Dolphins To Hire Jon-Eric Sullivan As GM
The Dolphins were known to be nearing a hire for their general manager position. The process of finding Chris Grier‘s replacement is now complete.
Miami is hiring Jon-Eric Sullivan to fill the GM role, as first reported by Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. Sullivan was among the four finalists for the position and loomed as a strong candidate to get the nod. Now, his attention will turn to playing a key role in the Dolphins’ head coaching search.
This move represents the first time Sullivan will hold a position outside of Green Bay. The former Packers intern spent more than two decades with the franchise, working his way through the ranks of both the scouting and personnel departments. Sullivan was promoted to VP of player personnel in 2022, and he regularly found himself on the radar of teams seeking a new GM during recent hiring cycles. Troy Aikman (brought in as a consultant for this search) was Sullivan’s top supporter, Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports.
Now, 2026 will see Sullivan take charge of an NFL team for the first time. He will become a central figure in Miami’s organizational reset. The team fired head coach Mike McDaniel yesterday in a move which came as a surprise to many. The Dolphins’ intent remained to fill the GM position in short order before focusing on the process of finding McDaniel’s replacement. That search will be one of eight around the league.
Owner Stephen Ross will have the final say on a HC hire, but Sullivan – who interviewed virtually with the Dolphins on Tuesday before taking part in an in-person meeting yesterday – will of course be involved as well. Once a move is finalized on that front, the team’s new group of decision-makers will face a number of important roster questions. Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa faces an uncertain future, as does receiver Tyreek Hill.
Having spent his entire career to date in Green Bay, Sullivan has clear ties to a pair of 2026 head coaching candidates: Mike McCarthy and Jeff Hafley. The former spent last season out of coaching while the latter is one of several highly-regarded defensive coordinators set to receive HC interest. The possibility of Miami targeting McCarthy and/or Hafley over the coming days will be worth watching closely.
After Grier’s firing, Champ Kelly was handed interim GM duties. He progressed to the final stage of interviews for the full-time gig, but with an outside hire having been made Kelly may soon depart for a new opportunity elsewhere. Chargers assistant GM Chad Alexander and 49ers director of scouting and football operations Josh Williams have also become runners-up for the role, so they will turn their attention elsewhere. At this point, the Falcons represent the only other general manager vacancy in the NFL.
Over the course of Grier’s lengthy tenure in Miami’s front office, the team’s drought for playoff wins extended to 25 years and counting. Ending that league-leading mark (along with a two-year run of losing records) will of course be a critical goal for Miami’s new power structure once it is in place. Sullivan is in position to be a leading figure in that regard for years to come.
Giants Expected To Interview John Harbaugh; Jaxson Dart Appeals To Free Agent HC?
John Harbaugh-Giants noise is not quieting. Although eight HC jobs are now open, the Giants continue to find themselves in the thick of a race that has not technically started yet.
The recently fired head coach is not planning to schedule interviews until Monday, according to the New York Daily News’ Gary Myers, but the Giants are believed to have engaged in at least four conversations with the newly available leader.
[RELATED: Bills, Packers On Radar For Stealth Harbaugh Pursuits?]
They have kept in “close contact” with Harbaugh ahead of an expected interview, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini tweets. This has lasted since minutes after his Ravens firing, when as many as nine teams contacted him. The Giants were then viewed as preparing an aggressive run at the proven winner.
A Harbaugh-Giants meeting is likely to occur midway through next week, per ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan, who passes along one reason Harbaugh is believed to be interested in the New York job. Jaxson Dart represents a key reason for the Super Bowl-winning HC’s interest, with Raanan noting the 2025 first-round pick is believed to be a “significant” driver for Harbaugh.
The Dolphins are expected to launch a pursuit of Harbaugh, though Myers notes they had yet to contact him as of late Thursday night, but Miami has a major quarterback question in the event the team will move on from Tua Tagovailoa at a historically expensive cost. Other HC-needy teams in this year’s cycle do not look to have a long-term QB on their roster (Browns, Cardinals, Raiders) or employ one with persistent health issues (Falcons). The jury certainly has not reached a verdict on Dart, but he showed promise as a rookie.
Harbaugh, 63, would have a fixer-upper on his hands in New York. The Giants have many holes along their offensive line, potentially needing three to four new starters alongside Andrew Thomas, and their defense ranked 26th in scoring and 28th in yardage despite Abdul Carter‘s arrival and the signings of Paulson Adebo and Jevon Holland.
