The Miami Dolphins on Friday agreed to part ways with general manager Chris Grier. He had served with the team for 26 years, starting as a scout, and working his way up to the last 10 years as the team’s general manager. However, the team has struggled throughout the season and the roster construction has been a major focal point in those struggles. The change has now happened, with Champ Kelly installed as the team’s interim GM ahead of a search for a new top member of the front office.
But, who is taking over the personnel side of the Dolphins’ operations? What experience does he have? We take a closer look at Kelly’s path to the top of the Dolphins’ front office.
Who is Champ Kelly?
Kelly was born in 1980, making him either 44 or 45 years old, in Campbellton, Florida. He is young, but that does not mean he is not experienced. He is in his 19th year in the NFL as an executive after playing football at Kentucky as a wide receiver and cornerback. He went on to play four seasons in the National Indoor Football League, then coached wide receiver and served as the general manager for his NIFL team for a year. During the 2007 season, Kelly’s Lexington Horsemen won United Bowl III.
He has a bachelor’s degree in computer science from Kentucky. He also has a master’s of business admininistration degree and has worked as a software engineer for IBM.
He and his wife Stephanie have three daughters.
NFL experience
In 2007, the Denver Broncos hired Kelly as a college scout, then promoted him to assistant coordinator of pro and college scouting in 2008. In 2010, he was again promoted, making him the assistant director of pro personnel.
In 2015, he became the Chicago Bears’ director of pro scouting before being promoted in 2017 to the assistant director of player personnel. During his time in Chicago, the Bears had 21 Pro Bowl selections, including eight selections in 2018, the third most in a single season for the franchise.
In 2022, the Las Vegas Raiders hired Kelly to be their assistant general manager, holding that job through 2024. During the 2023 season, the Raiders made Kelly their interim GM after Dave Ziegler was fired by the team; KElly remained with the club under GM Tom Telesco for one year before mutually parting ways.
As was pointed out by NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, Kelly’s stint as the interim GM for the Raiders also started on Halloween back in 2023. That year, however, the trade deadline had already passed. This year, he has the opportunity to shape the Dolphins future, and potentially earn the role permanently.
Dolphins hire Kelly
After Kelly and the Raiders parted ways in February 2025, he agreed to join Miami as a senior personnel executive. The Dolphins said, in describing his role with the team, that he “assists General Manager Chris Grier and Assistant General Manager Marvin Allen on scouting pro and college players across the country.”
Now, moved into the interim GM position, Kelly will have the final say on roster moves for the team through at least the end of the season – including next week’s trade deadline deals.
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