Miami Dolphins Promote Orr From Practice Squad
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MIAMI – The Miami Dolphins today announced they have promoted defensive tackle Leon Orr from the practice squad to the 53-man active roster.
Orr joined the Dolphins practice squad on Sept. 20, 2016 after he spent the 2015 season and 2016 training camp with the Oakland Raiders. Orr originally signed as an undrafted college free agent with the Raiders on May 8, 2015 and spent the first 13 weeks of the regular season on that team’s practice squad. He was promoted to Oakland’s active roster on Dec. 12, 2015 and played in three games with the Raiders, totaling two tackles (one solo) and one pass defensed. Orr is from New Port Richey, Fla. and played collegiately at the University of Florida.
| Name |
Pos. |
Hgt. |
Wgt. |
Birthdate |
Exp. |
College |
Hometown |
Acq. |
| Leon Orr |
DT |
6-5 |
320 |
2/11/92 |
1 |
Florida ’15 |
New Port Richey, Fla. |
FA, ‘16 |
Miami Dolphins in the Community: Dolphins Blitz at Park Ridge Elementary
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October 11, 2016
**Photo Credit: Miami Dolphins**
Photos: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/ujtw7uywv96fhnb/AAD635MVmKnX1lfIbcgJcutpa?dl=0
#DolphinsAcademy
Miami Dolphins in the Community: Dolphins Blitz at Park Ridge Elementary
Deerfield, Fla. – The Dolphins on Tuesday hosted a Dolphins Blitz at Park Ridge Elementary. Dolphins players Dominque Jones, Jason Jones and Kenny Stills, along with alumni Lousaka Polite, Troy Drayton and Twan Russell and cheerleader Kristan, hosted students in a Gatorade Junior Training Camp. The kids participated in several fitness-orientated stations and learned the benefits of hydration and staying physically active.
“We want kids to get out, get exercise instead of watching TV and playing video games all the time. At least get out for an hour and teach them how to be healthy and live a healthy life,” Jason Jones said. “These kids light up when we come out here and participate in these drills.”
This is in coordination with a Fins Frenzy, hosted by Russell with mascot T.D. The Dolphins highlighted the importance of education, physical fitness and positive choices. Additionally, the kids packed hygiene kits as a hurricane relief effort service project for Project Medishare to distribute in Haiti.
“About 300,000 people were affected in Haiti by Hurricane Matthew, and they’re lacking basic supplies like food, water, hygiene products and medical care. So we’re here today to work with the students at Park Ridge and the Miami Dolphins to make a difference and send these kits down to Haiti to make an immediate impact for the hurricane victims. They’ll be grateful for that,” Medishare Director of Development Jenna Green said. “The Dolphins helped after the earthquake in 2010. They took a trip down, they donated funds and a lot of resources and were an amazing community partner. When Hurricane Matthew hit, they were actually one of the first in the community to reach out and ask what they can do to help. It’s incredible because of their reach and the awareness they can bring to the issue.”
The Miami Dolphins Youth Programs’ mission is to emphasize the importance of education, physical fitness, and positive choices for kids in a safe and fun environment. The Miami Dolphins Youth Programs’ vision is to prepare the next generation of leaders in staying physically active through our Junior Training Camps (JTC), Youth Football Clinics, and Youth Football Camps.
Miami Dolphins Add Chekwa and Young
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MIAMI – The Miami Dolphins today announced they have signed cornerback Chimdi Chekwa and tackle Sam Young. The team has released running back Isaiah Pead and waived guards Dallas Thomas and Billy Turner.
Chekwa originally signed with the Dolphins on Feb. 22, 2016 and was with the team during the 2016 offseason and training camp before he was released on Sept. 3, 2016. He played in four seasons with the Oakland Raiders (2011-14) and appeared in 32 games with four starts. Chekwa totaled 32 tackles (28 solo), four passes defensed, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery in his career. He originally entered the NFL as a fourth-round selection (113th overall) by Oakland in the 2011 NFL draft.
