The widespread assumption around the Miami Dolphins' organization is that they have a long time to get the franchise turned around. Are we sure that's the case, though?
New general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan certainly cleaned house on the roster like he was a man with all the leeway in the world. Head coach Jeff Hafley is on a five-year contract, which he isn't guaranteed to see the end of, but ideally, he does.
There's one massive elephant in the room. Dolphins owner Stephen Ross just turned 86 in May and has not sniffed a Super Bowl. Zero playoff wins, in fact, since he took over.
Why Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross might not give the new regime as much runway as is assumed
Do we really think Ross is going to be that patient? Look, I get that the New England Patriots are a first-class football operation, but they were in the gutter once Tom Brady left town. The last part of Bill Belichick's tenure was a disaster. His successor, Jerod Mayo, was a one-and-done coach.
Guess what? In comes Mike Vrabel (current controversies aside), back comes Josh McDaniels as offensive coordinator, Drake Maye's Year 2 leap happens, and, aided by an easy schedule, suddenly the Pats are playing in the Super Bowl. Again.
That was quick. It's not like New England had some world-beater roster on paper prior to last offseason. They went all-in on free agency, and boom!
Miami has the chance to do that next offseason, but make no mistake: If marked improvement isn't happening by Year 2 of the Sullivan-Hafley era, they will both be on the hot seat in short order.
Is that fair? No. Is it realistic, given the Patriots' rapid resurgence and the AFC East rival Buffalo Bills' perpetual contender status? Absolutely.
And that's because Ross is running out of time to see winning football in Miami. Maybe Malik Willis emerges as the first legit Dolphins franchise QB since Dan Marino. Maybe the stellar offensive line, Willis' dual-threat playmaking ability, and De'Von Achane's electricity in the backfield help the Fins shock the football world in 2026.
That's a lot of maybes. The more pragmatic forecast is that the Dolphins enter 2027 with a totally overhauled roster and in desperation mode. They'll be praying all their new players can jell together in time to put a competitive product on the field. If they don't, I'm sorry to say, Phin Phanatics, but we could be back to square one, with Sullivan and Hafley shown the door.
Ross has his legacy in mind and intends to keep the Dolphins in the family once his time as owner is finished. He's even turned down a $15 billion offer to sell the team.
Before he's out the door, though, don't you think Ross wants to be at the helm of at least one team that has a shot at the Lombardi Trophy? That's a rather rhetorical question.
The concern is whether Sullivan, Hafley, and this Dolphins nucleus can deliver that for Ross soon enough. If they can't by next year, don't be shocked if there are sweeping leadership changes once again, for better or worse (likely worse).
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