- The Miami Dolphins hired Jon-Eric Sullivan as their new general manager.
- Sullivan has worked his way through the ranks in Green Bay since 2003.
- With a new general manager in place, the Dolphins should aim for John Harbaugh as their new head coach.
The Miami Dolphins hired Jon-Eric Sullivan to be their new general manager, one day after firing head coach Mike McDaniel.
With a new general manager in place, the Dolphins should now turn their sights towards hiring John Harbaugh.
Sullivan Worked His Way from Training-Camp Intern to VP of Player Personnel in Green Bay
The Dolphins are working out the final details to sign Sullivan as of Friday morning. The position has been vacant since Miami fired Chris Grier in October. McDaniel was dismissed on Thursday.
Sullivan started with the Green Bay Packers as a training-camp intern, and quickly rose through the organization to his most recent position as vice president of player personnel. He was in the position from 2022 to 2026.
His father is Jerry Sullivan, who was a wide-receiver coach in the NFL from 1992 to 2016 with six different teams. One of those teams was the Dolphins, where the elder Sullivan was the receiver coach in 2004.
One of Sullivan’s priorities is to figure out what to do with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who was benched by McDaniel for the final three games of the season, when the Dolphins finished 7-10. If the Dolphins want to part ways with Tagovailoa, it’ll be costly, as he carries a massive cap hit. Releasing him would at least allow Miami to spread the cap hit over two seasons, as opposed to one season.
However, there are more pressing issues right now, including hiring a head coach. John Harbaugh is the biggest name in the NFL head coaching carousel right now.
Does This Clear the Way for a John Harbaugh Hire?
There are conflicting reports of whether the Dolphins have contacted Harbaugh. One report says they contacted the Super Bowl-winning coach on Wednesday night, while another says there has been no contact. However, the Dolphins are now the favorites in the John Harbaugh next team odds.
The Dolphins are desperate for success, and they’ve watched New England return to relevance, while Buffalo continues to be a force in the AFC East. Miami knows they need to turn the ship around quickly, and Sullivan comes highly recommended from his time in Green Bay. He’s learned from many top executives, and his background as a scout will allow him to find talent that may not be the biggest names. Sullivan and the Packers have been successful in the NFL Draft, and the Dolphins would like to get in on that action.
Sullivan will have to hit the ground running for the Dolphins, as Harbaugh will interview with the New York Giants next week. But the Sullivan hire shows that Miami is serious about challenging the Patriots and Bills in the AFC East, and he should bring a more modern and aggressive way of thinking going forward!
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