MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross has entrusted new general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and head coach Jeff Hafley with figuring out how the team can win its first playoff game in a quarter-century.
Sullivan and Hafley were introduced at a Thursday morning news conference held at the Dolphins' Baptist Health Training Complex in Miami Gardens.
WATCH BELOW: New Dolphins GM Sullivan, Coach Hafley promise to build championship culture
Ross started the news conference by sharing his frustrations with the team's inability to win in the playoffs.
"I know many of you are all frustrated over the last few years with the performance of the team, but I've got to tell you, I am equally frustrated," Ross said. "I'm very happy to be standing today knowing we got who we wanted."
Sullivan was hired on Jan. 9, and Hafley was hired on Monday.
Sullivan, who was the vice president of player personnel for the Green Bay Packers, emphasized on Thursday the importance of building the team through the draft.
The culture of the Dolphins has been a sticking point for multiple seasons, with Sullivan mentioning that it will be key to building success.
WATCH BELOW: Dolphins introduce new general manager, head coach
"No. 1 is culture. When you raise your own, people are vested. They're bought in. There's a financial component to it. With rookie contracts, it keeps you in a healthy cap situation, but the most important thing is the culture piece of it," Sullivan said.
What kind of players can Dolphins fans expect to see on the field?
Sullivan described the people he's looking for as selfless, along with mentally and physically tough, speaking about "the culture of competition."
"It's my job to turn over every rock within the player acquisition game. We will utilize every avenue, and the most important thing that I want everybody to take away today is we will bring in the right kind of people. I've said many times, Miami is a very attractive place to come and play football, ... but if you don't infuse this locker room with the right kind of people, it can be a distraction and a hurry. That is our job as a personnel staff, to give Coach Hafley the kind of guys that want to chase championships."
The new duo both come from the Green Bay Packers, where Sullivan was the vice president of player personnel, and Hafley was the defensive coordinator.
Sullivan called Hafley a "phenomenal human being" and "excellent football coach." Despite working together the last two years, Sullivan said the selection of Hafley was done after a thorough process.
"We spoke with a lot of very, very talented coaches who brought a lot to the table. And it was a great process because, in speaking with all of them, it just confirmed my conviction that (Hafley) was the right guy," Sullivan said. "Jeff is a friend of mine. We've become friendly over the last two years, but understand this hire was based on professional respect."
Hafley worked his way up the college ranks, getting his start in Division III football.
"I learned how to work hard, like really hard, and there's no replacement for that, and there won't be here," Hafley said. "I learned what it's like to hold people to an extreme level of accountability. I learned what toughness is about, and I learned how to grind."
This is Hafley's first stint as an NFL head coach, but he was the head coach of Boston College for four seasons before departing for Green Bay in 2024.
"I'm gonna be passionate. I'm gonna tell you how I feel, and you're gonna get everything I have into the city, to the fans," Hafley said. "This is a storied organization, one of the best in all sports, and you deserve a winner. You guys deserve a winner, and I am going to do everything in my power to bring you guys that."
Miami fired former general manager Chris Grier on Oct. 31 after the team started 2-7. The team missed the playoffs for the second straight year, prompting the team to fire head coach Mike McDaniel four days after the team lost at New England to close out the season.
Sullivan said he did not have any part in McDaniel's firing and that the decision was made by ownership before he was hired.
The team will have to address a variety of issues this offseason, including how to handle the quarterback situation after starter Tua Tagovailoa was benched for the last three games for rookie Quinn Ewers.
"That's a huge question looming over the organization. I'd be naive to think that everybody doesn't understand that. I have a lot of respect for Tua. He's a good football player. He's accomplished a lot in this league. ... Quarterback is the most important position in professional sports," Sullivan said. "We will evaluate that position like we evaluate every other position and and we will do what is best for this football team with Tua or anybody else, to sit up here today and tell you that I have a great understanding of what we're going to do or which way we're going to go, that would be a lie, because there's just too much work to do. There's too many conversations to be had at this point. I have a lot of respect for Tua, what he's accomplished in this league. I thought Quinn did a great job at the end of the season. We have to figure that out. We will."
Tagovailoa still has two years remaining on a $212.4 million contract he signed in 2024.
"We will draft quarterbacks every year, if not every other year," Sullivan said. "If you hit on a guy, great. And if not, if you hit on two (quarterbacks), you have trade value."
The Dolphins have not won a playoff game since 2000, which is the longest drought for any NFL team.
The NFL Draft will be held April 23-25 in Pittsburgh.
