The impact Jason Jenkins left on the South Florida community and the communications industry is immeasurable. He served the Miami Dolphins and South Florida for 14 years and left behind a legacy worthy of a spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Jenkins is one of 15 individuals set to be honored this week by the Pro Football Hall of Fame with the 2025 Awards of Excellence in Canton, Ohio. The award, established by the Hall of Fame in 2022, recognizes contributors to the game in "behind-the-scenes" job roles in five categories: assistant coaches, athletic trainers, equipment managers, film/video directors and public relations directors. Each recipient is selected by their peers within their respective group.
Jenkins, who died unexpectedly in August 2022, is one of three former NFL public relations directors to receive this year's award. He follows former Dolphins Senior Vice President of Media Relations Harvey Greene, who was honored in the same category in 2024. Jenkins will be honored this year alongside former Dolphins Video Director Dave Hack, who will be recognized in the film/video directors category.
"I was blown away," said his wife, Elizabeth Jenkins, about the honor. "I did not expect this. And I don't think Jason would have ever thought he would have gotten this. You think about the Hall of Fame for obviously players who are phenomenal, and it's such an amazing thing that they honor the other side of the business that is just as important and has kept this train running, and for him to be honored this way, it's just an amazing legacy."
Jenkins, whose NFL career in public relations spanned over 20 years, oversaw the Dolphins' front-facing brands, including media outreach, public relations, digital and social media and community efforts. He joined the Dolphins in 2009 and served as the club's senior vice president of communications and community affairs from 2015 until his passing in 2022. However, his impact went far beyond press releases and handshakes.
"Jason was a tireless worker," said Tom Garfinkel, the Vice Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Miami Dolphins. "He wanted to personally be there for the people he was helping and the people he was representing. He showed up to everything. Every day for him was a positive impact on someone's life."
His inclusive nature, warm presence and bright smile made those who encountered him feel like the most important person on the planet.
"It was really important for him to build solid relationships," Elizabeth said. "He knew that there were going to be times where there're not going to be great stories, and he's going to have to have that relationship, at least a respectful relationship, with a media person who may disagree or may write something that you know the organization is not overly thrilled about and that he has to manage."
That approach, along with his collected demeanor, experience and constant preparation, helped him navigate the various aspects of his role.
"Jason was a voice of reason for me," Garfinkel said. "I think it was an invaluable resource as a CEO to have someone who thought strategically like him and thought with a cool head and who had his experience in public relations."
Often described as the "heart and soul" of the Miami Dolphins, Jenkins's genuine care and love for others was evident across all areas of the organization.
"He just cared so much. He cared so much about the organization," Garfinkel said. "He cared even more about the people in it, the individuals on an individual level and he cared about the game of football."
During his tenure, Jenkins also led the charge for various community initiatives including the Junior Dolphins youth football program, the Miami Dolphins Foundation Food Relief Program, the Miami Dolphins Football UNITES™ program and was an influential part of the Dolphins Cancer Challenge. Jenkins created community programming that served as a model for the NFL, most notably his social justice initiatives and Football UNITES™, whose mission is to use football as a vehicle to unite groups of different races, genders, sexual orientations, identities, abilities and faiths.
"He cared about the community and the people in it, and wanted to make an impact in people's lives every day," Garfinkel said. "You only read about great people actually having that level of commitment to helping other people and genuinely wanting to do that, and he did it with such humility that many things he did I didn't even know about until after he passed, and I had so many people reach out to me and tell me how he touched their lives."
After his passing in 2022, the Dolphins launched the annual Football UNITES™ Jason Jenkins Day of Service, which celebrates his life and legacy each year on his birthday, October 30. Hundreds across South Florida gather to spend the day volunteering in various community projects across Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach Counties.
Jenkins's legacy will continue to live on through the impact he had on the public relations industry and the South Florida community, and it's only fitting that his name will be on display at Pro Football Hall of Fame.
"I think he would just feel an immense amount of honor that they would even acknowledge him this way," Elizabeth said. "He would be extremely humbled, and I think it would drive him more. I think it would probably have been an inspiration to take it to the next level."
