Jason Jenkins embraced this community, and the community embraced him back | Opinion

Jason Jenkins was a beloved father, husband, friend and extraordinary community leader on behalf of the Miami Dolphins. He passed away suddenly Saturday, Aug. 27, at the age of 47. There will be a public celebration of life in his honor 4 p.m. Monday, Sept. 5, at Hard Rock Stadium.

Although his years on Earth were brief, his impact was vast, deep and lasting, as he lived a life dedicated to serving others and bringing people from all backgrounds together. He was a unifier of people and a champion in the community who lived each day with joy, tenacity and selfless love that made him truly one of a kind. Simply put, Jason was an outstanding human being who made the world a better place.

Jason was a celebrated and accomplished professional, but his greatest joy came from his family. He was devoted to his wife and three children. As driven as he was throughout the community and in his career, nothing mattered more to him than his family. They were the foundation of his life and are the greatest lasting legacy of his love.

He is survived by his wife of 12 years, Elizabeth, his daughter, Liya, 12; son, Aiden, 10; daughter, Sloane, 6; mother, Mary Clay; father, C.L. Whittington; brothers Corey Harmon and Anthony Clay; and sisters Dr. Catherine Whittington and Candance Clay.

Jason was born on Oct. 30, 1974, in Houston, Texas. He attended Texas Tech University, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism in 1997 and played defensive back on the football team. He went on to have a successful career in the sports profession through media and community relations, but his career was only an avenue for him to do the true work — impacting people’s lives for the better.

Jason was a leader

Jason was a pillar of the South Florida community from the time he moved to the area and joined the Miami Dolphins in 2009. He overhauled the organization’s community relations and charitable efforts and made huge strides in making South Florida a better place for people from all walks of life.

There are numerous examples of his leadership, but none more so than his influence in Dolphins Challenge Cancer since its inception in 2010, most notably as the board chairman since 2020. He helped build DCC into the largest fundraiser in the NFL, which has raised more than $53 million for the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center to fund life-saving cancer research in South Florida.

In 2020, during the global pandemic, Jason led the Miami Dolphins Foundation Food Relief Program to help those in need during that tumultuous time. The program donated more than 1 million meals to help address food insecurity in the community, while also providing resources to local minority-owned restaurants and businesses at a time when the restaurant industry was struggling.

Always inclusive

His inclusivity was evident in how many diverse organizations recognized his work in the community.

He was a board member for numerous South Florida based community organizations providing leadership to a wide range of causes including Anti-Defamation League Florida, Breakthrough Miami, Dolphins Challenge Cancer, Pro Sports Assembly, Urban League of Broward County, Women of Tomorrow and YWCA Miami.

He championed the Miami Dolphins FOOTBALL UNITES program, whose mission was to unite groups of different races, genders, sexual orientations, identities, abilities and faiths around the power of football.

Jason’s many awards and honors also reflect his inclusive spirit; they include 2022 Miami-Dade County’s Black Affairs Advisory Board’s Corporate Pillar Award; 2021 Civil Society Fellowship: A Partnership of ADL and the Aspen Institute; 2021 co-chair of the Social Justice and Racial Equality Committee as part of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance; 2021 Generational Cure Honoree; 2021 Miami-Dade County Public Schools Superintendent CHOICE Award, 2020 Big Brothers Big Sisters of Broward County Visionary of the Year; 2019 Equality Ally by SAVE-Dade; and the 2019 Men of Valor Award.

Jason was a unifier

His presence helped build bridges between local law enforcement and the Black community at a time when tensions were high in America. His efforts in social-justice programs became a model for the NFL.

Jason also worked closely with RISE, a national nonprofit that educates and empowers the sports community to eliminate racial discrimination, champion social justice and improve race relations.

Jason was driven

Jason was successful professionally while always looking out for others. He began his career at Lehigh University, where he was a sales and promotion manager and sports communications assistant from 1997-99. He joined the Texas Southern University Athletics Department in 1999 and served as an associate athletics director there until 2002.

In 2002, Jason joined the San Francisco 49ers in their media-relations department, where he quickly earned respect in the NFL. He was selected to give case-study presentations to every team’s public-relations department at league meetings in 2003, 2004 and 2005.

The Miami Dolphins hired Jason in 2009 as director of media relations. He was promoted to senior director of media relations in 2012, vice president of communications in 2013 and senior vice president of communications and community affairs in 2015.

He led all crisis communications, media relations and community relations efforts for the Miami Dolphins, Hard Rock Stadium & Formula 1 Crypto.com Miami Grand Prix. Jason was instrumental in securing a Formula 1 circuit at Hard Rock Stadium and served as the first national press officer for the event.

He was also recognized by his alma mater, Texas Tech University, as the school’s faculty and alumni selected him the 2017 Outstanding Alumni Award winner. He served as commencement speaker for the 2018 Texas Tech graduating class.

Jason was kind

Jason was known for his immense kindness throughout his career. He treated everyone with respect, regardless of where they were on the organizational chart. He had a gift for anticipating one’s needs. When someone mentioned his name to a colleague, it was usually met with someone saying Jason made them feel like the most important person in the world.

Jason mentored countless individuals, both personally and professionally. His colleagues would often joke that he must have a twin because it seemed impossible to be at a dance recital for Liya, a haircut for Aiden, a flag football game for Sloane, a community event in Miami Gardens and a Dolphins game all within a 24-hour period. But Jason found a way to make it happen because he had time for everyone.

Jason will be remembered for many wonderful things, most notably his impact, kindness, joy, selflessness and humility. Nothing he did was about him, because it was always in service for the betterment of others.

As part of his commencement address to the 2018 graduates at Texas Tech, Jason said, “It won’t be your geography that marks your journey. It’ll be three things: the depth of your relationships, the foundation of your values and the courage of your decision-making.”

Jason lived out this mission statement, and he leaves South Florida and the world a better place because of his life and the everlasting impact of his legacy.

Elizabeth Jenkins is Jason Jenkins’ wife of 12 years. Brett Brecheisen is senior manager for football communications for the Miami Dolphins. He worked for Jason Jenkins for many years.