Though the Miami Dolphins’ 2022 season didn’t quite end up the way that fans, players and ownership would have preferred, the team has already accomplished an incredible feat early in the 2023 offseason.
The 13th annual Dolphins Challenge Cancer (DCC) event raised over $10 million in a record-setting weekend.
“The Miami Dolphins joined forces with the South Florida community for the 13th annual Dolphins Challenge Cancer (DCC XIII), raising funds for innovative cancer research at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, part of UHealth – the University of Miami Health System,” the team wrote in a press release. “As the NFL’s largest fundraising event, DCC XIII made history in both fundraising and participation, raising more than $10 million – with additional donations expected in the coming month – and uniting a record-breaking 5,641 participants on Saturday, February 25, at Hard Rock Stadium.”
With the $10 million and counting raised at this year’s event, the Dolphins have now raised $63 million of their $75 million commitment toward the goal of challenging cancer.
“I’m so proud and honored to be a part of a team and community effort that is impacting so many people,” said Dolphins CEO Tom Garfinkel. “Over 5,000 people raised over $10 million, 100 percent of which will go to fight cancer at the Sylvester Cancer Center at the University of Miami. We’ve been able to grow because of the leadership of our Chair Elizabeth Jenkins, Executive Director Javier Sanchez and his team, and our partners at Lennar, AutoNation, and so many other fans and partners throughout the community. I’m looking forward to seeing what we can do to make an even bigger impact in 2024.”
The DCC was founded back in 2010, and it is incredible to see how far the initiative has come over the years. The $75 million commitment that the team made in 2020 stands as the largest known philanthropic pledge in all of sports.
There is little doubt that once the Dolphins reach their $75 million goal, the team will continue to raise money to help promote research to help aid the fight against cancer.
As for the organization’s job on the field, the team is clearly dedicated to becoming a Super Bowl contender as soon as possible. A lot of great pieces are already in place, and the 2023 NFL offseason poses a great opportunity for the team to get even better.
So far, the organization has focused heavily on improving the defensive staff. New defensive coordinator Vic Fangio and the team’s front office have been busy adding talented defensive minds. Soon, the team will surely start to focus on adding talent to the roster.
Although the team doesn’t have a lot of draft capital heading into the 2023 NFL Draft, general manager Chris Grier surely has a lot of plans when it comes to how he’ll address positions of need this offseason.
Dolphins fans clearly have a lot to be excited about, and they can certainly be proud of the impact the organization is making in the cancer fight.