Young originally signed with the Dolphins on March 11, 2016 and spent the 2016 offseason and training camp with the team before he was released on Sept. 3, 2016. Young has played parts of six seasons with the Dallas Cowboys (2010), Buffalo Bills (2011-13) and Jacksonville Jaguars (2013-15), appearing in 58 total games with 13 starts. He entered the NFL as a sixth-round pick (179th overall) by Dallas in the 2010 NFL draft. Young is from Coral Springs, Fla. and played high school football at St. Thomas Aquinas in nearby Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Pead played in three games for the Dolphins in 2016, totaling eight carries for 22 yards (2.8 avg.) and one reception for 6 yards. He joined the Dolphins as a free agent on April 1, 2016. During his career, Pead has played in 30 games with one start for the St. Louis Rams (2012-15) and the Dolphins (2016). He has 27 career carries for 100 yards (3.7 avg.) and 15 receptions for 100 yards (6.7 avg.) after beginning his career with St. Louis as a second-round pick (50th overall) in the 2012 NFL draft.
Thomas played in 37 games and made 26 starts with the Dolphins from 2013-16. He started all 16 games in 2015. Thomas was originally a third-round pick (77th overall) by Miami in the 2013 NFL draft after he played collegiately at Tennessee.
Turner played in 20 games with 14 starts in his three-year NFL career, spending all three seasons with the Dolphins (2014-16). He played in five games with two starts this season after appearing in 13 contests with 12 starts in 2015. Turner entered the NFL as a third-round selection (67th overall) by the Dolphins in the 2014 NFL draft.
| Name |
Pos. |
Hgt. |
Wgt. |
Birthdate |
Exp. |
College |
Hometown |
Acq. |
| Chimdi Chekwa |
CB |
6-0 |
196 |
1/7/88 |
4 |
Ohio State ’11 |
Clermont, Fla. |
FA, ‘16 |
| Sam Young |
T |
6-8 |
315 |
6/24/87 |
7 |
Notre Dame ’10 |
Coral Springs, Fla. |
FA, ‘16 |
Miami Dolphins Awarded Benwikere Off Waivers
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MIAMI – The Miami Dolphins today announced they have been awarded cornerback Bené Benwikere off waivers from the Carolina Panthers and have placed linebacker Koa Misi on injured reserve.
Benwikere (pronounced Ben-ay Ben-WICK-urr-rhee) started four games this season for Carolina and totaled 10 tackles (eight solo), one interception and four passes defensed. He played three seasons (2014-16) for the Panthers, appearing in 27 games with 14 starts before he was waived on Oct. 7, 2016. He originally entered the NFL as a fifth-round pick (148th overall) by Carolina in the 2014 NFL draft after playing collegiately at San Jose State.
Misi played in three contests with two starts this season before suffering an injury in the Week 3 game vs. the Cleveland Browns. He totaled 22 tackles (11 solo). Misi has played all seven seasons of his career with the Dolphins after he was selected in the second round (40th overall) of the 2010 NFL draft.
| Name |
Pos. |
Hgt. |
Wgt. |
Birthdate |
Exp. |
College |
Hometown |
Acq. |
| Bené Benwikere |
CB |
6-0 |
200 |
9/3/91 |
3 |
San Jose State ’14 |
Fontana, Calif. |
Wai., ’16 (Car.) |
Miami Dolphins Announce Series of Relief Efforts for Month of October
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October 8, 2016
Miami Dolphins Announce Series of Relief Efforts for Month of October
Miami, FL – The Miami Dolphins will commit $100,000 from its foundation to support relief efforts in Haiti, Cuba, The Bahamas and communities in Florida impacted by Hurricane Matthew. One hundred percent of these funds will provide much needed support in both the near and long term for impacted areas.
