Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross has spoken of his excitement at working with the team's new general manager Dennis Hickey.

The Dolphins' long search for a replacement for Jeff Ireland finally came to an end yesterday when they appointed Hickey, who ended an 18-year spell with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to accept the position.

A number of candidates turned down the role before the Dolphins approached Hickey, but Ross is still confident that he possesses all of the qualities that are required.

"I am excited that Dennis Hickey is our new general manager. When we started the search, I outlined qualities that I was looking for in this position," he said in a statement.

"These included a collaborative team-first person who can work with [head coach] Joe [Philbin], demonstrated player evaluation expertise, and someone who is open-minded and creative.

"Dennis fit all of these criteria and I'm looking forward to having him get started."

The Dolphins missed out on the playoffs for a fifth consecutive year this season, losing their last two games to finish with an 8-8 record.