After more than two decades with the Dolphins, general manager Chris Grier is out. The sides are mutually parting ways, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports.
Grier had been in place as Miami’s GM since 2016 but had only held full autonomy since 2019. Both he and Mike McDaniel were believed to be on shaky ground this season, and a 2-7 start will lead the veteran front office boss out of the picture. The Dolphins are retaining McDaniel through season’s end, according to Schefter.
“This morning, I made the decision along with general manager Chris Grier to mutually part ways. I have incredible respect for Chris and his family, and I want to thank him for his many contributions to the Miami Dolphins over the past 26 years,” Dolphins owner Stephen Ross said.
“As I assessed the state of the team and in my discussions with Chris, it became clear to both of us that change could not wait. We must improve — in 2025, 2026 and beyond — and it needs to start right now.”
Former Raiders interim GM Champ Kelly is back in that role, per Schefter. The Dolphins installing Kelly as their interim FO boss comes at a key point. He will be at the wheel as the Dolphins consider selling key pieces from their struggling team. Jaelan Phillips and Bradley Chubb are known trade candidates, and it is worth wondering if this shakeup will lead to the Dolphins listening on Jaylen Waddle — something they have not been doing thus far ahead of the Tuesday deadline.
The Dolphins had been viewed as reluctant to sell thus far, with NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero indicating the team had brushed off trade calls in hopes of a turnaround. With Grier and McDaniel clinging to their jobs ahead of Week 9, the Dolphins stood in a curious position at the deadline. With decision-makers having no incentive to make the team worse, the team had held off. It can be expected, with Kelly having far looser ties to the roster, the Dolphins will be more open for business now.
Grier hired McDaniel in 2022, doing so after the Dolphins chose their GM over HC Brian Flores — in a firing that preceded a highly publicized lawsuit from the three-year Miami sideline boss. But the duo was not viewed as a package deal heading into this season. Grier had made a host of shaky contract decisions in recent years, and while McDaniel is also on the hot seat, the HC will survive for the time being.
The 55-year-old exec had been with the Dolphins since 2000, having come up through the scouting ranks. The Dolphins hired Grier after a six-year tenure with the Patriots. In 2016, the team promoted him to the GM level. But Mike Tannenbaum still held the hammer as executive VP. That changed after the 2018 season, as Grier’s promotion keyed Tannenbaum’s exit.
A radical rebuild — one that came with tanking allegations from Flores against Ross — commenced that year, with the Dolphins trading Ryan Tannehill, Laremy Tunsil and Minkah Fitzpatrick. Grier’s overhaul did generate some success, but the next phase of that rebuild began to move the roster to its present state. With Ross’ statement making it rather clear Grier would have preferred to remain in his position, it is worth reexamining how this operation moved into this place.
While 2020 No. 5 overall pick Tua Tagovailoa — chosen one spot ahead of Justin Herbert — has been productive in stretches, the team has not seen its $53.1MM-per-year extension for the southpaw quarterback pay off. Grier’s 2022 trade for Bradley Chubb — the rare deadline move to involve a first-round pick changing hands — also preceded an injury that wiped out the standout edge rusher’s 2024 season. The team also did not see too much from the Jalen Ramsey trade, and Grier’s proceedings with Ramsey highlighted an interesting roster-building trend.
After rewarding Xavien Howard with an extension in his first offseason with full roster control, Grier gave into the Pro Bowl cornerback’s demands. Howard received a guarantee bump in 2021 and then another extension in 2022, despite years remaining on his previous accord. That created a lofty dead money bill when the Dolphins cut Howard in 2024. Miami is still on the hook for nearly $16MM in Howard dead cap this year, and the team’s decision to operate similarly with Ramsey will create notable 2026 dead money.
A day after the Broncos reset the cornerback market with Patrick Surtain‘s extension, the Dolphins paid Ramsey (three years, $72MM). Like Howard, Ramsey had more than a year left on his previous deal. Ramsey’s Rams-designed extension ran through 2025, but Grier — who had already approved a guarantee influx upon trading for Ramsey in 2023 — authorized another early extension. That complicated the June 2025 trade. Grier proceeded down this path again with Tyreek Hill, whose gripes about a new deal — as the receiver market exploded again in 2024 — led to a $54MM guarantee package in summer 2024. Grier also extended Zach Sieler with more than a year left on his contract this summer.