Harbaugh has only worked with GMs groomed by the Ravens — Ozzie Newsome, Eric DeCosta — but Joe Schoen does not (as of now, at least) appear to be a dealbreaker for the in-demand candidate. A coach of Harbaugh’s stature, however, would naturally have some leeway to cut into Schoen’s full-on roster control — power he wielded during the Brian Daboll era — if that is something he seeks during this hotly contested derby.
The Falcons have also come up as an interested team, and mutual interest may exist between the coach and the Browns. The Dolphins made a point to fire Mike McDaniel after Harbaugh became available. Stephen Ross has shown Harbaugh interest in the past — including via trade ahead in the late 2010s, before the team’s Brian Flores hire — but the owner is believed to have fired McDaniel independent of Harbaugh’s status. Still, Miami will likely be in the mix here soon. But the Giants have been the team most closely connected to him thus far.
Falcons Interview Five For President Of Football Position
Earlier this week, it was announced that former Falcons long-time quarterback Matt Ryan was expected to be hired into a new position in Atlanta’s front office. It was initially reported as a president of football operations job, but it seems the title the Falcons are going with is just president of football. 
Per Falcons senior reporter Tori McElhaney, team owner Arthur Blank described the position, saying, “The leader in this new role will set the vision for our team. Our new head coach and general manager will report to the new president of football, and they will work collaboratively as a football leadership team on all football decisions. Final decision-making authority will rest with the president of football.”
This shines new light on the position as one superior to that of the head coach and general manager, who will both apparently report to this president of football. Today, the team also announced that five candidates have been interviewed for the position that had been expected to go to Ryan days ago. Lions chief operating officer Mike Disner, Panthers executive vice president of operations Brandt Tilis, 49ers director of scouting and football operations Josh Williams, Bears assistant general manager Ian Cunningham, and Ryan, the current CBS analyst, were the five interviewed candidates.
Disner started his career as an intern in New England before joining the Cardinals, with whom he spent six years as director of football administration. He then spent four years at the NFL Management Council before eventually joining the Lions. He’s been credited as being a part of the leadership group that oversaw the current general manager and head coach hirings in Detroit and connecting business strategy with football operations. The team believes Disner’s experience fits Blank’s expectations for the role very well.
Tilis also spent time at the NFL Management Council, afterwards finding his way to Kansas City. He worked for the Chiefs for 14 seasons, starting as a salary cap/contract analyst, then advancing through director of salary cap and football operations analytics, and director of football administration roles to become vice president of football operations. After three years in that role, Tilis was offered his current job in Carolina. Tilis’ financial acumen is what Atlanta covets here. He’s known as having been the lead negotiator when the Chiefs extended quarterback Patrick Mahomes to his 10-year deal. His role with the Panthers has seen him play “a role in creating cap stability while improving roster health and talent,” once again displaying the type of overarching vision that Blank is looking for.
Williams took to the business world in New York City following the end of his collegiate playing career at Columbia. He joined San Francisco’s scouting department in 2011 and has been with the team ever since, serving in the roles of pro personnel scout, NFS scout, area scout, and national scout before being elevated to his current role last year. Williams was also a participant in the NFL’s Front Office and General Manager Accelerator Program in 2024.
Cunningham started in Baltimore as a player personnel assistant, working his way up to area scout in his nine seasons with the team. He left the Ravens for Philadelphia to serve as director of college scouting before moving up to assistant director of player personnel and, eventually, director. In 2022, he was hired into his current role with the Bears, who had never had an assistant GM before. His meteoric rise through the ranks of his two prior programs and the quick turnaround to success that has followed his arrival in Chicago has Atlanta intrigued in his potential to do something similar with the Falcons.
It would be prudent to point out that, as two external minority candidates, Williams and Cunningham technically satisfy the Falcons’ Rooney Rule requirements that tend to apply to the hiring of positions such as general manager or head coach. Since this position seemingly oversees both, Atlanta may have been covering their bases by interviewing four other candidates, including the two minority candidates, instead of just hiring Ryan as initially thought in original reports. That being said, ESPN’s Adam Schefter called Cunningham “a favorite for the job,” but that remains to be seen.
Ryan was the last interviewed candidate announced by the team today, and his experience obviously comes from the 14 years he spent as the franchise’s starting quarterback. He’s reportedly become a trusted voice in the building, and his relationship with Blank makes him widely expected to land the position, as initially reported. According to Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports, Ryan concluded the team’s interviews for the position, and a decision is now expected to come in the near future.