In addition, the organization announced opportunities for fans to aid these efforts throughout the month of October and most notably during the three-week span of home games at Hard Rock Stadium (Oct. 9 vs. Tennessee Titans, Oct. 16 vs. Pittsburgh Steelers and Oct. 3 vs. Buffalo Bills):
- All proceeds from the game day 50/50 raffles at Hard Rock Stadium will go towards relief efforts in the aforementioned impacted areas.
- Ticket holders can donate supplies for relief efforts at stadium gates throughout October. For a full list of items to donate, please visit http://tinyurl.com/finsdonate.
- Fans can visit Dolphins.com for links to relief organizations to make additional donations (in-kind and monetary).
The Dolphins are committed to giving back as stewards of the community with an employee, fan and volunteer base stretching throughout Florida and the Caribbean Islands. For additional information about the team’s community programs, please visit http://www.dolphins.com/community/.
Miami Dolphins Announce Week Five Youth Programs Awards With Partner Ross Initiative in Sports for Equality (RISE)
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October 5, 2016
***Photo Credit: Miami Dolphins***
Photo: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/y48y95ifkb2y7p9/AAAevhejK7sd2w6Mz6d_Betaa?dl=0
Miami Dolphins Announce Week Five Youth Programs Awards With Partner Ross Initiative in Sports for Equality (RISE)
Miami – The Miami Dolphins and the Ross Initiative in Sports for Equality (RISE) recognize the week five youth football players, coach and parent who have demonstrated their commitment to being leaders on and off the field:
- High School Player of the Week: Nayquan Wright is a sophomore running back from Miami Carol City High School. Wright last week helped his team defeat nationally ranked Miami Central 34-7. He had over 100 yards rushing and finished off the game with a 51-yard touchdown run. Only a sophomore, Wright already has scholarship offers from Alabama, Miami (Fla.), Notre Dame, Florida State and Georgia.
- High School Coach of the Week: Roger Pollard from Coral Gables Senior High School. The Cavaliers are currently one of the few unbeaten teams left in the South Florida region and rank No. 5 in the state. Pollard and his team will next face Hialeah High School.
- Youth Player of the Week: Akin Liverpol from the National Youth Football League. Liverpol plays running back for the Overtown Tornadoes 14U. He posted nine carries for 121 yards rushing and three catches for 54 yards and one touchdown in a 16-0 victory over the South Dade Bulldogs.
- Team Mom of the Week: Nzinga Glover from the Washington Park Buccaneers of the Florida Youth Football League. Glover always places her kids before herself. She makes sacrifices to ensure her team is taken care of by facilitating fundraisers, preparing game day snacks, providing hydration and cleaning uniforms. She serves as the team’s official photographer and is responsible for making sure that every child on the team sees action for at least six plays by managing the Mandatory Player Report. Glover proudly boasts that she is the team’s official “hype mom”.
Today, members of the Miami-Dade Police Department were on hand to present the awards to High School Player of the Week Nayquan Wright and High School Coach of the Week Roger Pollard. Officer Frances Reyes visited Miami Carol City High School and Officer Carl Mason was present at Coral Gables Senior High School.
Each award recipient will be presented with a plaque on the field during the Oct. 9 Dolphins home game at Hard Rock Stadium against the Tennessee Titans, and receive acknowledgement of their accomplishment in the game program and through the Dolphins’ and RISE’s social media platforms. They also will receive a pair of tickets to a Miami Dolphins home game and a Dolphins/RISE T-shirt.
As a newly added component of the program and part of the Dolphins/RISE partnership, winners will be empowered to make a difference by participating in a RISE training program where they will learn how to use the unifying power of sport to promote the importance and benefits of unity, equality and inclusiveness as well as address racial tensions their teams, schools and communities might experience.
Awardees also will be encouraged to take a pledge, committing to stand up to racial inequality and share how they plan to affect change by creating a “How I RISE” video message, which will be posted on RISEtoWIN.org.
