Garfinkel exits Dolphins CEO role; Sillman takes football ops

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – Tom Garfinkel is stepping down as the Miami Dolphins' president and CEO after 13 years, the team announced Tuesday. He will remain with the organization as vice chairman of the Dolphins and Hard Rock Stadium, and as managing partner of the Miami Grand Prix, stepping away from day-to-day responsibilities.

The move is part of a broader restructuring of Ross Sports & Entertainment, the holding company that owns the Dolphins, Hard Rock Stadium, the Miami Grand Prix, the Miami Open tennis tournament and the Precision Drive Club. Daniel Sillman, the son-in-law of owner Stephen Ross, will oversee football operations for the team, with head coach Jeff Hafley, general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and executive vice president of football operations Brandon Shore reporting directly to him.

Sillman was also named CEO of Ross Sports & Entertainment, a newly created entity that merges all of Ross's sports holdings. Sillman is the co-founder and executive chairman of Relevent, a sports and media rights company.

“Tom has had one of the most impactful executive tenures in professional sports history,” Ross said in a statement. “When he joined our organization, we envisioned creating a world-class sports and entertainment company that would redefine what was possible for a franchise, a stadium and a community. Together we turned that vision into reality. ... Tom assembled an extraordinary leadership team and created an incredible foundation for continued growth. While he is stepping away from the day-to-day responsibilities of CEO, I am grateful that he will continue to play an important role as Vice Chairman and a trusted advisor to Danny and me.”