Dolphins raise more than $5 million for cancer research at annual charity bike ride

They came across the finish line in bunches — sometimes just a few at a time and sometimes close to a dozen — and felt accomplished. Cyclists pedaled all across South Florida on Saturday and finished their rides — some as long as long as 100 miles — in Miami Gardens, where they could celebrate their individual accomplishment and the knowledge they were helping raise millions of dollars for charity as part of Dolphins Challenge Cancer. They also, in some cases, got to celebrate with Brian Flores.

The coach stood at the finish line with a KN95 mask over his face, a “ONE TEAM, ONE FIGHT” T-shirt on his torso and a ream of medals in his hands. For almost an hour, anyone who crossed the finish line outside Hard Rock Stadium got their moment with Flores, either a chance to have him drape a medal around their neck, or a chance to have a quick conversation or pose for a picture. For a little while, Raekwon Davis joined him there. Among the packs of bike riders completing their morning races were a handful of Miami Dolphins players, alumni and employees, all trying to raise money for cancer research as part of one of the NFL’s largest charity efforts.

“It’s really a family out here,” said CEO Tom Garfinkel, who took part in the 15-mile ride. “It’s a Dolphins initiative and everybody’s out here working together to fight cancer.”

By Saturday, the team had already raised about $5.1 million, Garfinkel said, and Miami will keep raising money via the event through April 29. The money raised is all part of a larger, record-setting commitment the Dolphins made last year to the University of Miami’s cancer-research program.

In 2020, the Dolphins made a $75-million commitment to the Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine’s Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center. It was the largest known charitable commitment ever made by a sports team and came after 10 years of turning Dolphins Challenge Cancer (DCC) into the NFL’s largest charity event.

While turnout was a bit smaller this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, more than 3,390 participants still took part in person and virtually.

Vince Biegel was one of about half a dozen players to actually bike the course, which stretched all across Miami-Dade County. Rides ranged from 15-100 miles — there was also a 5K run — and Biegel, who missed the entire 2020 season with a torn Achilles tendon, took part in the 15-mile ride.

The event was personal to the linebacker. More than 10 years ago, his aunt Jessica died of pancreatic cancer and his mother, Jamie Biegel, has dealt with breast cancer, too. He rode in honor of his late aunt.

“Everybody here and everybody in the public has had someone they know or loved ones, or know somebody, affected by cancer,” Biegel said. “It was awesome just having my teammates out there. ... It just really speaks to the Miami Dolphins organization and the people that we have here that they all came out here.”

Quarterback Jacoby Brissett, defensive end Tyshun Render, defensive tackle John Jenkins, and wide receivers Malcolm Perry and Kirk Merritt also made appearances at the event, as did more than a dozen alumni, including former wide receivers O.J. McDuffie and Nat Moore.

The Miami Hurricanes’ Band of the Hour played for riders as they crossed the finish line and Sebastian the Ibis wandered the premises, wearing an oversized mask to cover his massive beak.

“This is a total community effort,” Garfinkel said. “This is a group of people in this community here in South Florida coming together to fight a disease that affects anybody. If it hasn’t affected you personally yourself, it’s affected someone you love or someone you know, so this is about really bringing the community together to fight cancer and that’s what that commitment means.”

The charity ride capped an eventful few weeks at Hard Rock. Earlier this month, the stadium hosted the Miami Open for the second time and the Dolphins will soon open their new practice facility across the street from the stadium when offseason activities begin later this month.

“It’s a very exciting time, the kind of vision we had years ago,” Garfinkel said. “The leadership we have in place now with Brian and [general manager Chris Grier], and the new training facility coming online and getting that going. ... We’re trying to build something very special and we have the vision to do that, and I think we’re on the right track.”