
USA Today
23-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
New Dolphins ST coordinator explains why team targeted long snapper Joe Cardona
New Dolphins ST coordinator explains why team targeted long snapper Joe Cardona The Miami Dolphins have rotated through a few beloved long snappers in their history dating back to Ed Perry, John Denney, Taybor Pepper, and most recently, Blake Ferguson. But after the Dolphins parted ways with Ferguson, veteran Joe Cardona is set to take over the job. Cardona, a fifth-round pick for the New England Patriots in the 2015 NFL draft, played 10 seasons for the Dolphins' AFC East rivals. But when he was released by the Patriots at the end of April, new Dolphins special teams coordinator Craig Aukerman jumped at the chance to add the veteran. "An opportunity to get Joe [Cardona] – when that happened, I think I sprinted down to Chris [Grier]'s office and said, 'Hey, this guy has done it for 10 years in the National Football League at a very high level,'" Aukerman told reporters this week. 'I was excited for the opportunity to have that chance to get him and then when he signed, it was really big for us as an organization to bring a guy in there with that type of experience – a guy who's won multiple Super Bowls, who's done it a very long time – so really excited to have him here.' Long snapping is an unheralded job that requires consistent precision without any room for mistakes on game days. 'It's tough. And that's why these guys – I've been very excited about their process that they go through every single day," Aukerman said. "They are pros and it's fun to watch them understand and talk about different things and communicate, and when you have three or four different long snappers, it's tough because maybe one of the times he's a left-hander and now it's going to be a different type of spin that's going to be on the ball." That was a challenge that Dolphins punter Jake Bailey and kicker Jason Sanders had to navigate in 2024. With Ferguson sidelined for most of the year, the team cycled through Tucker Addington, Jake McQuaide, Matt Overton, and Zach Triner for three games each. "That's why I give those guys so much credit, being able to deal with the adversity that was happening with having a bunch of different snappers and then them competing at such a high level was big,' Aukerman said. With Cardona in the role in 2025, the Dolphins should have the consistency they lacked in 2024.
USA Today
23-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
New Dolphins special teams coordinator weighs in on punter competition
New Dolphins special teams coordinator weighs in on punter competition When Miami Dolphins special teams coordinator Craig Aukerman joined the team earlier this offseason, it didn't take long for the coach to be reunited with punter Ryan Stonehouse. The duo spent close to two seasons together with the Tennessee Titans before Aukerman was let go late in the 2023 season. Now Stonehouse is also in his first season with the Dolphins and will compete with Jake Bailey to be Miami's punter this fall. "My major thing is I'm all about competition," Aukerman said. "Jake (Bailey) is an All-Pro punter. Ryan Stonehouse is an All-Pro punter. When an opportunity arose that Ryan was free, hey, let's bring him down here. Nothing is guaranteed to anybody" But Aukerman says he didn't have a huge hand in the reunion actually coming to fruition. "I have good dialogue with Coach Mike (McDaniel) and with Chris (Grier), whether they're coming in my office or me going in there. There's always going to be dialogue between us, but they handle the roster so that stuff, I wouldn't say I have a big-time role in it. I give my opinion on certain things and I let them handle the roster,' Aukerman said. In two seasons with the Dolphins, Bailey has averaged 46.4 yards per punt -- an improvement from the 45.9 yards he averaged in four season with the New England Patriots. However, Bailey was much better in placement for the Patriots, pinning 45.9 percent of his punts inside the 20-yard line in New England. That number has dropped to 38.5 percent in his two years in Miami. Stonehouse burst on to the NFL scene in 2022 when he earned Second Team All-Pro honors by averaging an NFL-record 53.1 yards per punt -- a number he matched in 2023. But his low hang time frustrated coaches and eventually resulted in a relatively surprising split with the Titans. Winning the job with the Dolphins will take more than just big kicks from either player, though. 'I think everything – holding, punting, directional punting, distance, hang time – all that stuff [plays a role]," Aukerman said. "Obviously Jake (Bailey) has a lot of reps with Jason (Sanders), but it's also going to be our job to get Ryan (Stonehouse) and Jason ready just in case he ends up winning the job. "Jason had an unbelievable year and I credit Jake with that, too, because it's tough to go through a bunch of long snappers in a season and I thought those guys handled it like pros last year. Obviously, Jason had one of his best years of his career which was unbelievable. Yeah, everything will be factored into the competition.' Sanders has had several holders in his seven seasons in South Florida, and last season Bailey helped him to a 90.2 field goals made percentage, the second-best of his career. Sanders also enters 2025 with the NFL's longest active consecutive kicks made streak at 27, including nine from 50-plus yards. "It's all about competition and the thing that I love about competition, it makes the guys step up their game, and I think this is going to be big for both of them," Aukerman said.
