By John Rigolizzo
The Miami Dolphins parted ways with general manager Chris Grier on Oct. 31 by mutual agreement.
Dolphins chairman and general managing partner Stephen Ross made the announcement on the team’s website. Grier served in various positions with Miami for over 20 years. He was promoted to general manager in 2016.
Grier helped construct a star-studded roster with trades and the NFL Draft, but the Dolphins have struggled recently and currently sit at 2-7 on the season after a 28-6 loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Oct. 30.
“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,” Ross said in his statement.
“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.”
Senior personnel executive Champ Kelly will serve as interim GM while the Dolphins look for a new one, Ross said in his statement.
Kelly started his career with the Lexington Horsemen of United Indoor Football. He joined the professional ranks as a scout with the Denver Broncos in 2007. He was promoted to assistant coordinator of pro and college scouting in 2008 and then to assistant director of pro personnel in 2010.
From there, he was hired by the Chicago Bears as their director of pro scouting in 2015 and promoted to assistant director of player personnel in 2017.
Kelly was brought on to serve as assistant GM for the Las Vegas Raiders in 2022; when GM Dave Ziegler was fired in 2023, Kelly served as interim GM. He left the organization in 2025 before joining the Dolphins.
“Kelly will serve as interim general manager effective immediately, and we will begin our search process for a new general manager. I want to thank Champ for stepping up and his commitment to the Dolphins’ success this season. There is a lot of football left to play, and we all need to fight even harder,” Ross said.
Grier led the team to five winning seasons in nearly 10 seasons as GM, including 2016, his first year in the role, and from 2020 to 2023.
The Dolphins have also made three playoff appearances during that time: 2016, 2022, and 2023. The 2023 Dolphins were notable for their 70-20 thrashing of the Broncos, the first 70-point game in decades and the second-most points scored by a team in NFL history; but they were also blighted by a 48-20 loss to the Buffalo Bills, a loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, losing three of their final five games, then finally a 26-7 loss to the eventual Super Bowl champions, Chiefs, in the Wild Card Round.
Miami never reached those highs again. They lost six of their first eight games in 2024, including two three-game losing streaks. Their only wins so far this season are a 27-21 win over the New York Jets in Week 4, and a 34-10 win over the Atlanta Falcons in Week 8.
The Dolphins are also financially strapped. They currently have the fifth-lowest cap space in the NFL, according to Spotrac, with just over $4 million in available space. They are projected to have just under $1 million in cap next season.
Much of that cap space has been eaten up by the contracts of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa ($39 million in cap this year) and Tyreek Hill ($27.7 million this year); Hill is on injured reserve with a devastating knee injury.
The Dolphins are also on the hook for $13 million in salary for linebacker Jaelan Phillips and $12 million for edge rusher Bradley Chubb.
“I have always been and remain committed to building a winning team that consistently competes for championships,” Ross said.
“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,” Ross added.
