It’s a cliche for unhappy sports fans to accuse bad coaches and GM’s of having blackmail material on the team owner. But with the case of how Chris Grier is still in charge of the Miami Dolphins, the joke might have some truth.
Chris Grier became general manager of the Miami Dolphins all the way back in 2016. In his years in charge the Dolphins actually have a winning record of 75-73.
Not bad, I guess.
Except going into tomorrow’s 2025 draft the Dolphins have as little hope for their future as any time in the last decade. Their quarterback is one bad hit from retirement. Their coach forgets the rules of football as soon as it’s sweater weather. Their hall-of-fame bound cornerback is being shipped out. Finally their star wide receiver gets in trouble with the law on a monthly basis.
Chris Grier has had one strength.
He is great at getting draft picks for players. In 2019 he turned all-pro offensive lineman Laremy Tunsil into two first round picks and a second round pick. One of those first round picks Grier was able to trade to the 49ers for three more first round picks.
Unfortunately Grier fumbles with selecting players with those picks. His worst flaw is disregarding players’ injury histories. Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa had brutal injuries in college, same with another first round draft pick in linebacker Jaelan Phillips, as did another linebacker the Dolphins traded a first round draft pick for in Bradley Chubb. Each player has repeatedly missed chunks of seasons due to injury. Either Grier has too much faith in the Dolphins’ training staff or is a firm believer that lightening can’t strike in the same spot twice.
Throughout his near decade reign of terror, the best the Dolphins have done is steal a wild card spot in the playoffs, only to get hammered by superior opponents in cold weather. Grier has been with the Dolphins franchise in one position or another since the year 2000. The last time the Miami Dolphins won a playoff game was in the year 2000. You’d think he would be fired by now, just out of fear that he is a bad luck charm. But no, he is still calling the shots throughout another dismal Dolphins offseason.
The only reason I can think of him still being employed has to do with the Brian Flores lawsuit.
Flores was fired by the Dolphins in 2022 as the head coach after back to back winning seasons. Flores made accusations that Stephen Ross would pay him extra for making certain the Dolphins lost games and that Ross was trying to sign Tom Brady while he was under contract with another team.
Grier, of course, would be privy to this information. Is it that outlandish to think Ross lets him keep the job as long as Grier keeps his mouth shut?
No more outlandish than that a guy who can’t put together a roster than can win a playoff game, gets to keep trying year after year after year.
