MIAMI GARDENS — Miami Dolphins fans often ask where general manager Chris Grier ranks among his contemporaries. I did some digging. Here’s a big part of the answer: Grier is the NFL’s longest-tenured GM who has never won a playoff game.
That’s shaky ground.
Grier, now in his 10th season as GM, has a 75-73 (.507) record and an 0-3 playoff mark. He’s an intelligent man. He’s well aware he’s in trouble as the Dolphins head toward Sunday’s season opener at Indianapolis.
Disregard what owner Steve Ross has said about Grier’s job performance.
Disregard what fans and media say about Grier.
Consider what the numbers say.
Here are some of the most noteworthy numbers:
— Grier, who was named Dolphins’ general manager in 2016, is the eighth-longest tenured GM in the league. He’s gone nine years without a playoff win, the longest such GM drought in the league. The next longest drought is six years by Indianapolis’ Chris Ballard.
— Grier is the only GM among the NFL’s 14 longest-tenured GMs to have never won a playoff game.
— Grier is one of 16 GMs to have never won a playoff game, which means leaguewide there are 16 GMs who have won at least one playoff game.
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Of those who have won a postseason game, who is the longest-tenured GM with the largest amount of time since his last playoff win? That’s Ballard. He’s the NFL’s 10th-longest tenured GM. He was named to his job in 2017. He hasn’t won a playoff game since 2018, again, a span of six years.
Among the 15 GMs aside from Grier who have never won a playoff game, one has gone five years without a playoff win and one who has gone four years without a playoff win.
Cleveland’s Andrew Berry is the 15th longest-tenured GM. He got his job in January 2020. He hasn’t ever won a playoff game, which is a span of five years.
Denver’s George Paton is after Berry on the list of longest-tenured GMs who have never won a playoff game. He’s the league’s 17th longest-tenured. He was named the Broncos’ GM in January 2021, meaning he’s gone four years without a playoff win.
Dallas’ Jerry Jones is not only the NFL’s longest-tenured GM after naming himself to the job in April 1989, he also might be the league’s most-criticized. But he got his last playoff win in 2022.
Cincinnati’s Duke Tobin, a de facto GM (he’s officially director of player personnel), is the NFL’s second-longest tenured having held his job since 1999. He also got his last playoff win in 2022.
The Dolphins, of course, last won a playoff game in the 2000 season. They have the NFL’s longest playoff win drought at 25 years. The Dolphins won their last playoff game on Dec. 30, 2000, when they defeated Indianapolis, 23-17. Next on that list is Las Vegas, which hasn’t won a playoff game since 2002. Detroit held the record previously. The Lions won a playoff game in 2023, their first win since 1991.
Obviously, you can’t blame Grier, who has made three playoff appearances (2016, 2022, 2023), for the Dolphins’ entire playoff victory drought.
However, much of the blame can be placed on Grier for the past three years, the Mike McDaniel/Tua Tagovailoa era.
Grier and McDaniel, to their credit, stocked the roster with the best talent the franchise has had in the past 20 years. But all they have to show for it is a 28-23 record (.549), an average of 9.3 wins per season, and an 0-2 mark in the playoffs.
Plan A, trying to win with veterans, didn’t work for Grier and McDaniel.
So the Dolphins enter the 2025 season on Plan B, trying to win with draftees and young players.
The question is whether Grier will be able to see this plan through to its fruition.
No one knows that answer at this point.
But let’s further compare Grier to his contemporaries.
The seven GMs who have had their jobs longer than Grier are Dallas’ Jones, Cincinnati’s Tobin, New Orleans’ Mickey Loomis (GM since 2002; last playoff win 2020), Seattle’s John Schneider (GM since 2010; last playoff win 2019), Philadelphia’s Howie Roseman (GM since 2010; last playoff win 2024), the Los Angeles Rams’ Les Snead (GM since 2012; last playoff win 2024), and Tampa Bay’s Jason Licht (GM since 2014; last playoff win 2023).
The 15 GMs aside from Grier who have never won a playoff game are Cleveland’s Berry (GM since 2020; franchise’s last playoff win 2020 season), Denver’s Paton (GM since 2021; franchise’s last playoff win 2015 season), Atlanta’s Terry Fontenot (GM since 2021; franchise’s last playoff win 2017 season), Chicago’s Ryan Poles (GM since 2022; franchise’s last playoff win 2010 season), Minnesota’s Kwesi Adofo-Mensah (GM since 2022; franchise’s last playoff win 2019 season), Pittsburgh’s Omar Khan (GM since 2022; franchise’s last playoff win 2016 season), Joe Schoen of the New York Giants (GM since 2022; franchise’s last playoff win 2022), Arizona’s Monti Ossenfort (GM since 2023; franchise’s last playoff win 2015 season), Carolina’s Dan Morgan (GM since 2024; franchise’s last playoff win 2015 season), the Los Angeles Chargers’ Joe Hortiz (GM since 2024; franchise’s last playoff win 2018 season), New England’s Eliot Wolf (de facto GM since 2024; franchise’s last playoff win 2018 season), Tennessee’s Mike Borgonzi (GM since 2025; franchise’s last playoff win 2019 season), the Las Vegas’ John Spytek (GM since 2025; franchise’s last playoff win 2002 season), the New York Jets’ Darren Mougey (GM since 2025; franchise’s last playoff win 2010 season), and Jacksonville’s James Gladstone (GM since 2025; franchise’s last playoff win 2022 season).
So, where does Grier rank among NFL GMs? He’s near the bottom in a few major categories, including the one that matters most — playoff wins.
If that doesn’t change this season, 2025 could be Grier’s last year in his current job.
