Dolphins part ways with GM Chris Grier, reportedly retaining Mike McDaniel as coach for rest of season

After nearly a decade, the Miami Dolphins and general manager Chris Grier are parting ways, the team announced on Friday. Grier had served in that role since the Dolphins promoted him from the director of college scouting in 2016.

Coming into the season, Grier was facing pressure with the team coming off an 8-9 season in 2024. Through the first nine games in 2025, things have only gotten worse for the Dolphins. The final game of Grier's tenure came on Thursday night, when the Baltimore Ravens blew out the Dolphins 28-6 in Hard Rock Stadium. 

Miami fell to 2-7 with the loss. Despite that record, the Dolphins plan to stick with Mike McDaniel as coach for "at least" the remainder of the season, according to ESPN.

'It sucks': Dolphins' Mike McDaniel responds to fan frustration after team falls to 2-7 with loss to Ravens

Will Backus

Dolphins owner Stephen Ross said he made the decision to move on from Grier on Friday morning. Champ Kelly will serve as the interim general manager.

"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," Ross said. "There is a lot of football left to play and we all need to fight even harder.

"I have always been and remain committed to building a winning team that consistently competes for championships. I am incredibly proud of our leadership as an NFL organization and our continued commitment to the community, but our performance on the field and our team-building process have not been good enough. There are no excuses. 

"I want to thank the fans for their continued support and passion for this team. You deserve a championship-caliber team you can be proud of. There's much work ahead to return the Dolphins to sustained success, and that work begins now, finishing the season strong, evaluating all areas of our football operation, and moving forward with a clear vision for the future."

Grier was with the Dolphins organization for 25 years after first joining as a scout in 2000. He worked his way up the front office ladder and took on the general manager role in 2016. Following his promotion, Grier hired Adam Gase to be the team's coach, and that was one of three hires Grier would make in that role. Brian Flores was named as Gase's successor in 2019, but the team fired him in January of 2022, and McDaniel was hired shortly thereafter.

Some of Grier's most notable decisions include trading quarterback Ryan Tannehill to the Tennessee Titans (2019), selecting Tua Tagovailoa with the No. 5 overall pick in the NFL Draft (2020) and acquiring Tyreek Hill from the Kansas City Chiefs (2022).

In Grier's tenure as general manager, the Dolphins had five winning seasons and reached the postseason three times. However, the team lost in the Wild Card round each time.