Cowboys Denied Request To Interview Falcons DC Jeff Ulbrich; Matt Patricia On Radar?
JANUARY 9: According to Calvin Watkins of The Dallas Morning News, the Cowboys concluded their interviews with Jones and Banda today, and Leonhard’s interview will take place tomorrow.
JANUARY 8: Now in the market for a defensive coordinator to replace the fired Matt Eberflus, the Cowboys struck out in their attempt to interview Falcons D-coordinator Jeff Ulbrich. The Falcons denied their request, Jordan Schultz reports.
The firing of head coach Raheem Morris has left Ulbrich and Atlanta’s other assistants in limbo. It’s unclear if any of them will return, but Falcons owner Arthur Blank has made it clear he doesn’t want to lose Ulbrich.
If Blank has his way, Ulbrich will remain the Falcons’ defensive coordinator under their next head coach, per Schultz. However, Blank will leave Ulbrich’s future up to Morris’ successor. If that individual doesn’t want to retain Ulbrich, he may end up with the Cowboys or another team in the next few weeks.
While Ulbrich is not a candidate for Dallas right now, other possibilities have emerged. The Cowboys have also requested interviews with Vikings defensive pass game coordinator Daronte Jones, Broncos assistant HC/pass game coordinator Jim Leonhard and Browns safeties coach Ephraim Banda, according to Todd Archer of ESPN. The team has since received permission to interview Leonhard, per Chris Tomasson of the Denver Gazette. The Cowboys’ list of potential Eberflus replacements will extend beyond those names, Archer adds.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said Wednesday that the team would consider hiring a first-time defensive coordinator (via Archer). It so happens that nobody from the Daronte Jones-Leonhard-Banda trio has held that position in the NFL. However, they’ve all worked as college D-coordinators.
Jones, LSU’s coordinator in 2021, has garnered pro coaching experience with the Dolphins, Bengals and Vikings since 2016. He began his second Vikings stint in 2022, the first year of the Kevin O’Connell era, and has worked under DC Brian Flores since 2023. The 47-year-old Jones interviewed with the Bears and Saints for their DC openings last winter, but those teams passed. He’s now regarded as a potential replacement for Flores, whose contract is up. Flores could leave for another DC job (perhaps in Dallas, which is reportedly interested) or a head coaching gig.
Leonhard, a former NFL defensive back, coordinated Wisconsin’s defense from 2017-22. He made his pro coaching debut in joining Sean Payton‘s staff in Denver a year ago. The 43-year-old Leonhard aided a Broncos defense that finished the 2025 regular season seventh against the pass.
Banda, the former co-DC at Miami and ex-DC at Utah State, has been the Browns’ safeties coach since 2023. The Browns fired head coach Kevin Stefanski, which leaves the 44-year-old’s Banda’s future murky. However, Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz is in the running to take over for Stefanski. If that happens, it may give Banda a better chance of remaining in Cleveland.
While the Cowboys would like to meet with Banda, they could also turn their attention elsewhere in the state of Ohio. Matt Patricia, Ohio State’s DC, is a name to watch in the Cowboys’ search, Albert Breer of SI.com relays.
Patricia, who’s coming off his first year with the Buckeyes, was Bill Belichick‘s defensive coordinator in New England from 2012-17 before a rough three-year run as the Lions’ head coach. He most recently worked in the NFL in 2023 as a senior defensive assistant with the Eagles.
Hiring Patricia would give the Cowboys a sixth straight DC with previous NFL head coaching experience. Before Eberflus’ one-year stint, Mike Zimmer, Dan Quinn, Mike Nolan and Rod Marinelli (another ex-Lions HC) held the role for various periods.
Dan Quinn Also Differed On Philosophy With Kliff Kingsbury; Latest On Commanders’ DC Search
In addition to Kliff Kingsbury‘s differences with GM Adam Peters, it appears Dan Quinn also began to sour on his offensive coordinator. Although a report indicated Quinn was reluctant to fire his top staffers this week, some new reporting paints a different picture. 
Kingsbury and Quinn carried philosophical differences that led to the dismissal, ESPN.com’s John Keim notes. While some around the league are confused by this firing, Keim indicates Quinn knowing he is unlikely to receive a third chance as an NFL head coach prompted him to act earlier than he did in Atlanta.
