Stephen Ross and the Miami Dolphins Pledge $500,000 to Support Elderly and Youth Impacted by COVID-19
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March 20, 2020
Stephen Ross and the Miami Dolphins Pledge $500,000 to Support Elderly and Youth Impacted by COVID-19
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – Stephen Ross and the Miami Dolphins announced a pledge of $500,000 to help meet critical needs for elderly and youth in the community as a result of the global COVID-19 pandemic. These funds will be used to support school meal programs for Broward County Public Schools and Miami-Dade County Public Schools, relief efforts led by churches in Miami Gardens and to bolster programs from Feeding South Florida to provide access to food for underserved populations in the area.
“This is obviously an unprecedented situation that is affecting everyone; and affecting some people a lot more than others. We want to help those who are most vulnerable and those right here in our backyard,” said Miami Dolphins Vice Chairman and CEO Tom Garfinkel. “We will continue to monitor the situation with our community partners and strongly encourage everyone to stay home and follow the CDC guidelines. We will get through this together.”
In addition, the team will work with Miami Dolphins FOOTBALL UNITES™ partners that are on the front lines responding to the outbreak. Details around these programs will be shared once finalized.
Miami Dolphins make roster moves
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March 18, 2020
Miami Dolphins make roster moves
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – The Miami Dolphins today announced they have released safety Reshad Jones and waived the following players: center/guard Evan Brown, cornerback Rashard Causey, tackle Chidi Okeke and wide receiver T.J. Rahming. The team also released/failed physical linebacker Mike Hull and waived/non-football injury defensive tackle Kendrick Norton.
Brown joined the Dolphins on Dec. 4, 2019 after spending multiple stints on the N.Y. Giants’ practice squad. He played in three games for the Dolphins and one for the Giants last year. Brown originally entered the NFL as an undrafted college free agent with the Giants on May 11, 2018.
Causey was signed to Miami’s practice squad on Dec. 12, 2019. He spent part of training camp with Denver and Atlanta and was with Atlanta for the offseason program. He originally entered the NFL as an undrafted college free agent with Atlanta on April 29, 2019.
Hull played in 43 games with five starts for the Dolphins from 2015-18. He missed the entire 2019 season after being placed on the physically unable to perform list. In his career, Hull has recorded 48 tackles (33 solo), one interception, one pass defensed and one fumble recovery. He also had 30 special teams stops (20 solo). Hull originally entered the NFL as an undrafted college free agent on May 8, 2015.
Jones played 10 seasons (2010-19) with the Dolphins, appearing in 128 games with 113 starts. He recorded totals of 763 tackles (588 solo), 10.5 sacks, 21 interceptions, 55 passes defensed, three forced fumbles and seven fumble recoveries. Jones ranks second in team history with six defensive touchdowns and his 10.5 career sacks are second-most by a defensive back in Dolphins history. He earned Pro Bowl selections following the 2015 and 2017 seasons and was a co-recipient of the 2015 Dan Marino Team MVP Award. Jones originally entered the NFL as a fifth-round pick (163rd overall) by the Dolphins in the 2010 NFL draft.
Norton spent the entire 2019 season on the non-football injury list. He was on Miami’s active roster for two weeks in 2018 but was inactive for both games. Prior to that, Norton spent 14 games on Carolina’s practice squad. He originally entered the NFL as a seventh-round pick (242nd overall) by Carolina in the 2018 NFL draft. Norton played collegiately at the University of Miami.
Okeke spent most of the 2019 season on Miami’s practice squad after the Dolphins added him on Sept. 10, 2019. He spent training camp with Kansas City and part of the offseason program with Washington. Okeke originally entered the NFL as an undrafted college free agent with Washington on April 30, 2019.
Rahming joined the Dolphins on Aug. 20, 2019 after spending part of training camp with Washington. He spent the entire 2019 season on Miami’s practice squad. Rahming originally entered the NFL as an undrafted college free agent with Washington on April 30, 2018.
