Dolphins’ Ross said team will be kept in family, offers some clarity on Sillman
Dolphins owner Stephen Ross said Wednesday that he has rejected an offer of close to $15 billion to sell the team (and very likely, Hard Rock Stadium) and confirmed, as expected, that his son-in-law, Dan Sillman, will be a key figure in operating the franchise when Ross is no longer the owner.
During a Bloomberg Business symposium on Wednesday in Palm Beach County, Ross, 85, made clear that he has no intention of selling the Dolphins. He previously rejected overtures from hedge fund billionaire Ken Griffin, among others.
“I’m going to keep it in the family,” Ross said in the interview on Bloomberg’s web site.
Sillman - an accomplished sports executive who is CEO of one of Ross’ companies, Relevent - already is heavily immersed in Dolphins business.
He was one of six people to participate in interviews with general manager candidates and one of seven people who is interviewing coaching candidates in Miami’s ongoing search for Mike McDaniel’s replacement.
Ross, Sillman, new general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan, team executives Tom Garkinkel and Brandon Shore and ESPN analyst and consultant Troy Aikman are conducting interviews with coaches; Miami has reached out to at least 11 candidates.
The NFL requires teams to put a succession plan in writing, and Ross previously designated his two daughters, Jennifer and Kimberly, as the successors. So they will be the owners eventually and they will decide who runs the team when it is passed on to them.
Sillman is married to Kimberly, and the plan is that Sillman will “kind of “ run the team in the next generation, Ross said on stage at the symposium.
“My son-in-law, who is involved in sports,” Ross said. “He has worked for me before he married my daughter. He is terrific. He will kind of run it. It will stay in the family. I don’t think there’s a better asset.”
Wednesday marked the first time that Ross has ever clarified Sillman’s role publicly.
Since 2017, Sillman has been the CEO of Ross-owned Relevent Sports, a commercial rights organization that buys, sells and activates media licensing rights for major pro sports leagues, including soccer’s La Liga.
The company is part of a larger portfolio of assets that includes the Dolphins, Hard Rock Stadium and other real estate and media businesses.
Sillman, 37,, studied finance at the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan and started his own firm, Compass Management Group, which offered financial services to athletes and entertainers. Among his previous clients: Longtime Eagles defensive lineman Brandon Graham.
After selling Compass in 2014, Sillman joined RSE Ventures, a private investment firm owned by Ross. He helped bring the iconic Barcelona-Real Madrid game to Hard Rock Stadium in 2017, marking the first time those teams played against each other on U.S. soil. As CEO of Relevent, Sillman has transitioned the business from a live events company to a global commercial rights property for soccer.
Forbes included Sillman on its 2018 “30 Under 30” list of influential people in various industries, and Sports Business Journal recognized him on its “Forty Under 40” list in 2019 and again in 2022.
Bids for team
Asked Wednesday about outside interest in buying the Dolphins, Ross said: “I know what I’ve been offered. Numbers you wouldn’t believe.”
When the event’s host asked him “what kind of numbers?”,Ross responded: “Close to 15 billion. Pretty high numbers.”
That number presumably would include Hard Rock Stadium and the F-1 race.
NFL franchises have continued to appreciate in value; the sport remains wildly popular and billions in television revenue have helped owners reap massive returns on their investments.
Over 2008 and 2009, Ross paid $1.1 billion to H. Wayne Huizenga to buy 95% interest in the Dolphins and the stadium.
Last year, he sold a 13% stake in the team, the stadium, Miami Grand Prix, and the Miami Open tennis tournament, in a transaction that reportedly generated $1.05 billion for Ross.
Of that 13%, private equity firm Ares bought 10% and Brooklyn Nets owner Joe Tsai purchased 3% percent.
Asked what’s missing in his Dolphins experience, Ross was blunt: “Winning,” he said.
This story was originally published January 14, 2026 at 5:41 PM.
