New Dolphins General Manager Jon-Eric Sullivan might be trading in his parka for palm trees, but he’s not leaving cold-weather football behind just yet. In fact, he’s bringing a northern mindset with him to Miami - one that’s built for grit, toughness, and winning when the temperature drops and the stakes rise.
In a video shared by the team, Sullivan laid out his vision for the Dolphins, and it’s clear he’s thinking beyond South Florida sunshine. “Our division runs through Buffalo and New England and New York, cold-weather places,” he said.
And he’s right - the AFC East isn’t exactly a tropical cruise once December hits. If you want to win this division, you’ve got to be able to handle the snow, wind, and physicality that come with it.
That’s where Sullivan’s philosophy comes into play: build a team with speed, yes - but not at the expense of substance. “There’s a saying in our business,” he said.
“‘Fast gets slow, but big doesn’t get small.’” Translation?
Speed is great until you’re playing in freezing rain and your track stars can’t cut on a slick field. But size and toughness?
That travels.
Sullivan made it clear he’s not looking to load the roster with “a bunch of big stiff guys.” The goal is balance - explosiveness with physicality, finesse with force. He wants players who can fly and fight, whether it’s a corner locking down a receiver in single coverage, a back breaking tackles in the trenches, or a lineman moving bodies at the point of attack.
And it all starts up front. “We’ve got to be dominant on the offensive line, dominant on the defensive line,” Sullivan emphasized.
That’s the foundation. From there, he plans to build from the inside out - beginning with the quarterback and surrounding him with a team that can impose its will, no matter the conditions.
That mindset is more than talk. The Dolphins struggled to find consistency in 2025, especially on the road.
They finished 4-4 at home, which isn’t the kind of fortress you want Hard Rock Stadium to be. But the bigger concern was their inability to win away from Miami, especially when the weather turned.
That’s the challenge Sullivan is stepping into - building a roster tough enough to win in Orchard Park in December or Foxborough in January.
It’s a tall task, but Sullivan’s approach feels grounded in the realities of the AFC East. If Miami wants to take the next step - not just making the playoffs, but making real noise once they’re there - they’ll need to be more than just fast and flashy.
They’ll need to be built for all seasons. And if Sullivan gets his way, they will be.