Additional Coverage:
- Dolphins bringing in Troy Aikman as consultant to assist with general manager search (cbssports.com)
NFL Legend Troy Aikman Joins Dolphins in GM Search
Miami, FL – The Miami Dolphins are making a splash in their search for a new general manager, enlisting the help of NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman as a consultant. While not a permanent fixture, Aikman will lend his considerable expertise in an advisory capacity, assisting the franchise in identifying its next front-office leader.
Aikman, 59, is a familiar face to football fans, currently serving as an analyst for ESPN’s “Monday Night Football.” His nearly 25 years as an NFL color analyst, coupled with his three Super Bowl victories as quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys, provide him with a wealth of league-wide insights that the Dolphins are eager to tap into.
According to CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones, Aikman will be heavily involved in the general manager interviews. His extensive background in production meetings with all 32 NFL teams has honed his ability to ask insightful questions, a skill the Dolphins reportedly value in this crucial process. Legendary Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino will also continue to play a role in the search.
This move comes after the Dolphins parted ways with GM Chris Grier in October, following a challenging 2-7 start to the season. Despite the personnel change, owner Stephen Ross opted to retain head coach Mike McDaniel.
Since Grier’s departure, the Dolphins have shown resilience, posting a 5-2 record and currently sitting at 7-9 as they head into their season finale against the New England Patriots. The team is also navigating an uncertain future at the quarterback position, particularly after the benching of Tua Tagovailoa.
Grier had been with the Dolphins since 2010, taking on the general manager role in 2016. Champ Kelly has been serving as the interim GM since Grier’s firing.
Coach McDaniel, now in his fourth season, holds a 35-32 record. While he led the Dolphins to the postseason in his first two years, the team is set to finish with consecutive losing seasons after an 8-9 finish last year.
Aikman has previously hinted at a potential interest in a front-office role, discussing the possibility on the Sports Business Radio Podcast. “Will it come along at some point?
Maybe, I doubt it, but maybe,” Aikman remarked last month. “As I’ve often said, if it doesn’t…there will be a part of me that always wonders as to whether or not I could have done the job.
I’d like to think I could and would be good at it. But unless you do it, it’s just talk.”
He also acknowledged the significant learning curve such a career transition would entail. “I’m not opposed to hard work…it’s not so much the hours that would be involved, it’s more about at my age currently, there would be a learning curve,” Aikman explained.
“Would an organization be willing to allow that to happen? It’s a young man’s game, it’s a young man’s world.”
The Dolphins’ decision to bring in a figure of Aikman’s caliber underscores the importance of this general manager search as they look to solidify their leadership and future direction.