NFL comes down on hard on Stephen Ross and Miami Dolphins
By Brian Miller
The Miami Dolphins are feeling the gavel of NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell after the league handed out its punishments following the Brian Flores allegations.
Brian Flores leveled several allegations at the Miami Dolphins and specifically owner Stephen Ross after he was fired in January. Today, the NFL’s investigation into the matter came to an end with big consequences.
The team itself will forfeit its first-round draft pick in 2023 and will also lose its 2024 3rd-round pick. Those selections are part of the Dolphins being found guilty of tampering with Tom Brady and Sean Payton on multiple occasions.
While Ross was not found to have been guilty of a “pay to lose” scheme that was alleged by Flores, the Dolphins owner was hit quite hard by the NFL.
Ross will no longer sit on any of the league committees, something that will carry an indefinite suspension. He will be fined $1.5 million for his involvement in the tampering and will be suspended from the league until October 17, 2022.
The suspension means that Ross can not attend any functions with the team, represent the team, or even go to the facility. He can also not attend any owner’s meetings until the league’s annual meeting in 2023.
Ross isn’t alone in this. Vice Chairman Bruce Beal has also been fined for his actions and involvement. He will be fined $500,000 and is suspended for all of the 2022 season. This is important because Beal is expected to take over ownership when Ross decides to eventually sell the team.
The full NFL notice on the fines, suspensions, and penalties can be read below.
Here's the notice NFL released stripping the Dolphins first-round pick in 2023 and their third-round pick pic.twitter.com/b3caFClUul
— Antwan V. Staley (@antwanstaley) August 2, 2022
As for the other allegations levied by Flores, there was no evidence presented to support his claims that the Dolphins owner expected him to lose games on purpose or offer him money to do so.
The Dolphins can now move forward with their season, something Stephen Ross said is the priority after today’s news. Most decisions are likely to fall on Tom Garfinkel as it pertains to the team with Beal and Ross out of the picture.