It was 2009 when the Miami Dolphins ownership officially and totally changed hands from Wayne Huizenga to Stephen Ross. Ross became the third full and solo owner of the Dolphins organization.
Since his ownership began, the Dolphins have been mired in losing seasons, several "gate-labeled" scandals, and a never-ending search for a franchise QB. Despite the owner's willingness to spend anything necessary to win, the Dolphins haven't sniffed a Super Bowl, let alone a playoff victory.
A new report from ProFootballTalk's Mike Florio suggests the 86-year-old owner has "tapped out" and no longer runs the team.
Today on the DolphinsTalk Podcast, Mike Florio says he has heard that Stephen Ross has "tapped out" and that Daniel Sillman is now running the #Dolphins.
— DolphinsTalk.com (@DolphinsTalk) June 25, 2026
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Miami Dolphins ownership may already be transitioning to Danny Sillman
Florio's take on Ross' ownership stems from a conversation with someone who covers the team during the owner's meetings. It's not the first time we have heard Danny Sillman's name. When the Dolphins fired Mike McDaniel and hired a new GM and HC, Sillman played a big part in the process.
Sillman is married to one of Ross' daughters. Upon his death, or should he give up control of the team before then, the Dolphins will pass to his two daughters. Sillman is married to his daughter, Kim. He has been the CEO of Relevant Sports, a media rights company primarily dealing with international soccer.
"Ross is done. He's tapped out," Florio said. "He has handed the baton to (Danny) Sillman, and it's now for Sillman to try and do better."
The NFL has already approved the succession plan. Originally, Bruce Beal was in line to take over the team after Ross gave up ownership. Beal played a big role in the Tom Brady scandal. After the NFL's investigation concluded, Beal was taken off the succession list, and Ross opted to hand the keys to his daughters instead.
Sillman's involvement in the hiring process of Jeff Hafley and Jon-Eric Sullivan was the first big sign of his role with the team. It was reported that he was part of the entire process and was later shown in many of the team-released videos after the announcement of the hires.
It's unclear if Sillman will ever become the actual owner of the team. It seems that Ross will hand it over to the two daughters, with Sillman running the organization entirely. According to Florio, that may happen sooner than later.
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