GM’s PLEDGE TO FANS:
Talk of dysfunction is over, Grier vows.
DAVIE — General manager Chris Grier, who was officially introduced Monday, won’t make the final decision on the Dolphins’ new head coach.
But Grier, who served as the Dolphins’ director of college scouting the previous nine seasons, will be there for the interviews and he’ll have an important voice in the process along with owner Steve Ross, executive vice president of football operations Mike Tannenbaum, CEO Tom Garfinkel and vice chairman Matt Higgins.
“I’ll be there with Mike, Steve, Matt, we’ll be interviewing all the coaches,” Grier said. “I will be there to talk football, philosophy. Again, it’s all of our input. It’s a collaborative effort.
“I think it’s important that, and you try and see that connection face to face when you talk to a guy, I think with all of us, especially Mike and myself, with the relationship that I will have to have with that head coach.”
Grier, who has been with the Dolphins the previous 16 seasons and in the NFL for 25 seasons, interviewed with two teams last year for general manager jobs — the New York Jets and a team he refused to name. The unnamed team, in fact, had a follow-up interview with Grier.
The Dolphins promoted Grier to general manager before another NFL team beat them to the punch. Tannenbaum indicated that if the Dolphins hadn’t hired Grier as general manager, another team would have in the next 10 days.
“I had two interviews last year,” Grier said. “I was a finalist for the other one. Interviewed multiple times. I had received some information from league sources that I was requested to be interviewed this year.”
Grier’s predecessor, Dennis Hickey and the Dolphins agreed to part ways Saturday. Hickey had final say on the draft and 53-man roster, but Grier declined to say which on matters he’d have final say.
“Right now, it’s an organizational thing, as far as the coaching stuff,” he said. “For me, I’m a communicator, I like working with people. At the end of the day, I don’t really care who gets credit for what. I think it’s more important that we get the right coach in here to help lead us, so we all come together, work together in the process to build the team the right way.”
Grier spoke highly of quarterback Ryan Tannehill, who has a 29-35 record in four seasons and no playoff appearances.
“I like Ryan,” Grier said. “He’s our guy. I think [Sunday’s 20-10 victory over New England] was a great indication of some of the things that we can do. We can win with Ryan.
“I’m a firm believer in when you build a roster, you build competition. For me, I want competition, not just for Ryan, but for [defensive tackle Ndamukong] Suh, everybody on our roster. We can win with Ryan. We can do a lot of things to help him get better. And I think Ryan would tell you he’s not happy with a lot of stuff that’s gone on. Us as an organization, we’re moving on with him and we’re going to build a competitive roster at all positions.”
Grier, who started his NFL career with New England and has worked with some of the best names in the business, thanked a few of his mentors Monday.
“My football beliefs and philosophy has been influenced by many coaches that I’ve worked with over the years,” Grier said. “I can never thank them all, but the lessons I learned, both good and bad, have helped to create my core beliefs. I would specifically like to thank Bill Parcells, Bill Belichick, Pete Carroll, Nick Saban and my dad for laying the foundation of my football philosophy.
“Finally to the fans, the past decade has been unacceptable for this organization. Steve and Mike and I will find the right head coach to help this organization. The talk of dysfunction within this organization is over. We’ll be thorough in our search and create an environment where everyone is on the same page with the same beliefs talking the same language and creating a model of consistent winning for the Miami Dolphins. We will earn your trust back, both on and off the field.”