Quinn sought better balance on offense, preferring the Commanders run more. The surprise coming out of the Kingsbury firing stems from Washington ranking fifth on offense during Jayden Daniels‘ Offensive Rookie of the Year season leading to a separation after the following campaign. Washington ranked ninth in rushing attempts but 25th in carries by running backs. Daniels’ run-game abilities got him in some trouble this season — a three-injury slate involving just seven games — and Marcus Mariota also has been a career-long dual threat. It appears Quinn will want more RB work in 2026.
Washington traded Brian Robinson to San Francisco just before the season and lost veteran Austin Ekeler to a torn Achilles tendon after only two games, but seventh-round rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt showed flashes of being an effective replacement. The Commanders ranked fourth in rushing by season end, committing to the ground game more down the stretch. Perhaps newly promoted OC David Blough‘s offensive philosophy will align more with Quinn’s preference to run more, as he should be able to continue the momentum with which the team ended the season.
Concerning the other side of the ball, Adam Schefter of ESPN reported today that Chiefs defensive line coach Joe Cullen was interviewed today for Washington’s defensive coordinator position. Cullen has served as a coordinator three times at the collegiate level — twice at Richmond and once at Indiana — and once in the NFL. Before arriving in Kansas City to coach future Hall of Famer Chris Jones and company, Cullen spent a year with the Jaguars in Urban Meyer‘s doomed season with the team.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler adds that Quinn may look back at his old employers to kick the tires on former Falcons head coach Raheem Morris for the DC job in Washington. Morris and his own DC in Atlanta, Jeff Ulbrich, are both being considered as worthy candidates for open jobs across the NFL landscape.
Ely Allen contributed to this post.
NFL Reserve/Futures Deals: 1/9/26
A few more reserve/futures deals trickled in today:
Cleveland Browns
Miami Dolphins
- DT Keith Cooper Jr., T Braeden Daniels, TE Cole Turner, T Carter Warren
Minor NFL Transactions: 1/9/26
Here are Friday’s minor moves as we head into the first weekend of the 2025-26 postseason:
Los Angeles Rams
- Elevated: OLB Nick Hampton, S Tanner Ingle
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Designated for return from IR: DE Isaiahh Loudermilk
The Rams calling up practice squad elevations in anticipation of the NFL’s opening playoff games tomorrow, while the Steelers are looking to add some defensive line depth for their own attempt at a playoff run.
Stefon Diggs’ Arraignment Postponed Past End Of Playoffs
In the final days of the calendar year, Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs found himself facing legal trouble stemming from an alleged incident in early December. According to Travis Anderson of The Boston Globe, Diggs will not need to miss time for legal proceedings after a judge granted his request to postpone the arraignment until February 13, five days after Super Bowl LX. 
The allegations, which Diggs has denied, see the veteran pass catcher facing a charge of felony strangulation or suffocation and a charge of misdemeanor assault and battery on a personal chef. The female chef was allegedly working as a private chef for Diggs when a financial dispute arose. In a police report, she alleged that Diggs entered her unlocked bedroom and, as the dispute continued in-person, “smacked her across the face.” She then claims that Diggs “tried to choke her using the crook of his elbow around her neck” and that she feared she may pass out as a result.
David Meier, Diggs’ attorney, has asserted Diggs innocence, claiming that the actions as the alleged victim has stated them “did not occur.” He classified the situation as “an employee-employer financial dispute that was not resolved to the employee’s satisfaction,” and announced that Diggs “looks forward to establishing the truth in a court of law.” At the same time, Meier also made it known that Diggs is seeking a financial resolution with his accuser.
Diggs’ teammate, defensive tackle Christian Barmore, is facing domestic assault charges of his own, which emerged the day after Diggs’ situation hit the media circuit. The NFL has released a statement recently to say that both players remain eligible to play as the postseason is set to begin this weekend. If the team does end up getting as far as the Super Bowl, Barmore will likely need to request a similar postponement. His arraignment is currently scheduled for February 3, five days before the league’s season finale.
Assuming New England wins its first two playoff games, though, both Diggs and Barmore should remain available throughout the first three rounds of the playoffs. This is ideal news for an offense that has seen Diggs’ receiving yards total (1,013) nearly double that of the next closest receiver (Kayshon Boutte, 551).
Lions To Interview Tee Martin, Jake Peetz For OC Role; Commanders Also Eyeing Martin
The Lions seemingly want to interview Mike McDaniel for their OC job, but they are starting the process with other names. Jake Peetz and Tee Martin are on the NFC North team’s interview list.
