The Dolphins are making a surprising hire to help in their GM search and it should help ease a fear that many Miami fans share

A round of applause for avoiding the echo chamber.

Kyle Crabbs — NFL National Writer

Jan 1, 2026 8:09 PM EST

The Miami Dolphins have surely been prepping behind the scenes for their pending general manager search and the subsequent hire. They’ve had two full months at this point after having dismissed former general manager Chris Grier at the end of October — they should be ready with a list of candidates to pursue.

The team has made their first official step in the journey, however. They are adding a prominent outside voice to the room — for now. It’s been reported that the Dolphins are hiring Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback and long-time commentator Troy Aikman to serve as a consultant for their general manager hiring process. And for fans fearful of what this general manager search could bring from team ownership, Aikman’s presence should be considered a win.

The Dolphins’ hiring of Troy Aikman as a consultant for GM search is a win for those fearful of the worst-case scenario

Aikman has served as a color commentator for broadcasts for the last quarter-century between his time on FOX and, since 2022, on Monday Night Football. Accordingly, he’s had a lot of behind the curtain access and insights to all 32 teams across the league. How they are run, who is pulling strings, what teams have good process, and so on. The access that comes with Monday Night Football, in particular, should give Aikman some valuable insight as the Dolphins’ ownership and high-level personnel assess the candidates and conduct interviews. It’s a nifty play. A surprising one. But a nifty one none-the-less.

A common worry for many Dolphins fans is that the Dolphins decision-makers, including owner Stephen Ross, will be focused on the wrong things. Based on the last quarter-century, the easy assumption is that Miami will simply get the hire wrong.

Maybe they still will. But maybe they won’t. And having an external voice who has has exposure to every team in the league and insight into their workings to use as a soundboard amid the filtering of candidates should be a valuable maneuver. It may not be the most high-profile or expected move. But Aikman should have insight to offer. This feels even more apparent with the revelation from NFL insider Albert Breer that Aikman has already been placing calls around the league.

Whether or not Miami’s senior group makes the most of that insight is another story all together. But the Dolphins should be applauded for getting creative to find someone with access and insights who exists outside their potential echo chamber as they set out on this journey in the weeks ahead.

This is a critical hire for the Dolphins and it’s nice to see them having hints of a formal plan to lead a comprehensive search.