Is Stephen Ross’s Time As Owner Running Out?

So this is a different title I am using for the third article in my mini series on the Dolphins’ Super Bowl chances now and in the future. Today, we focus on team owner Stephen Michael Ross, as you guessed, I have three reasons why his time as owner is running out, and what he can do to win a Super Bowl before his time is up as owner. So let us now take a Deep dive into the current owner of the Miami Dolphins, Stephen Ross.

His Age

This one is self explanatory, Stephen Ross who has been the Dolphins owner since 2009 is fast approaching eighty five years old and do not get me wrong he is getting up there in age a long with some of his fellow owners in this league like New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, Arthur Blank of the Atlanta Falcons, and obviously Jerry Jones of the Dallas Cowboys. What do all of these owners have in common, including Stephen Ross?

They are all in their early to mid-eighties. However, Ross does indeed have a succession plan, which would be his daughters, Jennifer and Kimberly Ross. This is good because every owner needs a successor to keep the franchise stable, especially the Dolphins, who have a somewhat storied history dating back to 1966. I am positive that Ross will do the right thing and step down when the time comes; it is just a matter of time before he does.

Too Many Promises

Ross has had many promises that have not always been true. He mentioned several things about winning and building a sustained success team, but so far it has not gotten this team either to a Super Bowl since 1984 or winning one since 1973, let alone a playoff win since 2000, as well as not making the AFC championship game since 1992. Trust me we know the stats by now but I am sure not many of you know of the 1992 AFC championship game against you guessed it, the Buffalo Bills.

A game, of course, the Dolphins lost because we wouldn’t be mentioning this whole Super Bowl series if they hadn’t won one in over fifty years. Then Ross mentioned that Chris Grier and Mike McDaniel would stay put in 2025 with his full support, a move which at first was a head scratcher for some. Then he goes on to say in that very statement, after the Dolphins finished 8-9 in 2024, that they want to “build a sustained winning team that competes for championships”. Then, before 2024 even began, Ross said, “If we can stay healthy, I think we’re certainly a contender for the Super Bowl”.

That may have been true IF the Miami Dolphins were healthy and not injured all the time, especially last season, which their record proved they were an injured team with key guys hurt. So Ross may have been right saying if we are healthy, but that is, of course, IF they can stay healthy. That is a big ask because this team has had the injury bug bit them many times over the last few seasons.

Not Hiring The Right People

Stephen Ross has not, in my opinion, been hiring the right people for the jobs, especially at the head coaching position. He has hired and fired several coaches, of course, infamously giving Joe Philbin an extension one season, then firing him the next. I would say Adam Gase just did not have the right pieces around him to be a coach in this league. Brian Flores, on the other hand, was more of a tyrant coach trying to be like Bill Belichick in ways, especially when asked about Tua in press conferences and repeatedly saying to the South Florida media that “Tua’s our guy.”

Infamously, Flores started Jacoby Brissett on Thursday Night Football against the Baltimore Ravens in 2021 before then, in the second half of that game, told him to sit down and put Tua in the game. That is why, looking at it now, I believe Flores was more of a tyrant coach than a leader of men.

Mike McDaniel, on the other hand, has had some flashes with the scheme, but recently, Brendan Tobin from WQAM on his YouTube channel mentioned that there was a rift between Jalen Ramsey and Mike McDaniel, with Ramsey saying he liked Chris Grier, but he did not like Mike McDaniel. This is an exciting storyline to follow in the coming months, and as the season progresses. Could this be Mike McDaniel’s final season coaching this team?? We will have to wait and see on that, but I will be talking more about that when I get to Mike McDaniel in what will be my final article on the Super Bowl series.

How Ross Can Win Now

Stephen Ross’s time as owner is no doubt dwindling, considering I mentioned his age earlier in this article. But how can he maximize his window now? Well, it starts with doing the right thing to help the team not only win now but in the future, long after he is gone. That is just like I talked about with the Chris Grier article, and that is bringing in players that can not only help win now, but in the future as well. Except Ross does the hiring of the front office people, like Grier and Mike McDaniel. All Stephen Ross does is sit back and watch everyone, and if things go haywire, then he starts to get concerned. He has said the right things, of course, but he has to follow through on those promises I mentioned earlier.

Stephen Ross In A Nutshell

Stephen Ross, in a nutshell, has had an interesting tenure as owner. I think he has been a good owner as far as infrastructure goes with Hard Rock Stadium in 2016, but let’s draw a conclusion on him as an owner. We established that his time is running out, age-wise, due to the factors I mentioned earlier, including his excessive promises about winning and his failure to hire the right people, especially in the head coaching position. He can win now by doing the things I mentioned in how he can win now except through a different perspective. Ross’s tenure as owner has been an owner but it has not been good enough.