Nunnie on the Sideline
By Nunnie Robinson, WGS Editor
Last week, I promised a deep dive into the Miami Dolphins’ long-running futility since the glory days of the early 1970s, including the undefeated season. Instead of reopening that familiar nightmare, I decided to narrow the focus to recently fired General Manager Chris Grier and his ultimately failed allegiance to quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.
Before assessing Grier’s tenure, let me establish what I believe is essential to sustained success in today’s NFL: the general manager and head coach must be completely aligned on personnel decisions. Hip to hip. For that reason alone, Mike McDaniel should have been dismissed alongside Grier.
Equally important is this modern NFL truth—quarterback mobility is no longer a luxury; it’s a necessity. If you accept that premise, we’ll get along just fine. Every consistently effective quarterback today can extend plays with his legs: Patrick Mahomes, Brock Purdy, Dak Prescott, Josh Allen, Joe Burrow, Baker Mayfield. Yes, there are exceptions—quarterbacks protected by elite offensive lines and precision schemes built on pre-snap reads, quick releases, timing, and accuracy.
To be fair, the Dolphins enjoyed success during McDaniel’s first two seasons, at least until defenses adjusted. But concussions, mounting pressure, and the infamous Baltimore collapse marked the beginning of the end for Tua’s viability in Miami—and possibly McDaniel’s as well.
One glaring issue remained constant throughout: Grier and McDaniel relied on a band-aid approach to the offensive line, never fully addressing one of football’s most critical units.
Grier’s tenure wasn’t without highlights. His first draft pick as general manager was Ole Miss offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil in 2016. Tunsil’s draft stock plummeted due to the infamous bong video, yet he developed into a Pro Bowl tackle and was later traded to Houston for a haul of draft picks. Those assets helped Miami land stars like Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, and Bradley Chubb.
Other strong draft selections included Pro Bowl cornerback Xavien Howard, safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, defensive tackle Christian Wilkins, and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. On the surface, that résumé looks impressive. But with hindsight, several decisions warrant scrutiny.
The Tyreek Hill trade raises questions, both financially and behaviorally—his trajectory increasingly resembles Antonio Brown’s. Fitzpatrick was traded to Pittsburgh, only for Miami to later move assets again to acquire Jalen Ramsey. And then there’s Tua: an athletically limited quarterback whose $50 million-per-year contract has become a financial anchor. His latest public stance—that a restart elsewhere would be “dope”—says plenty.
Finally, I’d be committing a cardinal sin if I gave owner Stephen Ross a pass. Firing Brian Flores was damaging enough, but Ross also passed on proven leaders like Detroit’s Dan Campbell and Tampa Bay’s Todd Bowles. There were even allegations—prior to Ross’s ownership—that Mike Tomlin was bypassed due to age before landing in Pittsburgh.