Christmas is a time for giving. And the Miami Dolphins are doing their part | Opinion

They play a sport that rewards everyone for taking.

Taking ground.

Taking away the ball.

Taking the opponent’s heart. And will.

But on Christmas — and in the days leading up to the biggest holiday of the year — the men who make their living taking have tried to make it clear they understand giving.

Earlier this week Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa gave each of his offensive linemen a grill set. And grilling tools. And meats.

Merry Christmas, big guys.

“I would say from a belief standpoint, what Christmas means to me is to be able to give, and that’s kind of like what the Father has done for us,” Tagovailoa said Wednesday. “He gave us the gift, which was His only Son, which was Jesus Christ, and we’re able to celebrate His birth.

“But for me, it’s just being able to give something like that to the linemen, something that I know that they could use every day. They love grilling, they love cooking. So it’s something I could get that they would use. I thought that’d be pretty cool.

“Then just also trying to do things for others and I’m also in the process of trying to do things for the community, too.”

Robert Hunt, on the receiving end of Tagovailoa’s generosity, was thrilled.

“I was pretty excited about it,” said the Dolphins rookie right tackle. “I’m still excited about it. I actually set it up the day I got it and I threw some of the hot dogs on it. So I have used it and I plan on using it this week as well.”

Tagovailoa isn’t the only quarterback to start games for the Dolphins this season and he isn’t the only one giving offensive linemen gifts.

Former starter Ryan Fitzpatrick gave the offensive linemen a cooler they can take hunting, fishing, camping, or simply keep at home.

The name-brand cooler was emblazoned with Fitzpatrick’s bearded face on the top.

Players giving other players gifts, particularly when its quarterbacks or running backs rewarding offensive linemen for helping their production, is practically a tradition throughout the league.

But NFL players are also giving to their communities and charities of choice.

Receiver Albert Wilson opted out of the 2020 season but his foundation has been working on behalf of children in Fort Pierce.

The Albert Wilson Foundation to enrich the lives of children in foster care and raise awareness about justice and racial inequality issues impacting those in the foster care system, hosted its second Holiday Giveback in Fort Pierce on Dec. 19.

The foundation donated toys and meals to approximately 100 families.

“Whether it’s a drive-through event, like this, or partnering with a local school or organization, we’re always looking for opportunities to give back to my hometown,” Wilson said. “Fort Pierce is special to me and we plan to build on this and do even more in 2021.”

The Van Noy Valor Foundation, headed by Dolphins linebacker Kyle Van Noy and his wife Marissa, provided Christmas gifts for foster children in distress who are part of the Kids In Distress program in Fort Lauderdale.

The foundation provided each child with a utility bag that included drawstring bags, adjustable hats, water bottles and footballs autographed by Van Noy.

Each child also got a Build-A-Bear teddy decked out in its own Dolphins hoodie and a $50 Walmart gift card, blanket, toothbrush set, and other items.

Former Dolphins left tackle Laremy Tunsil asked people needing help with outstanding bills or layaway accounts to email him. The idea was he would review the note from each person who contacted him and he’d help them “on a need basis,” he wrote.

An act of love.

The Dolphins are also involved in giving as a franchise.

The Miami Dolphins Foundation Food Relief Program distributed 19,423 meals throughout South Florida through a series of distributions from Dec. 17 to Wednesday.

The team’s Football UNITES program, which partners with local minority-owned restaurants, is a year-long multi-million dollar commitment from club owner Stephen Ross and team CEO Tom Garfinkel to answer unemployment and provide hunger relief in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Closer to home, Dolphins head coach Brian Flores, always demanding, is giving his players time on Christmas morning to spend with their families before the team flies to Las Vegas later in the day. The Dolphins play the Raiders Saturday.

“Christmas for me has a lot of great memories,” Flores said. “Again like I’ve said before, similar to Thanksgiving – my family would get together all the time and just enjoy each other’s company and celebrate Christmas, the birth of Christ, and just enjoy one another.”