Jon-Eric Sullivan Brings the “Green Bay Way” to Miami - and That Starts With Quarterbacks
There’s a new philosophy taking root in South Florida, and it comes straight from the frozen tundra of Lambeau Field.
When Jon-Eric Sullivan was introduced as the Miami Dolphins’ new general manager, alongside head coach Jeff Hafley, the message was clear: this is going to be a different kind of Dolphins front office. One that operates with a core belief forged in Green Bay - that everything starts and ends with the quarterback position.
It’s a mindset that traces back to Hall of Famer Ron Wolf, the architect who dragged the Packers out of a decades-long slump and into sustained relevance by making one bold decision after another at the most important position in football.
Wolf’s first major move as Packers GM? Trading for a young, unproven Brett Favre.
That was just the beginning. His approach was simple but ruthless: always invest in quarterbacks.
Always be planning for the future. And never get caught without a capable backup.
Sullivan, who spent years rising through the ranks in Green Bay, has carried that philosophy with him to Miami.
“We’re going to invest in that position every year if we can,” Sullivan said at his introductory press conference, giving credit to Wolf’s successor, Ted Thompson, for reinforcing the idea that doing what’s best for the team sometimes means making the unpopular move.
For Dolphins fans, who’ve watched a revolving door of quarterbacks since Dan Marino hung it up, this won’t be unpopular - it’ll be a breath of fresh air.
Sullivan pointed to the Packers’ own history as a blueprint. When Thompson drafted Aaron Rodgers in the first round in 2005, Brett Favre was still playing at an MVP level.
It was a controversial move at the time, but it turned out to be a franchise-defining decision. Years later, the Packers repeated the formula by selecting Jordan Love while Rodgers was still under center.
“It starts there, right?” Sullivan said.
“You’ve got to remember, Brett was still in place and playing at a very high level, and there were a lot of people in that building that didn’t think drafting a quarterback who was going to sit for an extended amount of time with a first-round pick made a lot of sense... But the history speaks for itself.”
Sullivan’s stance is firm: the Dolphins will draft quarterbacks regularly - every year if possible, or at least every other year. Not because they don’t believe in their current starter, but because they understand how fragile the position can be. One injury, one regression, one miscalculation - and a team can go from contender to collapse.
And if you hit on a quarterback? You either build around him or flip the surplus for assets. It’s a win-win.
That’s a stark contrast from the previous regime under Chris Grier. In a decade running Miami’s drafts, Grier selected just one quarterback above the seventh round - Tua Tagovailoa at No. 5 overall in 2020.
The rest? Seventh-round flyers, including current Dolphin Quinn Ewers.
That’s not exactly a pipeline.
Compare that to teams like the Patriots and Broncos. Since 2016, New England has drafted seven quarterbacks - some misses, sure, but also a potential star in Drake Maye.
Denver? Four drafted QBs in that span, including three in the top two rounds.
The results vary, but the process shows intent.
And that’s the point. Even the best evaluators in the league struggle to project quarterbacks.
Patrick Mahomes went 10th overall. Brock Purdy was the last pick in the draft.
Dak Prescott lasted until the fourth round. Tom Brady?
You know the story.
As Ron Wolf once said, “It’s blind luck. If I knew how to put together a quarterback, I’d have my own island somewhere.”
So, you take your shots. You build your board.
You trust your process. And you keep swinging.
That mindset didn’t just shape Sullivan - it influenced others who passed through Green Bay, like Reggie McKenzie, who later became GM of the Raiders and more recently served in Miami’s front office. McKenzie once said Wolf taught him to “not see what’s right in front of you, but look down the road.”
Which begs the question: during his time in Miami, did McKenzie push for more quarterback investments? And if he did, why didn’t Grier listen?
Now, that’s a moot point. Sullivan is in charge, and he’s made it clear that the quarterback position will never be an afterthought again.
He was asked directly about Tagovailoa’s future, and while he didn’t tip his hand, he made it clear that conversations are coming.
“I think whether it’s Tua or anybody else, it’s unfair and irresponsible for me to sit up here and talk about anything specific before I’ve talked to the player himself,” Sullivan said.
That talk will happen. But make no mistake - Sullivan’s vision is already in motion.
“Obviously, it always starts with the quarterback,” he said. “Anybody that’s in this business will tell you that.”
And now, the Dolphins finally have a general manager who believes it - and is ready to act on it.