The Miami Dolphins as well as many people around the NFL are in complete shock after Jason Jenkins, the Miami Dolphins’ senior vice president of communications and community affairs, died suddenly on Saturday.
He was 47.
The Dolphins announced his death during the team’s preseason game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
An emotional Mike McDaniel, the Dolphins’ first-year head coach, fought back tears as he shared some thoughts on Jenkins with reporters following Miami’s preseason game against the Eagles on Saturday.
“Mike McDaniel choked up and fighting back tears talking about Dolphins Senior VP of Communications Jason Jenkins, who passed away today.”
“I’m sure you guys have heard that we lost a dear member of the Miami Dolphins organization, Jason Jenkins, Senior Vice President of Communications and Community Affairs,” McDaniel said. “We’re just going through the process in grieving with the team. I just told [the players] about it. Right now football pales in comparison to all the people that were really affected. The list is long from Jason and his walk of life and his wife, Elizabeth, and his children, Liya, Aiden, and Sloane.
“I haven’t been here that long, but his investment into the team and the community, it didn’t take long to see the great work he did. I mean, I didn’t see a day that — there wasn’t a time — there wasn’t a day that passed that I saw him that he just didn’t light up the room. Like I just told the team, it’s important for those who loved him and were touched by him and all the members of our team to lean on each other. That’s what we’re going to try to do.”
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Jenkins joined the organization in 2009 after spending about seven years with the San Francisco 49ers, and previously worked at Southern, Lehigh and his alma mater Texas Tech.
Miami team owner Stephen Ross said he was “heartbroken.”
“Jason Jenkins was an icon in the Miami community, and above all a kind and incredible family man,” Ross said.
