Miami Dolphins fans have wanted Stephen Ross to sell the team almost from the time he bought it. The free-spending owner hasn't always brought the best image to the once-proud franchise.
Since the day he arrived, the Dolphins have gone downhill. From coaching problems, GM issues, executive in-fighting, poor management of the team, and then of course the "Bully-Gate" and "Tamper-Gate" issues, the Dolphins are no longer the team Don Shula built. They are the team that Ross ruined.
There is the old adage, "Be careful what you wish for." In the case of the Dolphins, that may be what is playing out in front of our eyes right now.
Miami Dolphins owners will stay in the family once Stephen Ross is gone
Dolphins fans were not sold on the first succession plan that put the franchise in the hands of Ross's partner, Bruce Beal. Now, they may wish they could wind back the clock.
When Beal attempted to circumvent the NFL tampering rules by meeting with Tom Brady, the NFL intervened and levied a substantial fine on the Dolphins and Ross. Ross turned around and removed Beal as the successor from the team. Beal remains the team's VC and a partner, but he is no longer the chosen, NFL-approved successor to Ross.
None of this is "new" news, but it is the first time Ross has openly spoken about what will happen with the team once he is no longer around to run it, or run it into the ground if that's how you feel.
Ross was reportedly offered $15 billion for the Dolphins organization. He turned it down. He recently spoke with Bloomberg when the question of his succession plan arose. Ross was quick to shoot down any notion of the franchise leaving his family's grasp.
"I'm going to keep it in the family. My son in law is involved in sports, he is terrific and he will kind of run it and stay in the family. "Stephen Ross
Stephen Ross says he’s been offered close to $15 BILLION for the Miami Dolphins.
— Andy Slater (@AndySlater) January 14, 2026
His succession plan is to keep it in the family and have his son-in-law Daniel Sillman run it. pic.twitter.com/g2KMzrs4Kb
His son-in-law is Dan Sillman. The team will be left to his daughters, Jennifer and Kimberly, but Kimberly's husband, Sillman, will likely run the team, according to Ross. At least in some way.
If we are to read between the lines with this news, Ross is hoping to establish another Wellington Mara/Art Rooney type succession. Ross has always wanted to own an NFL team and came close to buying the New York Jets in 1999. That bid fell through, and Ross turned his attention to his hometown Dolphins. Thanks for that, by the way!
Unless his children decide to sell the franchise, like Joe Robbie's family decided to do, we can expect the same type of team, but with a more stringent spending habit. Fans of the old logo can forget about ever seeing a change, as his family will make sure his logo remains on the side of the helmet.
It's not good news for Dolphins fans who want to see new ownership, but it could be worse. The Dolphins could have accepted that $15 billion offer, and they may have been another Dan Snyder-type. One thing is certain: Ross has made it clear that the Dolphins will remain in the hands of his family.