Davie, Fla. ? Miami Dolphins coach Dave Wannstedt received a reprieve Monday. And an extension. And a demotion.

Team owner Wayne Huizenga settled on the curious mix to resolve the status of his embattled coach.

Wannstedt gave up responsibility over personnel decisions in exchange for a two-year contract extension through 2006. The Dolphins will hire a general manager who will have final authority over the draft and free-agent signings.

Wannstedt is 41-23 with Miami, including 10-6 this year. But the Dolphins have missed the playoffs in consecutive seasons for the first time since 1988-89, which prompted speculation Huizenga might fire Wannstedt.

On the morning after a meaningless season-ending victory over the New York Jets, Wannstedt arrived at work at 5:30 and met with Huizenga several hours later. Wannstedt emerged smiling, saying he embraced his new role.

“It’s a seven-days-a-week, 52-weeks-a-year job nowadays,” he said. “You need a little bit of a break. It was a time thing that affects you as much as anything. This will help there, where I can spend a little more time with the football part of it.”

Candidates for the general manager’s job include Dolphins senior vice president Rick Spielman, their personnel boss for four seasons while reporting to Wannstedt, and former New Orleans general manager Randy Mueller, who traded Ricky Williams to Miami in 2002.

Miami gave Dave Wannstedt a two-year extension.