Miami Dolphins

Dolphins owner, 75, reportedly was ready to brawl at business meeting

Published Mar. 23, 2016 3:02 p.m. ET

Dan Graf

Stephen Ross hasn’t yet had a winning season in his seven years as primary owner of the Miami Dolphins, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t a man of strong convictions – whether it be in calling his new head coach the next Bill Belichick or criticizing his last head coach for not doing a good enough job with his quarterback.

Apparently, those convictions spill over to the boardroom, where the 75-year-old real estate mogul reportedly nearly came to blows with 46-year-old Tishman Speyer CEO Rob Speyer at a recent Real Estate Board of New York meeting.

The high point of the dispute over a 421-a tax exemption, according to Crain’s New York Business, was Ross jumping out of his seat and screaming, “This isn’t the NFL. I’m not going to be pushed around.”

In other words: I may lose some football games, but I didn’t get to be a billionaire by taking this kind of guff. More details here from Crain’s:

Leonard Boxer, a real estate attorney with law firm Stroock & Stroock & Lavan who had been sitting next to Ross, jumped between Ross and Speyer, separating the pair. Several attendees said the confrontation appeared as though it could get physical.

“I’ve never seen anything like it,” said one eyewitness.

About 15 minutes later, Ross and Speyer appeared to bury the hatchet on the street outside REBNY’s headquarters at 570 Lexington Ave., where witnesses said they saw the pair chatting and embracing.

“REBNY meetings often feature passionate and frank exchanges, especially on issues as important as the future of affordable housing in New York City. And at the end, we always depart as friends and respected colleagues. Our most recent meeting was no different.”