Dolphins bring in Troy Aikman as a consultant to help with GM search

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The Miami Dolphins have brought in Hall-of-Fame QB and ESPN analyst Troy Aikman as a consultant to assist with their search for a general manager, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The three-time Super Bowl champion’s role will not be permanent; he will serve as an advisor throughout the process of finding the Dolphins’ next GM.

Despite Aikman’s lack of front-office experience, it is common for teams to bring in new perspectives when seeking new leadership. Former Golden State Warriors general manager Bob Myers served as a key advisor during the Washington Commanders' coaching search.

Former New England Patriots quarterback and Fox analyst Tom Brady has also served as an advisor to Las Vegas Raiders owner Mark Davis in his role as a minority owner.

Brady has assisted the Raiders with insights on football operations, player acquisitions, and their coaching search. Brady has been criticized for having a conflict of interest with his role as a broadcaster and a team owner.

The biggest difference between Aikman’s role and Brady’s is that Aikman does not have ownership of the team, and his position is temporary. Aikman’s role with the Dolphins will end once they have found their next GM.

In October, the Dolphins and former general manager Chris Grier decided to mutually part ways after the team’s 2-7 start. Grier had been the general manager since 2016, leading the team to five winning seasons and three playoff appearances during his tenure.

The new GM will need to work with Dolphins owner Stephen Ross to determine the future direction of the team. The first order of business will be deciding whether head coach Mike McDaniel and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa will remain with the team next year.

McDaniel is 35–34 as the Dolphins’ head coach and has missed the playoffs in the last two seasons. Tagovailoa is coming off his worst season as a starting quarterback. McDaniel’s contract runs through the 2028 season.

Tagovailoa’s 15 interceptions are the second-worst in the NFL, and he was benched for seventh-round rookie Quinn Ewers. Tagovailoa signed a four-year, $212.4 million contract extension, which is set to run through the 2028 season.