Dolphins hire Packers executive Jon-Eric Sullivan as general manager: reports

The Miami Dolphins reportedly hired a new general manager on Friday, but not the candidate with ties to John Harbaugh.

The Dolphins hired Green Bay Packers vice president of personnel Jon-Eric Sullivan to be their new general manager, according to multiple reports.

When the Dolphins fired Mike McDaniel on Thursday, many fans speculated they would hire Chad Alexander as their new general manager to help bring in Harbaugh. Alexander began his career with the Baltimore Ravens as a scout in 1999 and spent 20 seasons with the organization in a variety of roles, overlapping with Harbaugh.

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Alexander is the Los Angeles Chargers' assistant general manager, working with Harbaugh’s brother, Jim Harbaugh. Alexander’s familiarity with the Harbaugh brothers led many to believe that if the Dolphins hired him, it could lead the former Ravens’ coach to join him in South Beach.

Instead, the Dolphins went with Sullivan. He spent 22 seasons with the Packers, beginning as a scouting intern in 2003 before earning a full-time position with the team’s football operations department in 2004.

Sullivan has worked his way up the organization and was named vice president of personnel in 2022. The Packers have made the playoffs each of the last three seasons.

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Sullivan’s family has ties to the Dolphins. His father, Jerry Sullivan, was the Dolphins wide receivers coach in 2004.

Sullivan has a lot of big decisions to make in his first offseason on the job. He must hire a new head coach and determine what to do at quarterback. Harbaugh will likely be a candidate for the job.

Tua Tagovailoa, who was benched for the final three games of the season because of poor play, still has a lot of money left on his contract.

Tagovailoa threw for 2,660 yards with 20 touchdowns last season but showed a stark decline in accuracy and mobility after signing a four-year, $212.4 million extension in July 2024. He finished second in the NFL with 15 interceptions, a career high.

Tagovailoa is guaranteed $54 million for 2026, and the Dolphins would incur a significant salary cap hit by releasing him. Releasing him next year would result in a $99 million dead cap charge. If the move is designated as a post-June 1 release, those charges are split over two years, with $67.4 million allocated to the 2026 cap and $31.8 million in 2027.

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