The Dolphins’ general manager search nears kickoff and Miami will have a chance to prove they’ve made the most of their head start with how they handle it
Let’s get ready to rumble!
The Miami Dolphins are inching closer to the first pivotal moment in their next chapter as an organization. There’s been plenty of posturing publicly with reports of what Miami’s intentions are this winter — between the contract of QB Tua Tagovailoa and the job status of head coach Mike McDaniel. But the time for speculation and reporting is almost over and Miami is on the cusp of their first phase of doing.
That task will, of course, be finding a general manager to take the reins of the franchise. Executive Champ Kelly is holding the position on an interim basis and has since the end of October. He’s expected to get a formal interview for the position. But when can Miami start undertaking their interviews? We’re nearly there.
Dolphins just two weeks away from opening their GM search
The NFL’s rules dictate that interviews cannot be made with employees employed by other teams during the regular season. But the moment the regular season ends? Teams are allowed to formally request interviews with candidates the Monday after the regular season. That is a chaotic time for franchises, as exit interviews are underway for teams that failed to make the playoffs. It may be even more busy for teams that make the postseason, as the intense crush of postseason prep work is underway.
Regardless of the time crunch, Miami is facing the prospect of numerous interviews. The Dolphins will need to hold a minimum of two in-person interviews for the position beyond Kelly — the league’s Rooney Rule, meant to promote diversity hiring in leadership positions, requires teams to interview two minority or women candidates for any position.
2026 NFL General Manager search
- Miami Dolphins are currently the only GM vacancy
- Formal interview requests can start Monday after regular season (January 5, 2026)
- NFL teams must conduct in-person interviews with two minority candidates or women not within the organization to satisfy the Rooney Rule
- Other possible vacancies include Atlanta Falcons & New York Giants
Accordingly, the Dolphins would do well to have a firm plan and whittled list of prospective hires that meet the league’s criteria for the hiring process by the time the regular season ends. After all, Miami got a head-start on this process by two months by moving on from Chris Grier in October. Getting this position decided quickly is a must for Miami — especially if there’s a potential head coach search set to follow. When should we expect a decision? Last year’s general manager hires were announced between the 17th of January (Tennessee & Mike Borgonzi) and February 21st (Jacksonville & James Gladstone).
Miami has a lot of other work to do this offseason, so they need to be on the front end of the spectrum with making a hire. The good news? That process can start two weeks from today. But how they approach interviews could give us some kind of clue as to how well they’ve taken advantage of a jumpstart to the process.