Austin Clark joined the Miami Dolphins as outside linebackers coach in 2020 and was promoted to defensive line coach in 2021.
The Dolphins have posted winning seasons in each of Clark's four years with the team (2020-23), something only three other NFL franchises can claim. He helped the Dolphins reach the playoffs in 2022, the team's first postseason berth since 2016, and again in 2023, marking the team's first consecutive postseason appearances since 1997-2001.
In 2023, the Dolphins ranked 10th in the league in total defense after allowing just 318.3 yards per game. It was the first time Miami finished a season with a top 10 defense since 2010. The defensive line – highlighted by standout seasons from defensive tackles Zach Sieler and Christian Wilkins – contributed to a defense that led the league in quarterback hits (131), ranked third in sacks (56.0), sixth in yards per rush allowed (3.8) and seventh in rushing defense (97.1). The 56.0 sacks shattered the previous team record of 49.0.
Sieler had a career year in 2023. His 10.0 sacks were third-most among all NFL defensive tackles in 2023 and were the most by a defensive tackle in franchise history. He was tied for fifth with Wilkins in tackles (63) and also recorded a 5-yard interception return for a touchdown on Dec. 11, 2023 against Tennessee. In 2022, he recorded a career-high 70 tackles, tied for fifth-most by an NFL defensive lineman. Originally a waiver claim in 2019, Sieler became the first Miami player since 2000 to record multiple sacks in a playoff game. He also returned a fumble for a touchdown in the AFC Wild Card match at Buffalo, the first by a Dolphin in the postseason.
Clark has helped develop Wilkins into one of the league's top defensive linemen. In 2023, he recorded a career-high 9.0 sacks, which was fifth-most among all NFL defensive tackles. He totaled 63 tackles in 2023, bringing his career total to 353, which is more than any NFL defensive lineman since he was drafted in 2019. In 2022, Wilkins recorded 98 tackles, which was the most in a season by an NFL defensive lineman since at least 1994. With Wilkins' 89 tackles in 2021, he ranks first and third, respectively, on Miami's single-season tackles chart by a defensive lineman since 1986. Wilkins also had 16 tackles for loss in 2022, tied for the ninth-most in the NFL that season.
The Dolphins finished 2022 ranked fourth in the NFL in rushing defense, allowing just 103.0 rushing yards per game. Miami totaled seven sacks in the AFC Wild Card game at Buffalo, the most in any playoff game that postseason and the most in Dolphins playoff history.
In Clark's first season as defensive line coach in 2021, he helped multiple Dolphins defensive linemen have standout seasons. Wilkins' 89 stops were tied for the most by any NFL defensive lineman since 2013 and were the most by a Dolphins defensive lineman since defensive end Jeff Cross had 93 in 1993. Defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah recorded 12 passes defensed, which were the most by any NFL defensive lineman since 2016, and had career highs in tackles for loss (nine) and quarterback hits (24). As a unit, the Dolphins finished second in the NFL with 121 quarterback hits and fifth with 48.0 sacks, including eight in one game at New Orleans in Week 16. Miami led the NFL with 28 passes batted down at the line of scrimmage.
As outside linebackers coach in his first season with Miami in 2020, Clark helped the Dolphins defense improve from 32nd to tied for 10th in sacks (41.0). Miami also ranked sixth in the league in points allowed (21.1 per game). The Dolphins led the NFL in takeaways (29) and third-down defense (31.2 pct.) en route to winning 10 games for the first time since 2016. The team had three linebackers total at least 5.0 sacks in the same season for the first time in franchise history, as Jerome Baker had 7.0, Kyle Van Noy had 6.0 and Andrew Van Ginkel had 5.5.
Prior to joining the Dolphins, Clark spent two seasons (2018-19) as the defensive line coach at the University of Illinois.
In 2019, Clark helped the Fighting Illini finish the regular season 6-6 and earn an invitation to the Redbox Bowl, their first bowl appearance since 2014. The team had several notable wins, including an upset of No. 6 Wisconsin and a come-from-behind victory over Michigan State after trailing by 24 points. It was the largest comeback in school history. Junior Oluwole Betiku Jr. played in just 10 games due to injury but recorded nine sacks, which was tied for seventh in the Big Ten and tied for seventh in school history. He earned third-team All-Big Ten honors despite missing the previous season with an injury.
Clark mentored defensive end Bobby Roundtree in 2018, who led the nation in pass breakups by a defensive linemen with seven. His 7.5 sacks that season ranked sixth in the Big Ten.
Prior to Illinois, Clark spent two seasons (2016-17) at Southern California, where he coached defensive linemen and outside linebackers.
In 2017, Clark and the Trojans won the Pac-12 Conference and posted 46 sacks, tied for the most in the nation. He tutored outside linebacker Uchenna Nwosu, who was a second-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft (48th overall to Los Angeles Chargers), along with defensive tackle Rasheem Green, who was a third-round pick (79th overall to Seattle). Both players earned first-team All-Pac-12 honors and finished in the top 15 nationally in sacks. Green had 10 (tied for 11th) while Nwosu had 9.5 (tied for 15th).
Another future NFL player that Clark mentored at USC was defensive tackle Stevie Tu'ikolovatu, who was selected in the seventh round (223rd overall) of the 2017 NFL Draft by Tampa Bay. Tu'ikolovatu earned second-team All-Pac-12 honors as a senior in 2016 and was named the Rose Bowl Game Defensive MVP after the Trojans won the Rose Bowl for the first time since Jan. 1, 2009.
Clark began his post-playing career as a recruiting assistant at his alma mater, California, in 2015, where he helped the team win the Armed Forces Bowl.
He spent six years (2009-14) at California as a defensive tackle, earning an additional year of eligibility due to injury. As a sixth-year senior in 2014, Clark started 11 games, earned honorable mention All-Pac-12 recognition and won the Joe Roth Award, given annually by the school to a player who best exemplifies courage, sportsmanship and attitude.
Clark earned his bachelor's degree in American studies from California.
A Tampa native, Clark played prep football at Plant High School, where he helped his team win the 2008 state championship as a senior. He and his wife, Alyssa, have a son, Bear, and a daughter, Rylee.
