The football world, particularly the New England Patriots and Miami Dolphins, suffered a loss over the weekend with the passing of Bobby Grier.
Grier, who is the father of current Miami Dolphins general manager Chris Grier and San Jose Sharks general manager Mike Grier, died over the weekend at the age of 82. Bobby Grier spent a big chunk of his football career in New England where he served a variety of roles with the Patriots, prompting owner Robert Kraft to issue a statement about the loss.
“Bobby Grier was a man of tremendous integrity,” Kraft said in a statement released by the team. “He broke barriers and built bridges, and his legacy will forever be part of our franchise’s history. We are grateful for his years of service and the impact he had on so many people within our organization and across the NFL. My thoughts are with his family and all who are mourning his loss.”
Bobby Grier Did It All in Patriots Run
Grier started off as a coach, and after some high school experience in Michigan, he landed a running backs coaching gig at Eastern Michigan. Ahead of the 1978 season, he took a job at Boston College, more than two decades in New England football.
He eventually left BC to join the Patriots in 1981, where he started off as a coach but also bounced back and forth between coaching staff and front office. After a run from 1986 through 1992 as an offensive coach, Grier transitioned to a full-time role in the front office as the director of pro scouting. He also ascended to director of player personnel and served as vice president of player personnel up until his Patriots tenure ended in 2000.
Grier Leaves Lasting Legacy in Foxboro
“Bobby was the strong, silent type — a leader who could always get the best of you. I had the good fortune of watching him as a coach and later as a personnel guy,” former Patriots linebacker and scout Andre Tippett told ESPN.com. “He inspired people to think bigger and do bigger things.”
Coincidentally, Grier’s passing came on the same weekend that Bill Parcells was inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame. The internal power struggle among Parcells, Grier and Kraft over player personnel in 1996 was a big reason the head coach left for the rival New York Jets. Grier stayed in Foxboro for a few more years before departing upon the arrival of Bill Belichick.
Grier’s final draft with the Patriots ended up being the most important in franchise history. New England, of course, drafted Tom Brady with the 199th overall pick in the 2000 NFL Draft.
Grier went on to spend a decade and a half with the Houston Texans.
Bobby Grier’s Sons Went Into Family Business
It’s not difficult to see the sort of impact Grier made on his sons, who both are in the big chair of their respective franchises. Chris Grier has been with the Dolphins for more than 20 years, ascending to general manager in 2016 before getting full control of football operations in 2019. His brother, Mike Grier, enjoyed a 15-year NHL career before a post-playing career that included stints as a coach and scout. In 2022, he became the first Black general manager in NHL history when the San Jose Sharks hired him to lead their rebuild.
Longtime Patriots Coach, Exec Who ‘Broke Barriers’ Dies at 82