Miami Dolphins tender 2 restricted free agents
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March 16, 2020
Miami Dolphins tender 2 restricted free agents
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – The Miami Dolphins today announced they have tendered two restricted free agents – linebacker Vince Biegel and punter Matt Haack – at the original-round level.
Biegel joined the Dolphins in a trade from New Orleans on Sept. 1, 2019. He played in 15 games with 10 starts for Miami last year, totaling 57 tackles (26 solo), two sacks, one interception and one pass defensed. His 13 quarterback hits led the team. Biegel has played in 38 NFL games with three different teams after he spent the 2018 season with New Orleans and the 2017 season with Green Bay. He originally entered the NFL as a fourth-round pick (108th overall) by Green Bay in the 2017 NFL draft.
Haack has played in all 48 games with the Dolphins over the past three seasons (2017-19). He has 239 career punts for 10,684 yards (44.7 avg.) and is the franchise’s all-time career leader with a 40.0 net punting average (min. 126 punts, since 1976). In 2019, he threw a touchdown pass to kicker Jason Sanders in the Week 13 win vs. Philadelphia that was named the NFL’s Bridgestone Play of the Year. Haack originally entered the NFL as an undrafted college free agent with the Dolphins on May 5, 2017.
Miami Dolphins tender 3 exclusive rights free agents
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March 12, 2020
Miami Dolphins tender 3 exclusive rights free agents
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – The Miami Dolphins today announced they have tendered the following exclusive rights free agents: wide receiver Isaiah Ford, linebacker Trent Harris and defensive tackle Zach Sieler.
Ford has spent his entire career in Miami after he was a seventh-round pick (237th overall) by the Dolphins in the 2017 NFL draft. He’s had several stints on the active roster and practice squad. In 2019, Ford played in eight games and caught 23 passes for 244 yards (10.6 avg.). Of his 23 receptions, 21 of them came in the final four games of the season. A Jacksonville, Florida native, Ford played collegiately at Virginia Tech.
Harris was awarded to the Dolphins off waivers on Sept. 1, 2019. He played in 11 games with three starts for Miami, totaling 22 tackles (16 solo), 1.5 sacks and one forced fumble. Harris originally entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent with New England on May 11, 2018. A Winter Park, Florida native, he played collegiately at the University of Miami.
Sieler was awarded to the Dolphins off waivers on Dec. 5, 2019. He played in three games with one start for the Dolphins, totaling eight tackles (three solo), one sack and two passes defensed. Sieler also played in four games for Baltimore in the 2019 season and made his NFL debut with the Ravens in 2018. He originally entered the NFL as a seventh-round pick (238th overall) by the Ravens in the 2018 NFL draft.
Miami Dolphins promote Grizzard
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March 10, 2020
Miami Dolphins promote Grizzard
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – The Miami Dolphins today announced they have promoted Josh Grizzard to wide receivers coach.
Grizzard is in his fourth season with the Dolphins after spending the past three years as a quality control coach. He was promoted to assistant wide receivers coach on Feb. 20, 2020. In 2019, Grizzard worked closely with wide receivers coach Karl Dorrell, mentoring the team’s wide outs. Prior to the Dolphins, he spent four seasons (2013-16) at Duke, where he was a graduate assistant and quality control coach working primarily with quarterbacks.
Dolphins Cancer Challenge 10 Celebrates Cancer Survivors and Raises Funds for Cancer Research at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center
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February 29, 2020
#TackleCancer
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Dolphins Cancer Challenge 10 Celebrates Cancer Survivors and Raises Funds for Cancer Research at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – The South Florida community rallied for the Miami Dolphins’ tenth annual Dolphins Cancer Challenge (DCC 10) raising funds for innovative cancer research at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, a part of UHealth – the University of Miami Health System.
A record-breaking 6,000 participants biked, ran, walked and volunteered in the event. The ethos of the day was celebrated by the 250 cancer survivors who participated – reinforcing the motivation of the DCC to tackle cancer. The Survivor Program presented by the Harcourt M. and Virginia W. Sylvester Foundation will continue to share the stories of the thriving survivors on the front line who galvanize efforts at the DCC.
