The Dolphins have made changes to their coaching staff, including the addition of Tony Sparano Jr. Miami head coach Tony Sparano's oldest son joins the staff as the offensive quality control coach. Sparano Jr. spent 2010 as the assistant defensive line coach for the Hartford Colonials.

The Dolphins have hired former wide receiver Ike Hilliard to be their assistant coach at the position. Karl Dorrell is moving from receivers coach to quarterbacks coach, while former offensive quality control coach Steve Bush is now the receivers coach. Hilliard joins Miami after two seasons with the Florida Tuskers of the United Football League.

Chad Henne is still part of Miami's plans for the future. The Dolphins will be in the market to acquire a quarterback, general manager Jeff Ireland said, but he still likes Henne's potential. "He has all the ability in the world," Ireland said. "We've just got to put a plan together and an offensive philosophy that fits Chad Henne, and I think we'll do that."

The Dolphins have signed general manager Jeff Ireland to a contract extension. Ireland joined the Dolphins in January 2008 after seven years with the Cowboys in their player-personnel department. Miami is 25-23 under Ireland's watch.

Chad Pennington has decided to try another comeback. Pennington, 34, lasted only two plays this season with the Dolphins, then underwent surgery on his throwing shoulder for the fourth time. "This will be a daily and weekly process," he said Tuesday. "At any given time my body can say, 'That's enough.' It will be an interesting time. It's a step of faith to see how far I can take this." Pennington has twice been chosen the NFL comeback player of the year, each time after returning from shoulder surgery. "I feel if I don't test it and see what's out there, I'll always have questions in the back of mind," Pennington said. "I still have the desire and passion to play the game. Until that fire burns out, I need to go after that."

Brad Childress will interview for the position of offensive coordinator with the Dolphins. Childress was the offensive coordinator of the Eagles before joining the Vikings in 2006. Any money he earns from another job would be deducted from the money he is owed by the Vikings.

Dolphins owner Stephen Ross wants an aggressive, creative offense next season. That unit won't have quarterbacks coach David Lee, the man who brought the Wildcat scheme to the team, then the NFL. Lee accepted the University of Mississippi's offensive coordinator job, the school announced Monday. He will take over play-calling duties from coach Houston Nutt, with whom Lee worked at Arkansas. Lee's Dolphins tenure produced mixed results. Miami's quarterback play was often spotty, but he was credited with bringing the Wildcat, a formation that features a running back who takes a direct snap, to the NFL in 2008. Many NFL teams now employ the scheme.

In addition to giving Tony Sparano a contract extension, the Dolphins have apologized to him for mishandling the team's coaching situation. "The lines of communication should be handled differently," general manager Jeff Ireland said. "Now," owner Stephen Ross said, "I would go about it a different way." Ross and Ireland flew cross-country for an interview Thursday with Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh, leaving Sparano in very public limbo. Ross said he had never interviewed a coach before and was naive to believe he could keep his meeting with Harbaugh secret. "I never thought it would be national news," Ross said. "I realized after having read the papers the anguish I had put Tony through."

The Dolphins have given coach Tony Sparano a two-year extension through the 2013 season and increased power over personnel, according to a team source. Miami general manager Jeff Ireland will stay have the final say on most matters. It had been reported that there was trouble between Sparano and Ireland following the team's courting of Jim Harbaugh. "There's no problem there," the source said Friday night of the Sparano-Ireland dynamic.

The Dolphins are prepared to offer Tony Sparano a one-year contract extension through the 2012 season, according to sources. There are believed to be some raw emotions stemming from Miami's courting of Stanford's Jim Harbaugh.