New England Patriots
“Bobby Grier was a man of tremendous integrity.”
Bobby Grier, a longtime Patriots coach and executive, has died. He was 82.
Grier, a native of Detroit and a graduate of the University of Iowa, spent most of his professional career with the Patriots, starting as an offensive backfield coach in 1981 before working his way up to become New England’s vice president of player personnel from 1997-2000.
Following his time with the Patriots, he served as an executive with the Texans and Dolphins.
“Bobby Grier was a man of tremendous integrity,” Patriots owner Robert Kraft said in a statement. “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.”
Grier’s sons, Chris and Mike, have carried on his legacy in professional sports as general managers for the Miami Dolphins (Chris) and the San Jose Sharks (Mike).
“We are deeply saddened by the passing of Bobby Grier, father of general manager Chris Grier,” the Dolphins said in a brief statement posted to X. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the Grier family.”
After a four-year career as a running back at Iowa, Grier became a high school football coach in Michigan in 1966. He transitioned to the college ranks in 1974, coaching at Eastern Michigan before taking a job coaching running backs at Boston College from 1978-80. He was BC’s first full-time Black assistant coach.
Grier accepted a role with the Patriots in 1981 as the team’s offensive backfield coach, and after the team went 2-14 that season, the entire coaching staff was fired. He rejoined the Patriots as a scout in 1982 and returned to his previous coaching role in 1985 — the year the Patriots rushed for 2,331 yards and the team made its first Super Bowl.
When Bill Parcells took over as coach in 1993, he moved Grier to the personnel department as the Patriots’ director of pro scouting, and in 1995, Grier was promoted to director of player personnel.
Grier left the Patriots after the 2000 NFL Draft — the first under coach Bill Belichick.
In May of that year, Grier joined the Texans, where he worked as associate director of pro scouting and senior personnel adviser until his retirement in 2016.
When his son, Chris, was named GM of the Dolphins in 2016, Grier joined the team as a consultant.
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