The 2026 campaign marks Grier's 32nd season in the National Football League.

The 2026 campaign marks Grier's 32nd season in the National Football League. Most recently, Grier spent more than two decades with the Miami Dolphins, and enters his first season with the Lions after serving as the Dolphins' General Manager for 10 seasons. In his role in Detroit, Grier serves as a trusted advisor for Lions Executive Vice President and General Manager, Brad Holmes. Rising from area scout to national scout, director of college scouting and eventually general manager during his time with Miami, Grier brings a wealth of experience to Detroit's personnel staff. He was originally named general manager of the Dolphins in 2016. Under Grier's leadership, the Dolphins recorded five winning seasons, including four consecutive from 2020-23, a feat the franchise had not accomplished in more than 20 years. The Dolphins also reached the postseason in back-to-back seasons in 2022 and 2023, a first for the franchise since 2000-01.

In team building, Grier has been known to utilize all avenues to acquire talented players – providing youth, star power and depth to a roster. During his time in Miami, Grier evaluated and drafted 13 players who eventually signed contracts valued among the top 10 at their positions, including four of the highest paid, either for Miami or elsewhere.

Under Grier's leadership, the Dolphins executed several blockbuster trades, including 44 trades over seven years. This includes two trades ahead of the 2025 season to acquire three-time first-team All-Pro safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, whom Grier first drafted to the Dolphins in 2018, from the Pittsburgh Steelers, as well as tight end Darren Waller from the Giants. Other notable trades include sending tackle Laremy Tunsil to the Houston Texans for a bevy of picks in 2019, trading for then-six-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Tyreek Hill and Pro Bowl linebacker Bradley Chubb in 2022, and acquiring three-time All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey in 2023.

In 2024, the Dolphins won six of their last nine games after opening the season with a 2-6 record and improved in nearly every metric over the second half of the year. QB Tua Tagovailoa led the league with a 72.9 completion percentage, which set a single-season franchise record and was the third-best mark in NFL history. Running back De'Von Achane, whom Grier selected in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft, set franchise records in receptions (78) and receiving touchdowns (6) by a running back.

The 2023 Dolphins won 11 games for the first time since 2008, led by a historic offensive unit, and advanced to the postseason for the second consecutive year. Miami led the NFL in total offense (401.3) for the first time since 1994 and ranked second in scoring offense (29.2). Miami also had a top 10 defense (10th, 318.3 yards allowed per game) for the first time since 2010.

Several players delivered career seasons for the Dolphins in 2023. Tagovailoa became the first Dolphin to lead the league in passing yards (4,624) since Dan Marino in 1992. Hill became the first Dolphin to ever lead the league in receiving yards (1,799), setting a new single-season franchise record. Running back Raheem Mostert, a free agent signing in 2022, also broke team records for rushing touchdowns (18) and total touchdowns (23). WR Jaylen Waddle became the first player in team record books with three straight 1,000-yard receiving seasons. The 2023 campaign also marked the first time in team history the Dolphins had a 4,000-yard passer, 1,000-yard rusher and two 1,000-yard receivers in the same season.

As a result of team success, Miami had six players selected to the Pro Bowl in 2023, tied for second-most in the AFC and fourth-most in the NFL. Three of those selections were first-time Pro Bowl players in Tagovailoa, Mostert and fullback Alec Ingold, whom Miami also signed as a free agent in 2022 and extended at the start of the 2023 season.

Miami's 2021 draft class earned key roles immediately. Waddle broke the NFL's nearly 20-year-old rookie receptions record with 104 catches and became the first rookie in Dolphins history to total 1,000 receiving yards. Linebacker Jaelan Phillips broke Miami's rookie sack record and finished second among all NFL rookies in the statistic with 8.5. Safety Jevon Holland was the only player in the AFC in 2021 to have multiple sacks, interceptions and fumble recoveries. Offensive lineman Liam Eichenberg was one of just 10 NFL rookie offensive linemen to start at least 16 games.

In 2020, the Dolphins won 10 games for just the second time in the past decade despite having the second-youngest roster in the NFL. The Dolphins set a team record by starting 10 different rookies that year. With several offseason additions, Grier helped build one of the NFL's best defenses in 2020. Miami led the league in third-down defense (28.8 pct.) and takeaways (29) and finished sixth in scoring (21.1 points allowed per game).

Two of Grier's draft picks – CB Xavien Howard and K Jason Sanders (2018, seventh round) – earned first-team All-Pro honors in 2020, marking the first time since 2006 (Zach Thomas and Jason Taylor) the Dolphins had two first-team All-Pro honorees in the same season. From 2016-18, Grier oversaw the draft and both pro and college scouting departments. He was responsible for the acquisition of multiple All-Pro and Pro Bowl players, including Howard, Sanders, Tunsil, Fitzpatrick and wide receiver/returner Jakeem Grant. Other notable selections included LB Jerome Baker – a third-round pick in 2018 who went on to record 500-plus tackles in his first five seasons in the league – and RB Kenyan Drake.

In his first draft as general manager in 2016, Grier selected Howard in the second round. In his first seven NFL seasons, Howard earned a first-team All-Pro nod (2020), was selected to the Pro Bowl four times (2018, 2020-22), led the NFL in interceptions in one season (2020), tied for the NFL lead in interceptions in another (2018) and totaled more interceptions than any other NFL player in that span.

From 2007-15, Grier served as the team's director of college scouting (2007-15). During that time, the Dolphins won the AFC East in 2008 and drafted seven players who combined for 14 Pro Bowl selections with the team. The list includes T Jake Long (2008-10), DT Paul Soliai (2011), P Brandon Fields (2013), C Mike Pouncey (2013-15), S Reshad Jones (2015, 2017), WR Jarvis Landry (2015-17) and RB Jay Ajayi (2016).

Grier was also successful at finding value late in drafts. Ajayi was also a fifth-round pick (2015) and became the fourth player in NFL history to rush for 200 yards in three games during the same season. Ajayi's 1,272 rushing yards in 2016 were third-most in Dolphins history.

Prior to being the team's director of college scouting, Grier served as an area scout with the club from 2000-02, before being promoted to national scout/assistant director of college scouting in 2003. Miami won the AFC East during his first season with the team.

Grier began his career with the New England Patriots as an intern in 1994. He joined the club on a full-time basis the following year, serving as a regional scout until he joined the Dolphins in 2000. In 1996, Grier was part of a New England staff that won the AFC Championship. He helped scout many players for a Patriots roster that went on to win Super Bowls XXXVI, XXXVIII and XXXIX.

Grier's father, Bobby Grier, is the former vice president of player personnel for the Patriots and senior personnel advisor for the Houston Texans.

Grier attended the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, where he majored in journalism and played football for two years before injuries ended his career. He spent his final two years there as an undergraduate assistant.

Chris' brother, Michael, is currently the general manager of the NHL's San Jose Sharks. When Michael was appointed to the position in 2022, he became the first Black general manager in NHL history. Before his tenure in front offices, he played for the Edmonton Oilers, Washington Capitals, San Jose Sharks and Buffalo Sabres.

A native of Holliston, Mass., Grier and his wife, Paige, have two sons, Landon and Jackson.