Miami Dolphins part ways with co-directors of player personnel: reports
The Miami Dolphins are not done with their internal changes.
A little more than a week after the franchise and general manager Chris Grier mutually parted ways, a similar fate has befallen co-directors of player personnel Adam Engroff and Anthony Hunt, according to NFL insider Tom Pelissero.
The two were the longest tenured people in the Dolphins’ front office, with Engroff joining the team in 1999 while Hunt came in 1994. Each worked their way up through the scouting department to eventually be named the co-directors of player personnel in 2019.
Engroff specifically headed the scouting department. He worked closely not only in the evaluation of collegiate talent but also that of other NFL teams and prospective free agents.
Hunt, conversely, worked closely with Grier when it came to the construction of the roster including “free agent acquisitions, trades, waiver claims and practice squad signings,” according to the Dolphins Media Guide. He also assisted the coaching staff as the architect behind their advance scouting reports of upcoming opponents.
With Hunt and Engroff now out of a job, it’s worth wondering if the changes stop there. Fans, of course, have repeatedly called for coach Mike McDaniel’s job in the past month yet a valiant victory over the Buffalo Bills appears to have staved off some detractors. Even in the midst of the 3-7 start to the season, McDaniel appeared to never lose hope in not only himself but the team.
“They’ve chosen to believe throughout the whole thing, throughout the whole offseason,” McDaniel said after a statement 30-13 victory over the Bills. “They’ve made that decision to continue to believe and to continue to invest in each other. My belief just in football and in life is that that is paid back to you if you have the steadfast nature and mental fortitude and toughness.”
Where the Dolphins go from here is a bit unclear. Owner Stephen Ross gave a clear directive following a disappointing 8-9 finish to the 2024 season that leadership will stay in place only if it yields more success.
“Our football operation will continue to be led by Chris Grier and Mike McDaniel with my full support,” Ross said in a statement in Jan. 2025. “Their positive working relationship is an asset to the Dolphins, and I believe in the value of stability. However, continuity in leadership is not to be confused with an acceptance that status quo is good enough. We will take a hard look at where we have fallen shot and make the necessary changes to deliver our ultimate goal of building and sustaining a winning team that competes for championships.”
Obviously, Grier is now gone yet even if the Dolphins win out, the best record that they can achieve is 10-7. That, of course, will be one-game better than their 2024 outing, yet even that scenario remains a highly unlikely considering the games toward the end of their schedule.
A showdown in Madrid against the hobbled Washington Commanders will be the team’s next challenge, followed by the bye week and subsequent matchups against the lowly New Orleans Saints as well as the New York Jets.
The four-game stretch to end the season will get difficult as they must travel to Pittsburgh to face the Steelers then host the Cincinnati Bengals, who will likely have Pro Bowl quarterback Joe Burrow, and the NFC South-leading Tampa Bay Buccaneers. An away game against the resurgent New England Patriots will punctuate their season.
With the trade deadline in the rearview mirror, it’s unlikely that the Dolphins feel the real effects of these front office changes until the offseason. Still, the loss of the three longest-tenured people in the front office — Grier, Hunt and Engroff— can be seen as a pretty clear acknowledgement that the franchise needs to do a better job when it comes to the construction of a championship contender.
This story was originally published November 10, 2025 at 5:06 PM.
