MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — The orange jersey at a Miami Dolphins practice means the player wearing it was the standout performer in the previous day's practice.
However, this preseason, the Dolphins have now incorporated the tradition to spotlight standout fans.
The player wearing the orange jersey now signs it and hands it to a fan of the day.
During the first week of training camp, running back DeVon Achane gifted his jersey to fan Ian "Big E" Berger.
"It's like Christmas almost every weekend," Berger said. "I became a fan around the 1985 season. I was about 10 years old, and my grandfather wanted to take me to a game."
From that very moment, the superfan legacy of "Big E" was born.
He's been through all of the team's ups and downs over the decades, with the love for the Fins never wavering.
In 2020, the Dolphins honored him with the Dolphins Fan of the Year award, an honor that came with some pretty nice perks.
"I got to go to the Super Bowl, and in my lifetime, I never expected to go to a Super Bowl," Berger said. "Also, my daughter and I went to announce a draft pick at the 2021 NFL Draft, which was amazing. It was the pinnacle of being a fan."
But these days, he cherishes every moment, knowing each day could be his last.
"Last July, I started not feeling very well. After many doctor and hospital visits, I finally found out I had something called primary sclerosing cholangitis," Berger said.
It's a rare liver disease caused by inflammation and scarring of the bile ducts, both inside and outside the liver.
He said doctors don't know how it's caused, but know his only way of survival is finding a liver match.
"We weren't even sure we were going to be here today. He had a spiked fever last night. It's like an every hour thing trying to keep him out of the hospital," wife Jill Berger said.
Through it all, "Big E" keeps a positive mindset.
"My wife told me the other day that she was stressed out and lost a lot of sleep. I told her I slept like a baby because I'm not worrying about it," he said. "I'm going to live each day as best as I can, and the goal is for me to be at the Super Bowl in February watching my team win a Super Bowl."