“The Miami Dolphins are proud to host the largest fundraiser in the NFL and through this year’s Dolphins Cancer Challenge we are continuing that tradition with a record number of participants coming together to raise money for cancer research at Sylvester,” Miami Dolphins Foundation Executive Director Jesse Marks said. “We are honored to once again be in the position to make another major gift to our partners at Sylvester who provide such a needed service to our community. Thank you to all of our partners, participants, donors and municipalities who come together to create such an impactful event for South Florida in the fight against cancer.”
“We are so grateful for this incredible partnership with the Miami Dolphins,” Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center Director Stephen D. Nimer, M.D., said. “With the support of our community we have been able to cure an ever increasing number of patients with cancer over the past 10 years and develop new more effective approaches to preventing cancer. We have become an NCI-designated cancer center and we look forward to even more cancer breakthroughs as a result of the funds raised through the Dolphins Cancer Challenge.”
The DCC 10 concluded at the Finish Line presented by AutoNation where participants celebrated at the Finish Line Festival presented by Moss Construction on the grounds of the tennis campus at Hard Rock Stadium. The event featured live entertainment throughout the day from the Ultimate Stage present by Ultimate Software. The festival grounds included delicious cuisine and beverages from the roof top bar and beer garden as well as games, inflatables, gondola rides at the venue’s SkyView presented by Bud Light Seltzer, a petting zoo, massages and more for the whole family.
The DCC donates 100 percent of participant-raised funds to innovative cancer research at Sylvester. The event would not be possible without the incredible support of all contributors, including Champion partners AutoNation, Harcourt M. and Virginia W. Sylvester Foundation, Lennar Foundation and Moss Construction as well as Hero partners BBVA Compass, Breakthru Beverage, EventStar Structures, JW Marriott Miami Turnberry Resort & Spa and Ultimate Software. Funds are still being collected through April 6, 2020.
These initiatives align with the Miami Dolphins Foundation’s commitment of leveraging the power of sports and entertainment to inspire a healthier, more educated and united South Florida community.
The DCC was founded in 2010 by the Miami Dolphins Organization as the signature initiative of the Foundation’s health impact area and has become the largest fundraising event in the NFL. The DCC’s purpose is to improve people’s lives through financial support for innovative cancer research at Sylvester, South Florida’s only National Cancer Institute (NCI) designated cancer center. Sylvester is now among the top cancer centers in the United States and joins a highly select group as one of only two NCI-designated cancer centers in the state of Florida and one of just 71 across the nation. Since its inception, the DCC has raised more than $32.5 million, donating 100 percent of participant-raised funds to Sylvester. For more information, visit www.DolphinsCancerChallenge.com.
Miami Dolphins Host 38 Players at Fourth Annual Dolphins Business Combine
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February 28, 2020
Miami Dolphins Host 38 Players at Fourth Annual Dolphins Business Combine
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MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – The Miami Dolphins hosted their fourth annual Dolphins Business Combine (DBC) from February 23–27. Dolphins owner Stephen Ross, created the event to provide unique opportunities for his players’ development off the field. Starting with 16 participants in 2017, the DBC had its highest turnout in 2020, with 38 players taking part in the event. Throughout the week, attendees took part in seminars focused on real estate, entrepreneurship, business leadership, business operations, corporate finance, marketing and project management. These sessions were led by NFL alumni and Arizona State University professors with first-hand knowledge of their respective fields. Each player also received a DBC business accelerator program certificate in partnership with ASU’s Global Sport Institute.
“Any organization works best when the people know that the head of the organization cares about their development,” said Ross. “I thought it was incumbent on me to show them the opportunities they can have when they finish their careers while still playing. I’m proud of the work that we have accomplished together over the past four years and excited that so many players were involved in this year’s event.”