The Dolphins are expected to release Hill in 2026. The polarizing wide receiver stamped his Hall of Fame credentials in Miami, rewarding Grier for surrendering a five-pick package — including a first-rounder — in 2022. But Hill did not play well after the GM paid him again in 2024. The severe knee injury Hill suffered this season has his career at a crossroads. Ramsey counts more than $35MM in dead money between 2025 and ’26, with the extension he signed inflating that total. Hill’s release will tag the Dolphins with $28.25MM — a figure that could be spread through 2027 via a post-June 1 designation.
Grier did well to fleece the 49ers for the No. 3 overall pick in 2021, as San Francisco surrendered two first-rounders and a third to move up nine spots for Trey Lance. The Dolphins used one of the picks to climb up for Waddle in 2021. They included the other in the Hill trade. Hill’s arrival made a significant impact on Tagovailoa’s career, as the embattled QB led the NFL in yards per attempt in 2022 and in passing yards in 2023. But the southpaw’s concussion issues hindered him in 2022 and ’24. Through nine games in 2025, Tua sits 25th in QBR.
McDaniel oversaw the Dolphins’ first instance of back-to-back playoff berths since the Dave Wannstedt era, coaching the team to the postseason in 2022 and ’23. While the Dolphins’ playoff win drought leads the NFL at 24 seasons, McDaniel and Hill did plenty to coax Tagovailoa’s turnaround. The Dolphins rewarded the HC with an extension — one that runs through 2028 — before the ’24 season. Hill encountered a wrist injury before the 2024 season, and Tagovailoa went down with another concussion in Week 2. That harpooned the Dolphins’ offense, which dropped from second in scoring offense in 2023 to 22nd in ’24.
After Ramsey had taken issue with McDaniel’s leadership style, reports pointed to a lack of accountability under he and Grier. Hill famously refusing to return to action in Week 18 of last season became the image associated with these assertions, and while McDaniel said he spoke with the mercurial pass catcher about that act, Hill remained in place as Miami’s WR1 — after walking back his trade desire — entering this season. Tagovailoa also recently apologized for criticizing teammates for missing meetings or showing up late to them, further leading to the perception a lack of institutional control exists under McDaniel.
The Dolphins went 8-9 last season under McDaniel, whose performance through three seasons had been the best of any Miami HC since Wannstedt more than 20 years ago. His 2-7 start this season, however, certainly points to a firing at the campaign’s conclusion — or sooner.
It will be interesting to see if Ross gives McDaniel a chance to succeed without Grier, as his offensive acumen became clear — even with the team developing an earned frontrunner reputation, with late-season swoons taking place in 2022 and ’23 — during this tenure. McDaniel would surely be a coveted OC if the Dolphins move on following this season. Considering a new GM will be en route by then, McDaniel certainly faces an uphill battle to coach a fifth season in Miami.
The team hired Kelly as a senior personnel executive in March. This came after the Raiders split with the veteran exec, as they retooled their front office once again this offseason. Kelly served as interim GM in 2023 but was retained under Tom Telesco in 2024. The Raiders considered Kelly for the job Telesco received, and Kelly has taken part in GM interviews elsewhere. His work at the trade deadline figures to help determine where he lands in 2026 — should the Dolphins fully clean house at that point.
How is McDaniel not gone yet???
Dolphans everywhere rejoicing
Why get rid of him now since they are better off just playing out the year and not paying two coaches to lose.
They did say “More to come.”
Grier was the main problem, McDaniel will be gone after the season.
They still would have to pay him so might as well let McDaniel coach them and not get paid to consult for another team.
I suppose he’s seen as less responsible for Miami’s current predicament than Grier-which, to be honest, is quite understandable. The real question is whether Miami wants to stick with the Tua-Waddle combination, or start completely over.
