Miami, FL
Jim Mandich’s legacy lives on through Dolphins Cancer Challenge nearly 15 years after his death
The Dolphins Cancer Challenge is nearing a major milestone, pushing toward raising $100 million for cancer research since the event began in 2010 in honor of Miami Dolphins great Jim Mandich.
The annual fundraiser was created after Mandich was diagnosed with bile duct cancer. The team rallied around him by launching the Dolphins Cancer Challenge, which has since grown into one of South Florida’s largest cancer fundraising events. Mandich was treated at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center until his death in April 2011.
Jim Mandich’s legacy lives on through Dolphins Cancer Challenge
Inside Sylvester’s new Ken Griffen Cancer Research Building on the UHealth campus, healthcare administrator and nurse practitioner Jessica Macintyre reflected on Mandich’s impact. She cared for him during his illness and said his lasting legacy goes far beyond football or broadcasting.
“I took care of Jim Mandich when he was sick with cancer, and at that time, it was amazing to see him going through a terminal disease and still wanting this to come to fruition, and being part of it, despite, you know, the difficulties he had, and being there, and just to see that still alive today, because of his vision, because of his connection with the dolphins, and now the DCC being part of Sylvester for so many years, it’s really, truly his legacy,” Macintyre said.
Macintyre said the partnership between the Miami Dolphins and Sylvester stands out because of how donations are used.
“It continues to go on and fuel so much board, in reference to cancer research and to know that everything, 100% of what people contribute to the DCC goes directly to cancer research. Nothing else is really unique, and they’re accountable for it, and they show the progress year after year, and so do we. So, we’re really excited about this continued partnership and just the investment that they’ve made at Sylvester and to our community,” she said.
Providers and cancer patients crossing the finish line together
Macintyre has worked at Sylvester for 20 years, and she said her connection to the mission is deeply personal. Both her mother and aunt were treated for cancer at the center and are now cancer free.
She said crossing the finish line at the Dolphins Cancer Challenge is one of the most emotional parts of the event.
“It gives me goosebumps every time I cross the finish line,” she said. “I look next to me, and sometimes I look back as well, just to see if I see a patient that’s crossing the finish line. It’s just an amazing feeling to see them do the same thing I’m doing, and we’re both working together for the same common reason. It’s just an amazing feeling. It’s unlike any other.”
That shared experience between providers and patients, she said, fuels her work every day.
“It strengthens my work. It strengthens the work at Sylvester, I think, by us as clinicians and providers seeing patients out there doing the same thing we’re doing raising funds, it gives us so much purpose in what we do every day, and it fuels us so much more. It gives it gives a sense of hope for so many, especially people that aren’t going through it right now, to see that combination of providers and patients coming together, it just makes it all so much more worthwhile,” she said.
For those hesitant to participate, Macintyre said the event welcomes people of all abilities.
“Every level of participation matters, and it makes a difference and it’s going to make a difference for years to come, and you are going to part of that difference in cancer research and you don’t want to miss out on that good,” she said.
The Oregon Ducks come off a chaotic recruiting period in the 2027 cycle, where they hosted official visitors and added to their list of commitments. Coach Dan Lanning and the Oregon staff are simultaneously looking ahead to future recruiting classes.
As the 2027 cycle starts to wind down and the 2028 cycle begins to pick up, the Ducks entered the recruiting sweepstakes for four-star edge rusher Elijah Tillman.
Oregon Ducks in the Mix for Four-Star EDGE Elijah Tillman
Tillman is a 6-7, 210-pound edge rusher from Loganville, Georgia. He’s listed as a consensus four-star recruit and is ranked as high as No. 152 in the class by Rivals.
In a recent interview with Rivals’ Chad Simmons, Tillman revealed that Oregon and the Miami Hurricanes are among the schools that he wants to visit. According to 247Sports, the Ducks offered him back on April 30, 2026, while the Hurricanes extended an offer all the way on January 25, 2025.
Tillman told Rivals that the different schools in the mix are even at the moment, but that Oregon and Miami were two of the schools that he wants to go out and see.
Four-Star Elijah Tillman’s Potential Oregon Ducks Fit
Sports Spring Football | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
With Tillman’s large frame, which still has the opportunity to grow, he would provide the Ducks with size on the edge right away.
The 2027 recruiting class currently features five-star edge rusher Rashad Streets, three-star Achilles Reyna and three-star Josh Christensen at the position. The program prepares for current starters Matayo Uiagelelei and Teitum Tuioti to head to the NFL Draft at the conclusion of the 2026 season, leaving opportunities for the next couple of recruiting classes.
