How the Miami Dolphins Have Fared Under Stephen Ross Amid Rumor of Selling Portion of Franchise

The wait continues for the Miami Dolphins to win their third Super Bowl. The franchise has yet to win the ultimate NFL prize since they secured consecutive victories in 1972 and 1973. They also had an impressive run in the 1980s, reaching the Super Bowl in 1982 and 1984. While the Dolphins got a new owner, Stephen Ross, in 2009, it is still the same story.

Did the Dolphins Improve Under Stephen Ross?

Since the Dolphins finished top of the American Football Conference in 1984, it has been from one struggle to another. They’ve only finished five times at the top of the AFC East division to date. Ross first invested in the franchise in 2008, buying 50% of the football team, the Hard Rock Stadium, and some surrounding real estate. He took over as the managing general partner of the franchise in 2009 after buying 45% more. Despite all efforts to revive the team, the Dolphins have only managed to get into the playoffs three times since 2009. Their first was in 2016, losing to the Pittsburgh Steelers 12-30 in the Wild Card round. They also lost in the Wild Card round in 2022. This time around, it was a 31-34 loss to the Buffalo Bills. It was the same story in the 2023 playoffs, losing 7-26 to the Kansas City Chiefs in the Wild Card round.

It’s clear that the Miami Dolphins have yet to improve under their current owner. However, they’ve looked better in the past two seasons, finishing second in the AFC East on both occasions. They lost to eventual Super Bowl winners, the Chiefs, during the Wild Card clash in the 2023/24 season. Due to their past performances, several legal apps for wagering this season had them as underdogs in that game. Next time around, the Dolphins will aim to make it past the playoffs Wild Card round ahead of the 2024/25 season. Many sportsbooks will provide odds for bettors to back the Dolphins to win the Super Bowl.

Will next season be their year? The team may need to continue to get into the playoffs for the next few years to build momentum to challenge for the Super Bowl.

What’s Next for Stephen Ross?

There might be a shift in ownership quite soon after Ross revealed his interest in selling a portion of the franchise. He’s also looking to sell part of the Hard Rock Stadium and F1 Miami.

Ross seems to be interested in selling a minority stake, which may change the order of operations in the franchise. Whether or not this will affect how the Dolphins will set out ahead of next season remains to be seen. Irrespective of the decisions made concerning ownership, head coach Mike McDaniel has a big job in his hands. The franchise resumes offseason workout programs on April 15. McDaniel will get the chance to implement new signings such as Jonnu Smith, Aaron Brewer, and Neville Gallimore, as well as any other potential drafts in the OTA offseason workouts between May and June.