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Tony Sparano Expected To Be Fired At End Of Season; GM Jeff Ireland To Return

The Dolphins are not expected to retain coach Tony Sparano at the end of the season but GM Jeff Ireland will return, according to a report.

MIAMI GARDENS, FL - DECEMBER 11: Miami Dolphins head coach Tony Sparano looks on during a game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Sun Life Stadium on December 11, 2011 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
MIAMI GARDENS, FL - DECEMBER 11: Miami Dolphins head coach Tony Sparano looks on during a game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Sun Life Stadium on December 11, 2011 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
MIAMI GARDENS, FL - DECEMBER 11: Miami Dolphins head coach Tony Sparano looks on during a game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Sun Life Stadium on December 11, 2011 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
Getty Images

The Miami Dolphins are expected to do what everyone has thought for most of this season -- fire head coach Tony Sparano at the end of the season. Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald reports that, with the Dolphins loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, the decision is now done -- Sparano won't return.

The Dolphins maintain there hasn’t been an official decision made but, as Salguero points out, logically speaking it’s a done deal. Sparano won’t be back but that’s something we expected to hear reported about this time of year.

The newsy part of Salguero’s report is that GM Jeff Ireland is indeed expected to return to South Florida next season. Dolphins owner Stephen Ross apparently believes the Dolphins have considerable talent, which is Ireland’s area, but they’re underachieving on the field.

The Dolphins still don’t have a quarterback of the future so whoever is brought in to coach the team will likely enter a situation where the team focuses in on a quarterback in April’s draft.

A new coach and a new quarterback for the fresh start in Miami. Check out SB Nation’s The Phinsider to see what Dolphins fans are saying about the report.

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