Dolphins hire Atlanta’s Kyle Smith as assistant GM and Buffalo’s Chris Tabor to lead special teams

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — The Miami Dolphins began putting together their new staff under head coach Jeff Hafley and general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan, hiring former Bills special teams coordinator Chris Tabor for the same role and adding Kyle Smith as assistant GM, a person with knowledge of the moves told The Associated Press.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the team had not announced the hirings.

Tabor spent the past season coaching Buffalo’s special teams and held the same title for three other teams: Carolina (2022-23), Chicago (2018-21) and Cleveland (2011-17).

It’s the first hiring for Hafley, the former Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator who the Dolphins formally introduced on Thursday along with Sullivan.

Tabor will take over a unit that was uneven last season. Miami’s special teams got a lot of production from returner Malik Washington, but had numerous penal...