Inside the Miami Dolphins' equipment room, the folded practice jerseys, organized chef lockers, and neatly staged gear for a 53-man roster all pass through the hands of Josh Garcia, a staff member who lives with autism and has become one of the most trusted people in the building. Players and coaches describe him as an integral part of team operations, and according to organization members, he is a favorite among teammates and something close to the locker room's unsung MVP.
Garcia's story got a fresh spotlight during the Dolphins' pregame coverage ahead of their matchup against the Atlanta Falcons, when CBS Miami sportscaster Mike Cugno highlighted his path from equipment staffer to Special Olympics athlete. The report, published by CBS News Miami, described him as a core member of the Dolphins' team family, valued for his work ethic and positive attitude as much as for the practice gear he readies each day.
That day-to-day role is not ceremonial. Garcia manages player laundry, keeps chef lockers organized, and makes sure practice equipment is ready to go, according to a Dolphins video posted to the team's Facebook page. The work happens inside the $135 million, 217,200-square-foot Baptist Health Training Complex in Miami Gardens, which opened in spring 2021 next to Hard Rock Stadium, according to South Florida Hospital News.
A Surprise Send-Off Before the State Games
In May, wide receiver Braxton Berrios, linebacker Duke Riley, and other Dolphins players surprised Garcia at a train station with an enthusiastic send-off as he headed to Orlando to compete in the Special Olympics Florida State Games, according to the team's Facebook page. Days later, Garcia brought home a bronze medal representing South Florida, the same Facebook post noted, turning him from behind-the-scenes staffer into a decorated competitor in his own right.
The State Summer Games, held annually at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, draw more than 5,000 athletes, coaches, volunteers, and family members, according to Special Olympics. Garcia's medal came amid that scale of competition, adding an athletic accomplishment to a résumé already built on quiet reliability in the Dolphins' equipment room.
Part of a Broader Team Commitment
Garcia's presence on staff fits into a formal push by the Dolphins toward disability inclusion. The team established an inclusion partnership with Special Olympics Florida in May 2019 under its FOOTBALL UNITES™ initiative, according to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Miami, a program built to bring diverse South Florida communities together through football. In June 2025, the team's rookie class hosted more than 40 Special Olympics Florida athletes at the practice facility for flag football drills and celebratory games, according to MiamiDolphins.com.
The franchise has also built the work into its calendar in a more permanent way. Its annual Football UNITES™ Jason Jenkins Days of Service expanded to a month-long initiative in October 2025, including team volunteering at Special Olympics Florida regional events to honor the legacy of the late team executive, per the same team announcement.
Why Garcia's Job Stands Out Nationally
Garcia's paid position with an NFL franchise is notable against a difficult national backdrop for adults on the autism spectrum. Only about 14% of autistic adults hold paid employment in community settings, according to data from the Drexel University Autism Institute's National Autism Indicators Report cited by Industry Horror. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics figures from early 2026 showed disabled adults aged 16 to 64 faced an 8.8% unemployment rate — nearly double the rate for non-disabled adults — with a labor force participation rate of just 41.8%, as reported by The Catalyst.
Set against those numbers, Garcia's steady role folding jerseys and staging practice gear for one of the NFL's 53-man rosters carries weight beyond the equipment room. His teammates' train-station send-off and his bronze-medal finish in Orlando offer a rare, visible counterpoint to the employment gap that statistics show many autistic adults and people with disabilities continue to face.
