MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel on Monday spoke about the team’s decision to part ways with general manager Chris Grier, saying the move was emotional but that he remains focused on his responsibilities.

“For me personally, Chris is a guy that I’ve worked with every day since I’ve been here,” McDaniel said. “So personally that, you know, I’m a human being and whether it’s football or it’s life things, you know, that’s an emotional toll when you realize that all right, things are going to be different.”

Grier, who had been with the organization for more than two decades, decided to mutually part ways with the Dolphins on Friday after the team fell to 2-7.

His firing came just days before the NFL trade deadline.

On Monday, the Dolphins dealt former first-round pick EDGE rusher Jaelan Phillips to the Philadelphia Eagles for a third-round pick.

McDaniel, who was hired by Grier in 2022, said that while the change affects him personally, his focus can’t shift.

“Having said that, none of my job and what people depend on me for has anything to do with any of my feelings,” he said.

Reports stated that indicated that team owner Stephen Ross intends to keep McDaniel in place through the end of the season.

When asked whether he had received assurances about his job security, McDaniel didn’t answer directly, saying instead that his attention remains on preparing for the team’s next challenge — a divisional matchup against the Buffalo Bills (6-2) on Sunday at Hard Rock Stadium.

The Dolphins, who have made several roster and front-office moves in recent days, are expected to remain active as the trade deadline approaches.

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