Serena Williams keeps raking millions off the field thanks to her NFL connection

Serena Williams and the rest of the sports world watched as rumors milled around of Tom Brady becoming a minority owner of the Miami Dolphins. The tennis superstar had a bigger stake in what was rumored to be happening. According to Bleacher Report, both Venus and Serena Williams got a stake with the organization in 2009.

Since then, Serena Williams has enjoyed watching the asset grow in value as the NFL has grown and attracted more fans. According to Forbes, the franchise is currently valued at $3.4 billion. Within the last year, the franchise has jumped 18 percent.

Back in 2012, the franchise was valued at $1.1 billion. Over the ensuing decade or so, the team jumped by $2.3 billion. Meaning, all owners, including Williams, saw the value of their stakes grow a proportional amount. Of course, true gains are likely almost exclusively locked inside the minds of their accountants and their spreadsheets, but the floor gain of even a small percentage investment is millions.

Miami Dolphins before and since Serena Williams

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The team may have more than tripled in value in the last decade, but their performance on the field hasn't been as lucrative. Since 2002, the team has only gone to the playoffs twice. In 2008, the second-most recent appearance, the team was eliminated in the Wild Card round. In 2016, the team's most recent appearance, the team was eliminated in the Wild Card round once again.

Since Tom Brady settled in as the face of the New England Patriots, the Dolphins have struggled to be relevant. That is not to say the team has never been relevant. Immediately preceding No. 12's arrival in the division, the team was a playoff machine during the Dan Marino era.

According to Pro Football Reference, from 1992 to 2001, the team went to the playoffs eight times in total and six times with Dan Marino. In 1982 and 1984, the team went to the Super Bowl twice with Marino but lost both times. Put simply, the turn of the century serves as a clear break in eras for the Dolphins between being one of the premier franchises and one of the perennial struggling franchises.

The team hopes to turn the page in 2022, under Tua Tagovailoa. After trading for Tyreek Hill this offseason and with their quarterback entering his second full starting season, the team has high hopes. Will the team beat their 9-8 record from a season ago?