Dolphins players that participated in this year’s combine included Vince Biegel, Nate Brooks, Evan Brown, Shaq Calhoun, Jake Carlock, Taco Charlton, Julien Davenport, Jesse Davis, Trevor Davis, Sam Eguavoen, Myles Gaskin, Davon Godchaux, Matt Haack, Terrill Hanks, Trent Harris, Mack Hollins, Allen Hurns, Danny Isidora, John Jenkins, Andy Jones, Deon Lacey, Patrick Laird, Jonathan Ledbetter, Bobby McCain, Raekwon McMillan, Avery Moss, Steven Parker, Taybor Pepper, Jamal Perry, Eric Rowe, Jake Rudock, Jason Sanders, Zach Sieler, Durham, Smythe, Keaton Sutherland, Cordrea Tankersley, Ken Webster and Christian Wilkins.
“The best part about the Dolphins Business Combine is that players have an active role in shaping the curriculum based on a survey we conducted about their interests,” said Dolphins Director of Player Engagement Kaleb Thornhill. “The program was also planned to replicate an in-season week for the players – with classroom sessions, real-world company visits to simulate practice and a final business competition to represent game day – to help them better connect with the material and implement what they learned in a real-world setting.”
The combine concluded on Thursday, February 27 at Hard Rock Stadium with a business competition where each group pitched in front of a panel of judges and an audience. Judges included RSE Ventures Co-Founder Matt Higgins, Q’Straint Co-President Julie Boynton, former NFL Player and entrepreneur Justin Forsett, former NFL Player and UBS Financial Services Inc. Director of Wealth Management Adewale Ogunleye and former NFL Player and entrepreneur Spencer Paysinger. The overall competition brought together elements of communication, design, public speaking, pitching, innovation and collaboration.
“This event really speaks to our owner Stephen Ross who believes in us, who doesn’t just invest in us on the field, but invest in us off the field. That’s when you know you’re part of a special organization,” Biegel said.
Miami Dolphins Expand Podcast Network
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February 24, 2020
Miami Dolphins Expand Podcast Network
Miami Gardens, FL – In conjunction with the start of the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine, the Miami Dolphins have announced two new additions to its podcast network. Travis Wingfield has joined the organization and will provide original content to the Dolphins, including the debut of the “Drive Time with Travis Wingfield” podcast. In addition, the popular “The Fish Tank: Miami Dolphins Tales From The Deep” podcast with Seth Levit and alumnus O.J. McDuffie will host 24 original shows on team platforms throughout the year. These two podcasts will join “The Audible” hosted by Kim Bokamper and John Congemi.
“We are excited to bring Travis, Seth and O.J. into the Dolphins podcast network and elevate their passion and unique brand of storytelling to the community at large,” said Miami Dolphins Senior Vice President of Communications and Community Affairs Jason Jenkins. “Our goal is to deliver a diverse, informative and fun slate of voices to our already robust programming and we feel strongly that this content will resonate with our fanbase.”
Both a writer and podcaster, Wingfield will bring his trademark comprehensive and energetic approach that he developed to make “Locked On Dolphins” into a household name in the sports podcasting universe to Dolphins platforms. A self-described tape junkie, he channels his passion into his first love — the Miami Dolphins. Originally from the Pacific Northwest, Wingfield graduated from Washington State University.
The Fish Tank features conversations that range from thought provoking to outrageously hilarious. Whether the guest is a former Dolphins player, team personnel, or member of the South Florida sports media, when you’re in the tank you can expect some of the best stories you’ve never heard. Hosts McDuffie and Levit both previously enjoyed eight-year stints with the Miami Dolphins. McDuffie was the team’s first-round draft choice in 1993 and became one of Dan Marino’s favorite targets, highlighted by his 1998 season when he led the NFL with 90 receptions. Levit was a member of the team’s Media Relations Department from 1996-2004 and has spent the past 16 years overseeing the Jason Taylor Foundation.
All Miami Dolphins podcasts are available at Apple Podcasts, Spotify and MiamiDolphins.com.