About Miami Dolphins Youth Programs
The Miami Dolphins Youth Programs’ mission is to emphasize the importance of education, physical fitness and positive choices for kids in a safe and fun environment. The Miami Dolphins Youth Programs’ vision is to prepare the next generation of leaders in staying physically active through our Junior Training Camps (JTC), Youth Football Clinics and Youth Football Camps. The goal is to promote Youth Football in the South Florida community.
About the Ross Initiative in Sports for Equality (RISE)
Founded in 2015 by Stephen M. Ross, the Ross Initiative in Sports for Equality (RISE) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to harnessing the unifying power of sports to advance race relations and drive social progress. Supported by an unprecedented alliance of sports leagues, organizations, educators, media networks, sports professionals and athletes, RISE uses sports as a vehicle to promote understanding, respect and equality. Through public awareness campaigns and educational programming, RISE aims to spark enduring action. To learn more, visit RISEtoWIN.org.
Miami Dolphins Host Yoga with the Fins to Honor Crucial Catch and Breast Cancer Awareness
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October 5, 2016
***Photo/Video Credit: Miami Dolphins***
Photo/Video: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/nnzdaggq39yv1h5/AAAQADAtCImQH-eXeg8aTyDBa?dl=0
Miami Dolphins Host Yoga with the Fins to Honor Crucial Catch and Breast Cancer Awareness
Miami – On Tuesday, Oct. 4, Miami Dolphins alumni and Women’s Organization Members, in partnership with the Dolphins Cancer Challenge (DCC), hosted an evening of yoga with cancer patients and survivors in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month.
“The Miami Dolphins and DCC are committed to fighting cancer of all kinds,” Senior Vice President of Communications and Community Affairs Jason Jenkins said. “We are happy to host this event for the second year in a row and invite those who have been affected by cancer to come together and take part in a fun and relaxing evening centered around yoga.”
The event took place at the Baptist Health Training Facility at Nova Southeastern University. Upon arrival, the women received pink Dolphins Breast Cancer Awareness shirts and were invited to take pictures in a DCC themed photo booth. The group then heard from Dolphins Cancer Challenge Director of Operations and Logistics Amanda Chase, pancreatic cancer survivor & DCC participant Camille Moses and Miami Cancer Institute at Baptist Health South Florida Oncology Exercise Physiologist Joann Santiago.
“Exercise was considered to be taboo during cancer treatment, not only in breast cancer patients, but any cancer patient,” Santiago said. “More studies are emerging on the benefits of exercise and yoga in relationship to breast cancer patients. They’re starting to see that cancer patients can benefit from participating in physical activity. It’s exciting to be a part of an event like this and it’s something that I’m very passionate about.”
Participants then performed synchronized yoga poses while listening to relaxing music. Dolphins alumni in attendance included Elmer Bailey, Troy Drayton, Arturo Freeman, Lousaka Polite and Twan Russell.
At the conclusion of the event, everyone received Dolphins bags filled with Miami Dolphins head bands, necklaces, breast cancer awareness bandanas and wristbands as well as Miami Cancer Institute water bottles. Pink cupcakes, fruit and granola bars from Publix also were served.
Miami Dolphins Sign Jones
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October 3, 2016
Miami Dolphins Sign Jones
MIAMI – The Miami Dolphins today announced they have signed tight end Dominique Jones.
Jones spent the 2016 training camp with the Dolphins before he was waived on Sept. 3, 2016. He originally joined the team as a free agent on Jan. 19, 2016 and also had a brief stint on the team’s practice squad in 2012. Jones has played in 13 career games with three starts for the Indianapolis Colts (2012-13), Kansas City Chiefs (2013) and Denver Broncos (2014). He has three receptions for 42 yards (14.0 avg.) in his career. He entered the league as an undrafted college free agent on April 30, 2012.
| Name |
Pos. |
Hgt. |
Wgt. |
Birthdate |
Exp. |
College |
Hometown |
Acq. |
| Dominique Jones |
TE |
6-3 |
275 |
8/15/87 |
3 |
Shepherd ’11 |
San Diego, Calif. |
FA, ‘16 |
