Jan. 23, 2026, 7:08 p.m. ET
The Miami Dolphins hired former Atlanta Falcons and Washington Commanders executive Kyle Smith as their new assistant general manager, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
Smith, 41, had a brief playing career in the NFL as a wide receiver that included stints with the Minnesota Vikings and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He joined the front office ranks in 2010 as a scouting intern in Washington. Over the next decade, Smith worked his way up to become the team’s vice president of player personnel.
When the Commanders hired a new general manager in 2021, Smith left to take the same position with the Falcons. After two seasons, he became Atlanta’s assistant general manager in 2023. Earlier this month, the Falcons fired Terry Fontenot as general manager.
“If you’re a scout and get into this league as a scout, your ultimate goal is to become a GM,” Smith told The Athletic in 2020.
While that role has eluded him so far, the Falcons thought enough of Smith in 2022 to block the Buffalo Bills from interviewing him for an assistant general manager job. Now Smith will hope to be a valuable enough asset in Miami to springboard into a general manager position down the line.
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Smith’s father, A.J. Smith, spent nearly four decades as an NFL executive including a 10-year run as the San Diego Chargers’ general manager.