Miami Dolphins should not replace Mike Tannenbaum if fired
By Brian Miller
The Miami Dolphins might be moving closer to getting rid of Mike Tannenbaum after the season finale on Sunday. They shouldn’t replace him.
When the Miami Dolphins season comes to a close this weekend, there is speculation that Stephen Ross will move on from VP of Football Mike Tannenbaum. Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald reported that it is very likely Ross fires Tannenbaum but retains both general manager Chris Grier and head coach Adam Gase.
If Tannenbaum is let go which now appears likely, Stephen Ross should just delete that part of his executive staff. In other words, don’t replace Tannenbaum.
On social media there is a lot of discussions about hiring Dan Marino to take over that role or bringing back Dawn Aponte to take that role and while both might have some success, ultimately Miami needs to decrease the number of voices that are making decisions.
Some are floating the idea that all decisions ranging for personnel to contracts to the draft should all be on the shoulders of that one person who becomes VP but if that is the case why do you need a general manager at all? Would Adam Gase who has full control over the roster relinquish that control to someone who may not have any experience running a football franchise?
More from Phin Phanatic
- 4 offensive tackles Miami Dolphins could draft at 51
- Miami Dolphins don’t need CB help but these 5 could be available at 51
- 4 players that could replace Wilkins if Miami Dolphins don’t re-sign him
- Miami Dolphins have a starting point with Wilkins after Simmons deal
- The Miami Dolphins should not take a running back in the draft
This “VP” position was not around in the years of Shula, Johnson, Saban, or even Cam Cameron. Bill Parcells was given that title and when he left it remained vacant until Ross hired Tannenbaum. It’s not really a successful model and is unnecessary.
If Miami retains GM Chris Grier which appears likely then let Grier and Gase work together to get things done and hopefully improve the roster and the team. If they can’t you replace Grier and let the next GM make the decision on Gase. Hiring another VP doesn’t make much sense. It’s another voice, another person with a different thought process. It didn’t work with Parcells and it didn’t work with Tannenbaum.
Stephen Ross should fire Tannenbaum but don’t replace him. Let Grier run the team that is why he is the general manager. Across the NFL teams use different executive arms. Some teams have the head coach and general manager with the GM answering to the CEO. Some teams use a VPFO (vice president of football operations) to handle contracts and salaries and a couple of teams have their VPFO and GM the same person.
Some teams do not have a VPFO with the GM handling the duties and reporting to the owner or CEO directly as needed. In the case of the Dolphins however, the structure is convoluted because no one knows who really wields total control. What Grier handles compared to Tannenbaum isn’t fully clear or defined. At least not publicly.
This off-season Ross should make the changes he thinks are necessary and if adds a VPFO then he needs to give that person 100% control of everything from the top to the bottom otherwise there is no point in replacing Tannenbaum. Even if that is Dan Marino who has been a rumored possibility.
In reality though this is still a mistake. Firing Tannenbaum is not the mistake, keeping Grier and Gase is. If Ross wants to keep Grier and Gase then he should not hire a replacement for Tannenbaum and restrict his power. If does hire a replacement then that person should have full control over who stays and who goes, otherwise, your just tying the hands of your new hire and repeating the same mistakes you have made over and over again.