The Jacksonville Jaguars went 13-4 in 2025. However, that didn't stop them from making tweaks to their coaching staff. Following the loss to the Buffalo Bills, they dismissed secondary coach Ron Milus. This isn't necessarily shocking when you take into account that communication breakdowns in the defensive backfield allowed quarterback Josh Allen to slice through the Jags' secondary without trouble.
And just one week after cutting ties, Jacksonville has reportedly found a replacement for Milus, one with ties to defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile.
The Jaguars are hiring Dolphins cornerbacks coach Mathieu Araujo
Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports reports that the Jaguars are hiring Miami Dolphins cornerbacks coach Mathieu Araujo. Not long ago, he also interviewed for the defensive coordinator vacancy with the New York Jets.
The #Jaguars are currently expected to hire #Dolphins cornerbacks coach Mathieu Araujo, sources tell @CBSSports.
— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) January 21, 2026
Has worked in Miami the last four seasons and had recently interviewed for the Jets defensive coordinator job. pic.twitter.com/fVbFfzU8DW
When Mike McDaniles became the head coach for Miami, he hired Araujo as the secondary coach. He worked alongside Anthony Campanile, who was at the time the linebackers' coach. With McDaniel getting the boot, his assistants were allowed to search for opportunities with other teams.
Before landing with the Phins, Araujo was the defensive coordinator at Yale, so he definitely has experience. That said, you cannot overlook his connection with Campanile.
Related: The latest NFL hiring cycle proves that the Jags moved on from Doug Pederson at the perfect time
Anthony Campanile's influence with the Jaguars is noticeable
Head coach Liam Coen surely had the final word, but you can bet that Anthony Campanile had a say on who the Jaguars hired as their secondary coach. And that's the thing: why wouldn't you want your coordinators to bring in their guys, the coaches they have previously worked with and know how they operate?
Although Campanile left Miami to coach the linebackers with the Green Bay Packers, Mathieu Araujo made a strong enough impact to get consideration for the Jaguars' secondary vacancy.
It's also worth noting that Araujo may be a better fit than Ron Milus. As John Shipley of Sports Illustrated pointed out, Jacksonville had one of the youngest staffs in the NFL, and Milus didn't seemingly fit the mold.
Now, Araujo will be tasked with getting the most out of a secondary stacked with talent: Antonio Johnson, Caleb Ransaw, Montaric Brown (possibly if he doesn't leave in free agency), Jourdan Lewis, and Jarrian Jones.
Keep in mind that Miles set a high bar because, as underwhelming as the secondary was in the playoffs, he got the most out of his unit during his regular season.
There's no doubt that Matthieu Araujo has his work cut out, but if he didn't have what it takes to face the challenge, the Jaguars wouldn't have hired him to begin with.
