Stephen

Ross

Reports surfaced last week that owner Stephen Ross turned down a $10 billion offer that he “entertained” for the team, the stadium, and the Miami F1 race, sparking questions about whether or not the team was for sale. In addition to saying the team isn’t for sale, Garfinkel said he believed the team would fetch more than $10 billion if it were posted, but the expectation is Ross will eventually turn the team over to his daughters, according to The Palm Beach Post’s Hal Habib.

Ross is also barred from any league meetings until the Annual Meeting in 2023, has been removed from all league committees, and was fined $1.5 million. The report found the Dolphins “had impermissible communications” with Tom Brady in 2019, 2020, and 2021 as well as former Saints coach Sean Payton in January of 2022. Neither person ended up working for the organization. Miami was also investigated for tanking after former coach Brian Flores claimed Ross offered him $100,000 per game to intentionally lose in 2019. The league found that comment “was not intended or taken to be a serious offer.”

The NFL has, of course, overloaded their independent investigator Mary Jo White by having her deal with several issues this offseason. Between the Deshaun Watson proceedings, the Jon Gruden lawsuit, the allegations that Daniel Snyder stole money from other teams, and Flores’ lawsuit, the league office has been under siege this offseason. Ian Rapoport reported that Ross could be forced to sell the Dolphins if Flores’ allegations that he forced the team to tank are proven true in February.

Quite the Super Bowl night news dump. “Stephen Ross would face severe discipline, up to and including Ross losing the team by a vote of fellow owners, sources say,” is the exact wording of Rapsheet’s report. Commissioner Roger Goodell did hint at such a fate last week, saying “if there were violations, they won’t be tolerated,” and “I do believe that clubs do have the authority to remove an owner from the league.” We are still a long, long way off from that, of course. 81-year-old Ross has vehemently denied Flores’ allegations. Even if the league’s investigation turns up some troubling details, it might still not be enough to force a sale. Fans need look no further than the owners’ decades of protection afforded to Washington owner Daniel Snyder. What is clear is that Ross is in no ordinary pickle.

In addition to Flores’ charges of racism, he has alleged Ross offered him $100,000 per game to intentionally lose in 2019 and tried to strong arm him into a rule-breaking meeting with a free agent quarterback — believed to be Tom Brady — in 2020. “With regard to the allegations being made by Brian Flores, I am a man of honor and integrity and cannot let them stand without responding,” Ross said late Wednesday. “I take great personal exception to these malicious attacks, and the truth must be known.” Ross and the NFL sound like they are digging in for war, though the league is believed to be readying an investigation into Flores’ tanking allegation. At least at first blush, Flores doesn’t seem to be running low on evidence. Ross could be in a fight for his survival as Dolphins owner.

“They feel they are close on that side of the ball and have spoke with candidates about that,” Wolfe reports. While that is not necessarily false, it is never something prospective head coaches want to hear. Owner Stephen Ross has a problem staying out of his own way. Perhaps it is a hang up in the Dolphins’ hiring process, which seems zeroed in on ex-Dolphins assistant and current Bills OC Brian Daboll. Wolfe’s colleague Ian Rapoport reports the team would like to begin second interviews next week.

“The real question is will there be fans in the stadium,” Ross continued in an appearance on CNBC Tuesday morning. He noted that the plan “as of now is to host fans” with nothing set in stone. It’s no surprise as, despite facility closures and a lack of offseason workouts, the league has moved along as scheduled with a preseason and regular season schedule still in place. The positive momentum to play this year with or without fans should continue snowballing over the summer months, inevitably putting players back on the field in September.

“I’m looking at it now like I build every business, building from the ground up,” Ross said Tuesday. “I’m prepared to stick with it. And you can call me out on it anytime you want. ‘Hey, you know what? You’re abandoning your ideas.’ ... It’s building a franchise to sustain itself over a period of time.” In a bit of a hedge, Ross did say he hopes the process takes only two years. They are the right words, but ones Ross has never abided by as an NFL owner. The patience he has apparently shown in the business world has not translated to the sporting world. If Ross can pass his greatest test as owner, he will eventually be rewarded with an actually good team instead of an annual parade of 7-9 seasons.

With Hurricane Irma now a Category 5 storm and looking likely to hit Florida on Sunday, the league will almost certainly have to move the game. Whether that is to another location or to each team’s Week 11 bye remains to be seen. The Tampa Bay Times’ Rick Stroud reports the Bucs expect the game to be moved to the bye week.

Beasley reports the team is “considering a range of options” if it looks like the storm will hit the area during Sunday’s game. In the past, the NFL has moved games up a few days to avoid potential storms. Miami and Tampa Bay both have the same bye, Week 11, but moving the game there would require both teams to play 16 straight weeks. If the game is going to be moved, Beasley expects the decision to come by Wednesday.