Chris Perkins: Dolphins GM Chris Grier talks culture change, Darren Waller and crude emails

Chris Perkins, South Florida Sun Sentinel on Aug 27, 2025

Published in Football

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MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Miami Dolphins general manager Chris Grier spoke to the media for about 30 minutes Wednesday. Here are three of the most interesting things he said:

“It’s a different mindset led by Mike …”

Grier was asked about changes, both in culture and the locker room. He began by saying, “It’s a different mindset led by (coach) Mike (McDaniel) that we talked about right from that last team meeting at the end of last season when he told them what it was going to be, and it’s been that way and the players have responded incredibly.”

Grier was later asked whether he consults players such as quarterback Tua Tagovailoa about their vision of the locker room.

“We don’t really talk to players about what we want the locker room to look like,” he said. “When Mike and I talk, this is what it’s going to be. Obviously when that’s laid out, we talk to the leaders of the team and say ‘This is how it’s going to be’ and we do take input from them, but at the end of day it falls on Mike and I for the locker room and how things are handled in there.”

And finally, Grier mentioned the Stanley Cup, Florida Panthers general manager Bill Zito and forward Matthew Tkachuk.

“Bill Zito brought the Stanley Cup over,” Grier began, “Bill is a friend of mine for a while, he actually tried to sign my brother when he was a player, when he was an agent to sign my brother. Bill and Matthew Tkachuk came over and talked about how the uniqueness and closeness of a locker room is so important.”

— My interpretation: Grier and McDaniel seem to be setting a different path for their team in 2025.

Waller doesn’t have an injury

Grier was asked whether tight end Darren Waller, who retired last year and was acquired via trade from the New York Giants on July 7, but still hasn’t gone through a full practice, is battling an injury.

“No,” Grier said. “Right now you’ve seen him out there working and running. I think when someone has taken that much time off from football, we’ve been around it where they come back faster and try to do it all and then they get hurt and get worse and it ends up being a whole mess throughout the season. We’ve dealt with that before in the past so we’re kind of being cautious and smart on it so you’ll see him out there, as you guys have seen him each day doing more and more. That’s being smart because we want him available for 17 games rather than come out here and prove something in preseason and then he pulls (something) or gets hurt and then he’s out for a while.”

— My interpretation: Grier doesn’t want Waller turning into wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., who was signed in May 2024 and not activated until October. He then was released in December.

“I’m an a–hole”

Grier, who in April revealed a fan mailed him a T-shirt that read, “Don’t f— this up” that he hung on a wall in his office, was asked about his interactions with fans recently. He gave a sobering answer.

“I really haven’t had many interactions with fans,” he began. “No. When I see guys they are like ‘Hey’ or if I’m out people have always been respectful and nice. They just say ‘Hey, keep going, appreciate you.’ To my face they’ve been nice.

“I know there are people that are upset, but that’s any job. If I was comfortable and said I felt great about where things are, then I’m an a–hole because I’m not being realistic about where we are as a team and where things are going after last season. So I’m frustrated like they are that we didn’t win enough games last year. I understand it. Like I said, I don’t take things personally.

“When I’m out people have been generally very positive and stuff to me, but I know there are guys — I’ve gotten some colorful emails from a couple of people including hoping my kids die of cancer which was a fun one. I was like, there you go, so that’s why I don’t take things personal or real because other people have other issues and stuff in life.“

— My interpretation: Grier is a decent man and this is just a game. No general manager deserves those types of emails.