Peetz, the Seahawks’ pass-game coordinator, received an interview request from the Lions, NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo notes. He will meet with the team. Additionally, veteran insider Jordan Schultz mentions Ravens QBs coach Tee Martin will meet about the job. Martin will interview for both the Lions and Commanders‘ OC positions next week, per Schultz.
[RELATED: David Blough On Lions’ OC Radar]
This marks another trip on the coordinator carousel for Peetz, a former Rams staffer who interviewed for the Buccaneers’ OC job in 2024. The Seahawks ended up hiring Peetz after the Bucs gave their play-calling gig to Liam Coen. Peetz has played a role in Sam Darnold‘s solid season, with Jaxon Smith-Njigba leading the NFL in receiving on his watch as well. Peetz, 40, was not with the Rams during Jared Goff‘s tenure. He coached under Sean McVay from 2022-23.
Still best known for leading Tennessee to the national championship as Peyton Manning‘s Volunteers successor in 1998, Martin has been an NFL staffer since 2021. He has only worked with the Ravens, who promoted him to QBs coach in 2023. Martin being in that role for back-to-back Lamar Jackson first-team All-Pro seasons certainly helps his case, though Baltimore is set to change coaching staffs for the first time since 2008 thanks to firing John Harbaugh. That leaves Martin in limbo.
This is not Martin’s first time on the OC carousel, however. The former Baltimore receivers coach met with the Bills in 2022 and Colts in 2023. Neither Peetz nor Martin (47) have called plays in the NFL. That will not be a prerequisite, per Lions GM Brad Holmes (via ESPN.com’s Eric Woodyard). Morton had not called plays in the NFL in eight years, but Dan Campbell took over that responsibility in Week 10 of this season before firing the assistant.
The Commanders interviewed Cowboys tight ends coach Lunda Wells for their OC job Thursday. While John Morton struggled in Detroit, Martin will be interviewing to replace Kliff Kingsbury in Washington. The Commanders parted ways with their two-year OC due largely to disagreements between he and GM Adam Peters. Kingsbury, meanwhile, received an HC interview request from the Ravens.
Buccaneers Interview Brian Callahan For OC; Mike McDaniel On Radar
Nearly three months after his Titans firing, Brian Callahan has resurfaced on the coaching radar. The Buccaneers announced they have interviewed the veteran staffer for their offensive coordinator position.
The interview, which took place Friday, is the Bucs’ first since they fired Josh Grizzard after one season in the role. Callahan has six seasons as an NFL OC under his belt, but he is coming off a rough Titans stint that ended midway through his second season at the helm.
Callahan went 4-19 as Titans HC, with the hire reflecting poorly on Amy Adams Strunk seeing as she fired Mike Vrabel — rather than trading his rights — in order to get a jump on the 2024 coaching market. Vrabel is one of the favorites for Coach of the Year honors after going 14-3 with the Patriots. Callahan’s status changed when the Titans fired the GM who hired him (Ran Carthon), elevating Chad Brinker to president of football operations and hiring Mike Borgonzi as GM. Six games into his second season, he was out.
The Titans had struggled during Will Levis‘ disappointing second season as the starter, and they were not showing many signs of life to start the Cam Ward era. Tennessee ranked 31st in scoring offense through six games this season; Mike McCoy‘s interim HC stint only brought the team up to 30th, however. Still, Callahan has been off the radar since the Titans bailed on him early.
A non-play-calling OC for six seasons in Cincinnati, Callahan had helped develop Joe Burrow into a superstar. The Bengals made back-to-back AFC championship game appearances, but Zac Taylor did not see either of his coordinators hired as a head coach until 2024. Callahan, 41, has no history with Todd Bowles or Jason Licht.
While the Bucs have interviewed Callahan, ESPN’s Jeff Darlington notes they are one of the teams eyeing Mike McDaniel for an OC post. McDaniel is a name to keep an eye on for the Bucs, per Darlington, though other teams are believed to be interested in the recently fired Dolphins leader for an OC role. The Titans, however, have scheduled a meeting with McDaniel to discuss the job Callahan recently held. The Browns are also believed to be considering McDaniel for their HC position, though no interview has been scheduled yet.
The prospect of McDaniel staying in Florida would be interesting, as would him agreeing to sign up for a team with a head coach on the hot seat. Then again, the Bucs have promoted from within to fill their HC job twice in the past decade, elevating Dirk Koetter and then Bowles in that span. Working with Baker Mayfield and an array of skill-position talent would naturally be appealing as well, but the McDaniel market is crowded presently.