Troy Aikman’s time helping the Dolphins search for a new general manager and head coach has quietly run its course.
Miami stepped outside the organization for that process for the first time since Stephen Ross leaned on Carl Peterson more than a decade ago, and Aikman was brought in at the urging of Ross’ son-in-law, Danny Sillman. The Super Bowl-winning quarterback and Hall of Famer brought a perspective on the league’s executive side that helped introduce some fresh names to the mix.
That search ultimately pointed the Dolphins to the Packers’ Jon-Eric Sullivan as general manager, and Sullivan then turned to Jeff Hafley to become head coach. After those hires, reports said Aikman would remain involved in some kind of undefined consulting capacity. That part has now ended.
Front Office Sports reported that Aikman is no longer operating under a "formal and ongoing agreement" with the Dolphins. The setup leaves him free to explore other opportunities, though it would still not prevent him from helping Miami again if the team reached out.
Aikman has also been in the middle of recent speculation tied to his broadcast future after a disagreement with Monday Night Football partner Joe Buck fueled questions about whether he’d return next season. That rumor has already been knocked down. Buck is staying on a new contract, and Aikman could still end up in another high-profile role, including one in a front office.
Around the NFL, Aikman remains highly regarded, so it would not be a surprise if other teams take a run at him once the season ends.
For Miami, the bigger question is what comes next for the hires Aikman helped set in motion. If Sullivan and Hafley work, the Dolphins could finally break a long pattern of bad executive and coaching decisions under Ross.
Right now, though, there is plenty of fixing left to do. The Dolphins are on their bye week, own the third-hardest remaining schedule in the league after Week 6, and have not won a game or even led one at any point in five weeks.
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What has made the trade look even better from Miamis side is how the first chapter has played out on both ends. Waddles production in Denver has been quiet, while Johnson has already flashed enough as a rookie to suggest the Dolphins may have landed a useful piece for the future. Bell is still working back from a knee injury, and Moore and Louis are on injured reserve, so the full verdict will take time, but the framework of the deal is already giving Miami hope it made the right call. [Read more 🡒]
Dolphins Rebuild Just Put The Focus On One Crucial Draft Plan
Miamis rough start has only sharpened the conversation around what comes next, and the longer view is beginning to take shape. With the Dolphins sitting at 0-5, the focus in this rebuild is drifting toward the 2027 NFL Draft, where the front office is being framed as a team that needs to attack the roster from the ground up and prioritize the kind of core pieces that can stabilize everything else.
The latest PFF 2027 mock draft simulator leans into that approach by pushing Miami toward help in multiple areas, with names like Anthony Boswell, Bray Hubbard, Evan Stewart and Zeke Barry showing up as potential fits. The common thread is obvious: build through the trenches, shore up key positions and keep adding talent over the next few years, even if the full payoff is still a long way off. [Read more 🡒]