It did not take long for Champ Kelly to find his footing against in the NFL executive world.
The former Las Vegas Raiders assistant general manager was not retained by new GM John Spytek, with the team parting ways with him in February. Kelly served with the Raiders under former general managers Dave Ziegler and Tom Telesco, including a stint as interim general manager in 2023 after the former was fired midseason. He is one of the most well-respected executives around the league, yet has never gotten a full-time gig as general manager of a NFL team.
Unsurprisingly, Kelly did not have to endure a long stint on the unemployment line.
Kelly has signed on into an important management position for an in-conference rival of the Raiders.
According to Adam Schefter, Kelly has agreed to join the Miami Dolphins as a senior personnel executive.
Former Raiders assistant GM Champ Kelly, who has interviewed for multiple GM jobs across the league in recent years, has agreed to join the Dolphins as a senior personnel executive, working in both pro and college scouting.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 14, 2025
The move to South Beach allows Kelly to use his expertise to help the Dolphins find players who can help them now and in the future. It is a move that can only help the Dolphins, who have emerged as one of the better-drafting teams in recent years. With Kelly now offering his expert guidance, Miami’s scouting department just became stronger than they already were.
Another idea to the move is Kelly having bigger ambitions in mind.
Despite the successful drafting record, Dolphins general manager Chris Grier is still considered on the hot seat in some circles. Other teams with potential GM openings in the next cycle include the New York Giants, Indianapolis Colts and Cleveland Browns. Kelly could easily be trying to secure himself an inside track to a possible promotion, or bolstering his resume to another candidate.
Whatever the case may be, Kelly is bound to create a positive impact on the Dolphins as he did with the Raiders.