Where would Tua go, in that case? Waddle is going to be in high demand if Miami relents on trading him. With Brown likely to stay put for this year, chances are that Waddle is the next best option and would be highly desirable. Tua is in a middle ground of being a proven starter, but not being an upgrade over most settled QBs. He’d somewhere between a bridge and a long term starter at the position, at this point. What teams need that? Does Minnesota? Does New Orleans? Arizona, after the potential departure of Murray? Would Vegas give him a try? Without Miami signaling what they want to do with Tua, that question will have to wait.
Interesting question on Tua. How about the Colts? If Danny Dimes leaves for greener pastures, the Colts could offer Tua a game manager type of role. His skillset is not so different from Jones. Depending on how the contract is structured, Miami would end up eating most of the guaranteed money.
Tua is overrated. He’s a perfect example of making a guy fit the system vs the system fitting the guy. He’s got a mid arm, which means his timing has to be different to make up for the lack of velocity, which it has not been. That’s a big issue. The biggest issue is the fact that we ALL know he’s one head hit from calling it a career. In my opinion, he should have already hung it up for his own safety. With that much money in the line…very few are going to take the bait.
I agree on all points. However, poor protection likely affects his timing, and again, depending on the contract structure, the new team may not owe much guaranteed money. He definitely should retire, but he apparently won’t.
I doubt Tua can be traded before the deadline at this point. Teams may be unwilling to take on the remainder of his base salary for the year. His 2026 salary ($39m) is also untradable this off-season unless he agrees to lower it.
There’s a really good chance Miami’s new GM just takes the dead-cap hit of $11m for a post-June 1 release in the off-season, which would be just one of a flurry of moves to get the cap situation cleaned up. This starts the full rebuild.
Edit: figures pulled from Spotrac and OTC
YEESSSSSS!!!!
LETS GOOOO!!!!!!
Half measure.
Do they actually think they’re fooling anyone by saying the divorce was “mutual”?
“Mutually parting ways” my ass. Grier was fired not 12 hours after Miami got smoked at home by Baltimore.
Perhaps Stephen Ross doesn’t know what the word means.
Mine wasn’t!
Perhaps Belichick could hook you up with a young hottie 🙂
Not sure they get a good gm because they are still stuck with tua’s contract.
They’re in one of the worst positions in football. I’d be firing McDaniel asap and cutting Tua in the off-season. I don’t see them coming back from this anytime soon. Major rebuild on the way
They can’t really cur Tua unless they want to lose money as his contract the dead money is more than the cap savings.
Long overdue, but good that they finally did it. The man took over as GM the same offseason Gase came in. He’s been disastrous with the offensive line. He’s squandered so much draft capital on bad picks, unnecessary trade-ups, and win-now moves. The team has a shocking lack of rookie contract talent. Good to fire him now, since a GM scratching to keep his job might not feel incentivized to sell off veterans when it’s what’s best for the future he won’t be part of.
As for McDaniel, I’m not really sure what you’d accomplish by firing him now. He’s gone next season anyway. He was brought in to fix Tua and I’m not sure any coach would have gotten more out of him. Curious to see what he can do as a play caller elsewhere. Might as well play out the string with him for now.
In order to make a determination on McDaniel, you would need to know how bad things are with the players. An interim coach isn’t going to go in there laying down the law and fixing the accountability problems, but players might play harder for a guy who is brought in to clean up a mess than for a guy who is perceived to have created the mess.
It’s not about wins and losses anymore. Just about keeping the toxicity at a manageable level.
I have a question, not a Dolphin’s fan BTW. If McDaniel would be highly coveted as HC by other teams – he does have an impressive resume – why firing him? It doesn’t make any sense…
Which part impresses you?
Well, McDaniel came to Miami with the reputation as an offensive mind after working under Kyle Shanahan for nearly a decade. McDaniel followed him along stops in Washington, Cleveland, Atlanta and finally San Francisco, where he was the team’s offensive coordinator in 2021. If he didn’t have matching skills then he wouldn’t be a coach for sure.
what a mess .. grier pretty much got everything wrong .. probably will get worse before it gets better