Dolphins appoint new GM with interesting John Harbaugh and Giants twist

Dolphins’ Move Impacts Giants’ Coaching Search

It seems the Dolphins may have unintentionally given the Giants a boost in the race for John Harbaugh’s services.

Miami is in the process of finalizing a hiring for Packers vice president of player personnel, John Eric Sullivan, to become their new general manager. This comes after Chad Alexander, another candidate, parted ways with the former Ravens coach amicably following an 18-year tenure earlier this week.

There’s still a slim chance that Coach Sullivan could bring Harbaugh to Miami, but it adds another twist to a complicated coaching carousel that’s just getting started.

This week, the Dolphins also interviewed other candidates in person including interim GM Champ Kelly, who stepped in after Chris Grier was let go in October, and Josh Williams.

Interestingly, some speculate that the Dolphins might have a shot at Harbaugh if they hire Alexander, who had a successful stint with him in Baltimore from 2008 to 2018, including a Super Bowl win. I wonder, though, if hiring someone like Alexander would mean the new coach picks his own GM instead of taking a role like the Giants’ top personnel executive.

Meanwhile, the Giants are keen to pursue Harbaugh and have already interviewed former Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski for their vacant position. They’ve got more interviews lined up as well, according to reports.

In their ongoing search for a replacement for Brian Daboll, they’re set to conduct a virtual interview with Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph, and host Raheem Morris for an in-person interview. They even have plans to meet Antonio Pierce after having dinner with the team on Thursday night.

After Harbaugh was let go by the Ravens following their loss to the Steelers last Sunday, he quickly became a noted candidate. It’s worth mentioning that the Dolphins’ decision to fire Mike McDaniel came after he ended the season with some disappointing results—five wins in eight games—giving the Giants a fresh avenue to explore.

According to ESPN’s Jeff Darlington, McDaniel’s firing wasn’t directly tied to Harbaugh’s dismissal. Rather, it seems to have arisen from a discussion McDaniel had with owner Stephen Ross on Tuesday about the team’s direction.

Darlington noted Ross’s concerns, indicating that he felt continuing with McDaniel wasn’t the right move. The word “status quo” was mentioned, suggesting a desire for change. It seems McDaniel was caught off guard by his firing, but ultimately the Dolphins opted to seek a new GM and head coach first.