Dolphins Need One Voice To Run The Team

CBS had its number-one crew, Jim Nantz and Tony Romo, call Sunday’s game between the Miami Dolphins and San Francisco 49ers. I don’t care for those two because Nantz is a butt-kisser who tries to appease both the home team and the opponent.

Romo is too optimistic about the teams he calls. Earlier this year, he called Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh a top-five coach of all time, which is over the top for me. The other day, he said, “The Dolphins are going to be great next year with the players coming back from injury.” He meant Bradley Chubb and Jalen Phillips on defense and developing rookie pass rusher Chop Robinson.

He could be right, but he doesn’t know the issues that have been ignored over the years.

Yes, it will be good if those players come back from injury, but the Dolphins have questions on their offensive and defensive lines due to as many as 10 players being under contract last year. 

We also don’t know yet who will run the shows. If Chris Grier returns, we may have a problem because he emphasizes working together too much. This is fine, but he needs to start having issues and doing things a certain way rather than appeasing everyone.

When the Dolphins started this rebuild and tank, team CEO Tom Garfinkel suggested it. Grier can do that but shouldn’t be a yes-man to the suggestion. Garfinkel has no experience making football decisions, as he helps run the team’s business.

In 2019, then-head coach Brian Flores had issues with talented second-year safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, and instead of telling Grier to make it work, Grier went with Flores and then traded Fitzpatrick for a 1st round pick, and he has since become one of the best safeties in the game. Grier should have got in between to try to make things work that year because Fitzpatrick is such a talented player. 

In 2022, the Dolphins’ personnel department felt the offensive line was a big need, but Grier went with coach Mike McDaniel and made a huge trade for Tyreek Hill. I don’t blame him, but the Dolphins seem to be experiencing buyer’s remorse right now. 

Then the Dolphins this year had an issue at backup quarterback, and it was clear to everyone, but Grier sided with his coach, and the Dolphins got bit in the ass this year when starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa went down. 

It’s good that Grier wants to work well with everyone, but the Dolphins need somebody who isn’t a yes-man who appeases everyone to make things work. Disagreement over personnel and what is best for the team is not the worst thing in the world.

This is where I have a problem if the Dolphins retain Grier. He will probably have a vision and then go off the tracks to try to please his head coach or owner. The Dolphins need somebody who isn’t afraid to go against his head coach and ownership. I guess this is where I can see why Flores didn’t last long. Because of this, and because he wasn’t perfect as a coach, he had a plan and wasn’t afraid to show his voice. Probably did it to a fault. 

The Dolphins need somebody like that and aren’t afraid to go against the head coach and owner.

Stephen Ross has owned the team since 2009, and he has done some good things with the stadium upgrades, practice facilities, and other things. However, he has not created a winning team that contends for championships. Maybe that is the issue. The fact that he doesn’t want anyone challenging him means he sticks with a yes-man like Grier.

Ross needs to look in the mirror and realize that this isn’t working as he wanted. He needs to find someone outside the organization who can correct the situation.