March 23, 2018

Miami Dolphins Quotes on the Passing of Wayne Huizenga

Dolphins Chairman of the Board/Managing General Partner Stephen Ross

“Wayne Huizenga was a seminal figure in the cultural history of South Florida. He completely changed the landscape of the region’s sports scene with his purchase of the Dolphins coupled with his pursuit of expansion teams in both Major League Baseball and the National Hockey League. Sports fans throughout the region owe him a debt of thanks for his stewardship of the Dolphins and for his vision and initiative to positively impact our community. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family during this difficult time.”

Hall of Fame Head Coach Don Shula:

“Mary Anne and I were saddened to learn of Wayne’s passing. No one was a bigger Dolphin fan than he was, and no one wanted to see the team win more than he did. He supported the team in every way possible, and no one could have asked to work for a better owner.

“But as wonderful as he was as an owner, he was even better as a person. He was truly a great friend who showed compassion and caring for everyone he knew and many he didn’t, as evidenced by his wonderful work in the community.

“We lost a great family man, businessman, sportsman, philanthropist, and friend, but most of all, a great person. He will be missed.”

Former Dolphins Head Coach Jimmy Johnson:

“Wayne was not only an outstanding owner, he was someone everyone loved working for, but he was one of the nicest men I ever knew.”

Former Dolphins Head Coach Dave Wannstedt:

“Wayne was as good of an owner as any coach could ask for – he was willing to do what he could to give the team the best opportunity to be successful. On a more personal level, he was a great friend to me, my wife, Jan, and so many other members of the Dolphins organization.

“More than that, though, he and his wife, Marti, were wonderful people who had a true love for South Florida and an unwavering desire to make the fans proud of their sports teams. Jan and I want to express our deepest sympathies to his family on his loss.”

Former Dolphins Head Coach Nick Saban:

“Our thoughts and prayers go out to Wayne’s family. He was the classiest man I ever met, a fantastic friend, a tremendous leader and a world-class businessman. I had as much love and respect for Wayne as a man as anybody I’ve ever met other than my own father. He was always supportive and treated us like members of his own family during our time in Miami. Even during a difficult transition when we left Miami, we were able to maintain our friendship and positive relationship, which shows you what kind of man he was.” 

Former Dolphins Executive Vice President of Football Operations Bill Parcells:

“I was saddened by the news of Wayne’s passing. He was kind and benevolent and I enjoyed the time I was able to spend with him.”

Dolphins alumnus and Senior Vice President, Special Projects and Alumni Relations Nat Moore:

“The South Florida community lost one of its greatest citizens with the passing of Wayne Huizenga. Nobody cared more for this region, and its residents, than Wayne. It didn’t matter who you were or what you did – he treated everyone with dignity and respect. And no one did more to help people here – the list of charities he and his wife, Marti, supported is long and has impacted so many people. At the Dolphins, we all knew him as someone who cared passionately about the team, and we were fortunate to work with him and get to know him. But as great as his love for the Dolphins was, his love for South Florida was even greater and he will long be remembered for all he did for this community.”

Hall of Fame quarterback Dan Marino:

“I am saddened to hear about the passing of my long-time friend Wayne Huizenga. My thoughts and prayers are with the entire Huizenga family.”

Hall of Fame defensive end Jason Taylor:

“I was deeply saddened to learn of Mr. Huizenga’s passing this morning. Mr. H was an amazing man who was a part of my development from a young, wide-eyed rookie to an established, veteran player who was always treated with respect, fairness and kindness. It is hard to put into words how much I learned from him, both from our direct interaction, and simply by watching and marveling at his prowess as a businessman and a team owner. It is not a coincidence that every coach during his time as the Dolphins owner raved about working for him, and I can say from experience that as players, we felt the same way.  Mr. H was class personified in the often cutthroat world of professional sports, and the mark he made on the Miami Dolphins, and the landscape of South Florida sports as a whole, can never be forgotten.”

Former Dolphins linebacker Zach Thomas:

“I truly was saddened when I heard of Wayne’s passing.

“He truly cared for the Dolphins and did everything he could to help us win. But he also took a personal interest in everyone on the team, no matter who he was. I remember early in my rookie year, when I was still trying to earn a spot on the team, he stopped me in the hall, knew a lot about me, and asked me how I was doing. I couldn’t believe it, but that shows you the type of person he was.

“His kindness and generosity is really what defined him. He was a legend not only in business but in charity, and he made a difference in so many people’s lives. And in the end, it’s not the Dolphins, or even what he did for South Florida sports that will be his legacy – it’s what he did for the people of this community.”