Additionally, the Ducks haven’t earned any commitments from the state of Georgia in their 2027 recruiting class. The last commit Lanning landed from Georgia was Dayton Raiola in the 2026 class, who made his decision on February 4, 2026. Making a big push for Tillman could possibly reignite the program’s recruiting in the Peach State.
Miami Hurricanes vs. Oregon Ducks Recruiting Battle
Miami is the other program that appears to be making a big push early for Tillman. Oregon fans are very familiar with former Ducks coach Mario Cristobal, who took Oregon recruiting to a different level before leading the Hurricanes to the National Championship game last season.
Cristobal and the Hurricanes have battled Lanning and the Ducks for blue-chip recruits more and more over the recent recruiting cycles. Most notably, Miami flipped four-star cornerback Ai’King Hall’s commitment from Oregon earlier in the 2027 cycle.
The two rivals also emerged as finalists for linebacker recruit Jalaythan Mayfield, who ended up choosing the Indiana Hoosiers. Oregon got the best of the Hurricanes once in the 2027 cycle when four-star offensive lineman Gus Corsair committed to the Pacific Northwest program over the Vanderbilt Commodores and Miami.
While the Hurricanes aren’t a Big Ten rival that the Ducks commonly go toe-to-toe with on the field and in the recruiting realm, Cristobal’s role in the recruiting rivalry adds a little bit more fuel to battles for recruits like Tillman.
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The Miami Dolphins will have new starters at their cornerback positions since both Jack Jones and Rasul Douglas are not back with the team. The team drafted Chris Johnson in the first round and it’s pretty likely he’ll have a large role and should claim the one starting spot. The other starting spot should be up for grabs among the rest of the group. Jason Marshall is one of those players who has a better chance of claiming that starting spot after showing some flashes his rookie season. Jeff Hafley has already said he envision Marshall playing on the outside and the second-year corner should get plenty of chances to prove himself during the preseason.
You can check out that story here, and the rest of the day’s round-up below.
Phinsider News You May Have Missed
With Miami-Dade Superintendent Jose Dotres’ contract ending in February 2027, school board members are now looking to have his replacement by August.
Dotres has served as the superintendent for the third-largest school district since 2022. The school board started the search for his replacement in April.
More than 20 people applied for the position, but now only six have secured spots as semifinalists.
Here’s a closer look at who Miami-Dade’s superintendent might be:
Jose Bueno
With roughly 33 years of experience within Miami-Dade County Public Schools, Bueno currently serves as Dotres’ Chief of Staff.
According to his LinkedIn profile, Bueno’s tasks include coordinating and implementing major projects “that have significant district-wide impact on the goals of the district and involve coordination of other divisions and offices.”
He started as a teacher within the country back in 1993 and is a Florida International University and Nova Southeastern University graduate.
Ernie Lozano
Lozano is currently Broward County’s Public Schools Chief Human Resources Officer.
His passion is creating a safe and secure environment for both students and staff.
“He has been recognized for his contributions to the District’s safety and security initiatives, receiving accolades for his exceptional leadership and commitment to student and staff well-being,” according to a bio on the site for the National Student Safety and Security Conference & Workshop.
Before his career in human resources, Lozano served within education as a teacher, assistant principal and more.
Sylvia Mitchell
Hope builder, executive leadership coach and seasoned superintendent are all descriptions Mitchell has on her LinkedIn.
Living in Houston, Texas, Mitchell is familiar with the Sunshine State since she was a principal at Charter Schools USA in Fort Lauderdale back in 2012.
She has also served as superintendent twice in Texas and is currently Executive Vice President, Curriculum, Design & Development for Per Scholars.
Carlos Perez
Perez is a charter school principal in West Palm Beach and the former executive director of the Education Reform Project, a nonprofit organization based in Miami Beach.
According to the nonprofit, Perez has over 25 years of experience within education, mainly in New York, but now in Florida.
Perez has also been an assistant superintendent in the past, as well as taking part as an Executive Board Member for the New York State Association of School Personnel Administrators.
Christopher Ruszkowski
Currently based in South Carolina as CEO of South Carolina’s Children’s Fund, Ruszkowski has moved all over the country, and Florida will be no exception.
According to his LinkedIn, he served as New Mexico’s Secretary of Education back in 2019. Before living in South Carolina, he was a conservator for the Texas Education Agency. A conservator oversees the state’s takeovers of large school districts and charter school networks.
Getting his master’s at Stanford, Ruszkowski was a Distinguished Policy Fellow at the Hoover Institute located within the university.
Rafael Villalobos
Since 2022, Villalobos has been the South Region Superintendent of Miami-Dade County Public Schools. Before that, he was a principal for over ten years.
The Nova Southeastern alum has been in Miami for most of his life, even graduating from South Miami Senior High School in 1990.
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