Big change for the Dolphins, but it’s not Mike McDaniel

Less than a day after the Miami Dolphins slipped to a 2-7 record, team owner Stephen Ross has made a big change in a bid to save the season.

General manager Chris Grier has been removed from his post, with Champ Kelly to step in as interim general manager for the remainder of the season.

“This morning, I made the decision along with general manager Chris Grier to mutually part ways,” Ross said in a statement on Friday. “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.

“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. Champ 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.”

Grier is out but ESPN reports that Ross intends to stick with under-fire head coach Mike McDaniel, despite growing pressure from supporters. McDaniel was the focus of fans’ frustrations during a bleak 28-6 home loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday Night Football.

Speaking after the game, McDaniel admitted that he understands the reason for the frosty atmosphere at Hard Rock Stadium: “That sucks. All of that does, but I think it’s a pretty consistent formula of fans enjoy winning. Our expectation is that we have to do the work and do the right things for fans to enjoy the experience. And unfortunately, we didn’t do that tonight, so we’ve got to get back to work to give them something to cheer about.”

This 2-7 Dolphins record represents the worst start to a season since McDaniel took over in 2022. Miami now has a ten-day break but faces a daunting test in Week 10, when they face the Buffalo Bills.

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