Current and former Miami Dolphins players discussed the charitable contributions of retiring Dolphins standout Jason Taylor during the annual 3Cinteractive JT’s Ping-Pong Smash at the Hard Rock Live near Hollywood.

The event benefited the Jason Taylor Foundation, whose mission is to support and create programs that facilitate the personal growth and empowerment of South Florida’s children in need by focusing on improved health care, education and quality of life.

Taylor and his wife Katina — like former Miami Heat star Alonzo Mourning and his wife Tracy — continue to help better the community. Staples in South Florida, they provide opportunity for the area’s youth.

Usually athletes host golf tournaments or bowling events, but ping-pong is a unique charity concept, pairing business people with athletes and celebrities.

The event offered a good mix of talent including current and former Miami Dolphins, former Florida Marlins, DJs and radio personalities. Taylor, a former NFL Defensive Player of the Year, plays his final game on Sunday against the rival New York Jets.

• Miami Dolphins defensive end Ryan Baker said: “It’s really cool seeing all these celebrities out here, interacting with all these kids and playing ping-pong. It’s real competitive, but we’re having a great time for a great cause.”

How was your ping-pong game?

“It was rusty at the beginning,” Baker said, “but I picked it up and did real well.”

What’s it like being involved in charity event and giving back to the community?

“Well, Jason’s the king at that,” Baker said. “He does a great job, and I like to take notes at what he does. So hopefully I can do that for the Ryan Baker Foundation.”

• Former Miami Dolphins tight end and South Florida radio and television sports personality Joe Rose said: “This is a lot of fun. It’s a different type of a charity event than we usually do. It’s a different atmosphere, a different environment and everybody can play. So it’s a great time, and also it’s nice to see the active players and a lot of the former players here.”

Rose’s ping-pong game is pretty good.

Rose said: “Not really. My game is not very good. I wish it was better.”

• Former Miami Dolphins receiver Randal Thrill Hill had a smile on his game face.

“It’s a lot of fun,” he said. “It’s all about the kids, but I like competition. I don’t care if it’s ping-pong or anything. So being able to help the kids is added fun for me, because it’s all about the competition — whether it be ping-pong, jacks, hop-scotch. I don’t care. It’s all about winning and having fun.

“I’ve won [JT’s Ping-Pong Smash] a couple of years. I’ve been in it four years. Two years I didn’t have a good partner.”

• Miami Dolphins linebacker Karlos Dansby said: “It was an awesome event. I had a blast — giving back to the community and having fun with the fellas. I loved it.”

Dansby wanted to reach the final round.

“My [ping-pong] game was OK,” he said. “Unfortunately I didn’t make it to the last round, but it’s OK. I did all right.”

Read More: Jason Taylor (LB – MIA), Miami Dolphins

After 15 seasons as one of the NFL’s premier pass rushers, Miami Dolphins legend Jason Taylor is finally calling it quits. The Dolphins’ Week 17 encounter with their division rivals, the New York Jets. It’s been speculated for most of the season that this would be Taylor’s last, but he finally put the issue to rest with his quotes this week, confirming that he intends to walk away from the game. Via the Miami Herald:

“In the last few weeks, I thought about it more … I talked to some people about it. I kind of figured this is the right move to make and this is the right time to do it. It’s been a tough year, unfortunately. While we’ve had some good times, we’ve had a lot of bad times this year, too. This organization in the near future is going to make some changes. I think part of those changes is needing to address some personnel positions. This is the right time for me to go and allow this organization to improve.”

In his 15-year career, Taylor has recorded 139.5 sacks, made six Pro Bowls, and been named the Defensive Player of the Year once, in 2006.

For more on the Phins and Taylor’s retirement, check out Miami Dolphins blog The Phinsider.

Davie, Fla. • Linebacker Jason Taylor walked across the locker room brushing his teeth, then ducked into the equipment room to rinse and spit. Minutes later he tried to muster a smile for a cluster of TV cameras.

It was time to call it quits.

The NFL’s active sacks leader said he’ll retire after this season, his 15th in the NFL and his 13th with the Miami Dolphins. Taylor has contemplated retirement in years past only to be lured back, but now he insists his mind’s made up.

“Sunday’s my last game,” he said. “I might even change my cell phone number so they can’t reach me.”

The 37-year-old Taylor, who made the announcement following practice Wednesday, ranks sixth all-time with 139½ sacks. He has six fumble returns for touchdowns, an NFL record.

He’ll conclude his career Sunday against the New York Jets. It’ll be his 204th game with the Dolphins, which ranks second to Dan Marino’s 242.

“His contributions on the field as one of the greatest players in team history will be remembered by Dolphins fans for years to come,” owner Stephen Ross said in a statement. “He will always remain an integral part of the Dolphin family.”

