Key Atlanta Falcons Exec Set to Join Jeff Hafley, Miami Dolphins

Former Atlanta Falcons assistant general manager Kyle Smith has reportedly agreed to join the Miami Dolphins with the same title. This report first came from NFL insider Tom Pelissero on Friday evening.

The Dolphins are hiring Kyle Smith as their assistant GM, per source.

Smith, who most recently held the same title in Atlanta, is a respected evaluator. Another big addition to Miami’s staff. pic.twitter.com/EcFJsXBlCF
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) January 23, 2026

Smith got his start with the Washington Commanders in 2011 as a scout. He then worked his way up to the director of college personnel in 2017 and the vice president of player personnel in 2020. He joined the Falcons in 2021 under Terry Fontenot with the same title, but was promoted to assistant general manager in 2023.

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Meanwhile, the Falcons are in the process of identifying who will take over as their next general manager. After Atlanta hired Kevin Stefanski as its head coach on January 17th, the search for the general manager accelerated. They have since identified a list of six candidates, who now have all received formal interviews.

“I think you're looking for two people that don't see the game polar opposite,” the president of football, Matt Ryan, said last week. “We're looking for people that are aligned with that vision. We're looking for people that work well together. And that doesn't mean best friends, but you've got to have a professional and really strong working relationship.”

Ryan will lead the interviews, but Stefanski will reportedly “have a voice” on the candidate, according to NFL insider Josina Anderson.

The respective candidates have combined to win 12 Super Bowls, with seven more appearances. These candidates have also mingled with some of the NFL’s most consistent franchises over the last two decades. The six candidates in consideration have all made stops in either New England, Philadelphia, Baltimore, San Francisco, or Pittsburgh.

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Ryan is looking for a candidate who is well-connected to the best organizations, with the most consistent leadership (e.g., Howie Roseman, Omar Khan, Ozzie Newsome, etc.) With that in mind, he wants someone who can take over so he can step back.

With Stefanski set to be introduced on Tuesday (January 27th) at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, there is reason to believe that the Falcons could have their next general manager hired in the coming days. The hire has taken a bit longer than some expected, but with no competition for the opening (the Dolphins hired their general manager on January 9th), the Falcons had little reason to hurry.

With Smith’s move to Miami, the Falcons will also officially be looking for their next assistant general manager.