CBS News
06-02-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
ACLU speaks on immigrants' rights at Michigan schools: "All children should feel safe going to school"
(CBS DETROIT) — After the Trump administration announced plans to remove the "sensitive locations" policy for immigration enforcement, Michigan's chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union decided to act. "All children should feel safe going to school, and all parents should feel safe sending their kids to school," said Miriam Aukerman, senior staff attorney with the ACLU of Michigan. On Wednesday, the organization partnered with the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center to share a letter they sent to Michigan school districts detailing how to protect and support children's legal rights while on campus. "We can't change the fact that teachers now have to worry that ICE will burst into their classrooms to drag children away," said Aukerman. Attorneys with the ACLU say the new policy of allowing immigration agents to conduct operations in previously "safe" places – like schools, school playgrounds or bus stops – pushed them to provide additional resources for support. "What we can do and have done is make sure that schools know what the law is and how to do everything they can to keep children out of harm's way when they come to school," said Aukerman. One way of doing that is by ensuring students know their rights – what they do and do not have to say if immigration agents question them. In a separate move, the Michigan chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations released new videos that explain the information in Arabic. CAIR-Michigan executive director Dawud Walid says the decision to create the videos was essential. "People in our community need to be empowered with information because without having a lack of information, people don't know their rights, and that leads to fear and hysteria," said Walid. This comes less than two weeks after Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel joined a multi-state lawsuit against the executive order impacting birthright citizenship – arguing that children denied automatic citizenship "will live under a constant threat of deportation." Those behind the letter say they hope the community will support their neighbors and empower them to ask for help. "If educators take the steps outlined in our letter, more kids will feel safe enough to attend and learn more, and parents will feel that their schools are a safe place to send their children," said Elly Jordan, managing attorney with the Michigan Immigration Rights Center.
CBS News
30-01-2025
- Sport
- CBS News
Dolphins tap Craig Aukerman as new special teams coordinator
The Miami Dolphins hired veteran assistant Craig Aukerman as their special teams coordinator on Wednesday. Aukerman spent this past season as a special teams assistant for the Rams, who won the NFC West and made it to the divisional round of the playoffs. Before that, Aukerman spent seven seasons with Tennessee, five years as special teams coordinator (2019-2023) and two as a special teams assistant (2017-18). He coached two Pro Bowl players in punter Brett Kern (2017-19) and long snapper Morgan Cox (2022). Kern led the NFL in both net punting average (44.6 yards) and gross punting average (49.7 yards) in 2017. Aukerman was fired by Tennessee during the 2023 season after a disastrous game in which the Titans had a punt blocked and returned for a touchdown followed by punter Ryan Stonehouse suffering a season-ending leg injury on his next punt attempt. Aukerman replaces Danny Crossman, who was fired earlier this month after six seasons in Miami.
Fox Sports
29-01-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Dolphins hire Craig Aukerman as special teams coordinator
Associated Press MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — The Miami Dolphins hired veteran assistant Craig Aukerman as their special teams coordinator on Wednesday. Aukerman spent this past season as a special teams assistant for the Rams, who won the NFC West and made it to the divisional round of the playoffs. Before that, Aukerman spent seven seasons with Tennessee, five years as special teams coordinator (2019-2023) and two as a special teams assistant (2017-18). He coached two Pro Bowl players in punter Brett Kern (2017-19) and long snapper Morgan Cox (2022). Kern led the NFL in both net punting average (44.6 yards) and gross punting average (49.7 yards) in 2017. Aukerman was fired by Tennessee during the 2023 season after a disastrous game in which the Titans had a punt blocked and returned for a touchdown followed by punter Ryan Stonehouse suffering a season-ending leg injury on his next punt attempt. Aukerman replaces Danny Crossman, who was fired earlier this month after six seasons in Miami. ___ AP NFL: recommended