Taylor has had three stints with the Dolphins, who drafted him in the third round in 1997. He also played for the Redskins in 2008 and the Jets in 2010.

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“In my opinion, that’s a no-brainer Hall of Fame player,” Jets coach Rex Ryan said. “He was a phenomenal teammate here. We only had him the one year, yet he affected the team so positively. I’m proud that I had a chance to coach him.”

Taylor helped the Jets reached the AFC championship game. He never made it to the Super Bowl, and his final playoff game with the Dolphins was way back in 2001.

“If there was one regret I have as an athlete, it’s that I didn’t get a chance to bring a championship to Miami,” he said.

Taylor said his wife was surprised he’s hanging it up. But the Dolphins (5-10) are nearing the end of another disappointing season and about to embark on a coaching search, which influenced his decision.

“The last few weeks I thought about it more,” he said. “It has been a tough year. This organization is going to make some changes. This is the right time for me to go and allow this organization to grow and improve.”

Taylor made the Pro Bowl six times, spending much of his career at end before switching to linebacker. He has been used mostly in passing situations this season and has seven sacks this season, which ranks second on the team.

“He’s a great leader, a great ambassador for the city of Miami, and a great player in this league,” teammate Jake Long said. “He’ll definitely be missed.”

His best season was in 2006, when he was chosen NFL Defensive Player of the Year. That season he had 13½ sacks, forced 10 fumbles and returned two interceptions for scores.

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Coach Bill Belichick has the Patriots 11-3 and two wins from capturing the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs. AP PHOTO

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FOXBORO — Worry and wonderment are unchanged since the Patriots last played the Miami Dolphins back in that wild season-opener Sept. 12.

After that 38-24 Patriots victory 15 weeks ago, New England fans worried about a defense that allowed the Dolphins 488 yards — a net 390 through the air. But they again saw why Tom Brady, who threw for a team-record 517 yards that Monday night, is a wonder to behold.

With a defense about which everyone still worries, and a quarterback about whom everyone still rejoices, the Patriots are 11-3. Eleven-and-three is Patriots coach Bill Belichick’s simple answer to outside concerns about his bend-but-don’t-break-all-the-time defense.

“Our team has played well enough to win 11 games, so that’s good,” said Belichick. “We still feel like our best football is in front of us, and we keep working hard to try to perform at that level.”

The Patriots have worked themselves into a commanding position to become the No. 1 seed for the AFC playoffs, leading that race by one game with their two remaining regular-season games being at home against AFC East lesser-beings Miami and Buffalo. Yet again, Belichick’s all-knowing steeliness and Brady’s dependability have New England marching through the injuries and inconsistencies of a football season that deflate the NFL’s less-driven.

Much is also changed since Sept. 12, especially for the Dolphins. Todd Bowles, who coached that Dolphins’ secondary riddled by Brady that night,

is now Miami’s interim head coach. The Dolphins fired Tony Sparano on Dec. 12.

Chad Henne, the quarterback who passed for 416 yards and two touchdowns against the Patriots in the opener, was injured three weeks later, and underwent season-ending left (non-throwing) shoulder surgery. Matt Moore, an occasional starter the past three seasons in Carolina, has taken over and thrown 12 touchdown passes and six interceptions while completing 60.8 percent of his passes.

After a 0-7 start, the Dolphins have won five of seven as they prepare to play the Patriots on Saturday afternoon at Gillette Stadium. While that is not quite Tebowmania, Moore’s play at times has brightened a bleak season in Miami. He carefully distributes the ball to skill players worthy of the Patriots’ concern: Brandon Marshall, Davone Bess, Anthony Fasano and Reggie Bush.

“He’s been the backbone of this team,” said running back Bush about Moore, originally signed by the Cowboys in 2007 as an undrafted free agent out of Oregon State (though he was drafted by the Angels as a third baseman in the 22nd round in 2004).

As a Carolina Panther, Moore was unimpressive during a start in Foxboro in 2009. He completed 15 of 30 passes for 197 yards and one touchdown in a 20-10 loss to the Patriots that is best-remembered for Carolina defenders calling Randy Moss a loafer.

So much has changed also for the Patriots since last they played the Dolphins. Due to injuries, ineffectiveness or schemes, only five of New England’s 11 defensive starters from Week One started this past Sunday in Denver. And one of those five, defensive end Andre Carter, whose 10 sacks lead the team, suffered a season-ending quadriceps injury during the 41-23 victory over the Broncos.

“He was always getting after the quarterback, and our coaches really had a lot of trust in him,” Brady said about Carter. “It sucks to lose guys late in the year. He’s disappointed because he was having such a great year. Hopefully we can go out there and still play well.”

No one worries about the Patriots’ offense playing well. Everyone still wonder about the defense.