Truly heartbroken. Jason Jenkins was the kindest & most helpful soul I’ve ever encountered. Every time you spoke to him he had the most cheerful/optimistic outlook. I admired & appreciated him so much. My deepest condolences to his lovely family & the community. RIP friend.
Jason Jenkins, a longtime right-hand man to Dolphins owner Stephen Rose and the face of the organization’s many public relations in the South Florida community, died Saturday due to a medical emergency.
The exact cause of death was not initially known.
The Dolphins announced Jenkins’ death at halftime of Saturday night’s game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
“Our hearts are broken and we mourn the loss of a dear friend and loved one by so many,” said Dolphins vice president, president and CEO Tom Garfinkel. Sen faithfully served the Dolphin Organization for 14 years, has been a beacon to the community, a pioneer and advocate for others, and most importantly, he treated people with kindness and dignity that left a lasting legacy on everyone he met. Imprint. Our deepest condolences and unwavering support to his wife Elizabeth and their three children.”
The Dolphins paid tribute to Jason Jenkins at halftime of Saturday’s game.
Jenkins, 47, started working for the Dolphins in 2009 and was promoted to senior vice president of communications and community affairs in 2015. There are few community events supported by Dolphins without Jenkins representing the organization.
Jenkins worked tirelessly to unite South Florida and was honored at the 20th Annual Pillar Awards ceremony earlier this summer at the Miami Marriott Hotel Biscayne Bay. Jenkins received the Enterprise Pillar Award.
“We’re honored to receive this Corporate Community Citizenship Award,” Jenkins told the Miami Times. “As a black man, I don’t lose to who I got this award from.”
In 2018, Jenkins described the Trayvon Martin Foundation’s support, saying he had no interest in “superficial” support, telling the South Florida Times, “We want to support real change.”
He added: “It is important to our owner Stephen Rose and our players and alumni that we support the groups and organizations that are making a difference in South Florida. Everyone in South Florida deserves a fair competitive environment, and we are delighted that our platform allows us to bring together people representing a wide and diverse group of people.”
Jenkins, a Houston native, received a BA in journalism from Texas Tech University in 1997. In 2017, his alma mater awarded him the Distinguished Alumni Award. The following year, he served as an inaugural speaker at Texas Tech University.