Harvey Greene ’71 Inducted into Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame recently announced that Harvey Greene ’71 will be a 2024 recipient of an "Award of Excellence” in the category of “Football Support” at a ceremony in late June in Canton, OH. The Football Support category recognizes assistant coaches, public relations directors, trainers, equipment managers, and video directors.
Harvey Greene ’71 received a team ball from Miami Dolphins President Tom Garfinkel (photo courtesy of Harvey Greene ‘71)
Miami Dolphins President Tom Garfinkel presented him with a team ball recognizing his induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in the press box before the Dolphins home game against the New York Jets.
Harvey is currently an advance press lead for the White House. When President and Dr. Biden heard about his induction into the Hall, they wrote him a letter of congratulations, which the First Lady herself hand-delivered to Harvey, much to his surprise.
Harvey has had a robust career in sports administration, having served as the public relations director for the Madison Square Garden Television Network, the Cleveland Cavaliers, and the New York Yankees before joining the Dolphins. He said that “being honored by the Pro Football Hall of Fame for my career contributions to the NFL is certainly the highlight of my 45 years working in major league sports.”
Harvey Greene ’71 and Dr. Jill Biden (photo courtesy of Harvey Greene ’71)
During his time with the Dolphins, he worked with some renowned head coaches and football executives including Don Shula, Jimmy Johnson, Nick Saban, and Bill Parcells. He was also fortunate to work with some great players, such as Hall of Famers Dan Marino, Jason Taylor, and Zach Thomas.
He worked for Yankee owner George Steinbrenner for almost four years as the team's public relations director (1986-89). He was the first PR director during his tenure as the Yankees owner to make it to a fourth season. As Harvey recently wrote – next to a laughing emoji – “Steinbrenner did fire me four times along the way.”
For almost 40 years, Harvey Greene has been a senior communications executive in major league sports, heading the public relations department of teams in the National Football League, Major League Baseball, and the National Basketball Association.
Most recently, Greene spent 29 years with the Miami Dolphins, including 25 seasons supervising the team’s communications department as Senior Vice President of Media Relations. In that capacity, he was responsible for the strategic planning and implementation of the Dolphins’ media policy locally and nationally. Among his duties, he prepared the team’s executives, coaches, and players for their interactions with the media, served as the organizations’ spokesperson, and was the liaison between the team and the national television networks that broadcast their games. He also worked as part of the NFL public relations staff at 26 Super Bowls and at two Pro Bowls.
During his tenure with the Dolphins, Greene and his staff twice were recipients of the Pete Rozelle Award, an annual honor awarded by the Professional Football Writers of America to the National Football League’s best public relations department and was the first PR director in the league to win that award multiple times. In addition, Greene also was honored by the PFWA at Super Bowl LIV in 2020 with a Lifetime Achievement Award for his “long and meritorious service” to the media covering the NFL. And in 2024, he received an “Award of Excellence” by the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton. Those annual award winners are recognized in the “Football Support” wing of the Hall that honors assistant coaches, public relations directors, trainers, and equipment managers for their significant career achievements.
Before joining the Dolphins, Greene spent almost four seasons as the director of media relations for the New York Yankees, where he served as the main spokesperson for principal owner George Steinbrenner. At the time, it was the longest tenure by any Yankee PR director since Steinbrenner bought the team in 1973.
Two of the managers he worked with during his time with the Yankees were Lou Piniella and Billy Martin. Some of the Yankee players he worked with included Hall of Famers and All-Stars Don Mattingly, Dave Winfield, Rickey Henderson, and Dave Righetti.
Prior to working for the Yankees, Greene spent three years as director of public relations and broadcasting for the Cleveland Cavaliers, winning the McHugh/Splaver Award as the outstanding public relations director in the NBA his first season in the league and sharing it a year later with Kevin Sullivan of the Dallas Mavericks, who later went on to become White House communications director under President George W. Bush.
During his tenure with the Yankees, Greene was part of Major League Baseball’s public relations staff for the World Series and served in a similar capacity at the NBA Finals when he was with the Cavaliers. He also worked for three years as the public relations director for the Madison Square Garden Network, the country’s largest regional sports television network.
Internationally, Greene worked three Olympic Games in a media relations role. He served as the assistant venue press chief for the men’s basketball competition at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles and supervised media center operations for figure skating and short-track speed skating at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City and for the men’s ice hockey competition at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. He also was the assistant venue press chief for the 1994 Soccer World Cup games in Orlando as well as the Finals in Los Angeles, and for the World Baseball Classic in 2006 and 2009.
On a civic level, Greene was an advance press lead for President Bill Clinton and Secretary Hillary Clinton during her two presidential campaigns. He continues to serve periodically in that capacity for President Clinton, as well as for President Joe Biden and Dr. Jill Biden, first during Biden’s tenure as vice president and then during his presidential campaign. Now during the Biden-Harris Administration, Greene continues to handle those responsibilities for White House trips on behalf of the President and First Lady, as well as for Vice President Kamala Harris.
As a press lead and travel manager for the Clintons and the Bidens, he has made numerous international trips, including Germany, Israel, Vietnam, Japan, Romania, Italy, England, Switzerland, Brazil, and Scotland, where he organized the media logistics for bilateral meetings with heads of state and at other global events such as the G7 and NATO Summits.
Greene received his B.A. degree with honors in chemistry from the University of Pennsylvania and an M.S. degree in sports administration from the University of Massachusetts. He resides in Parkland, Florida, with his wife, Cathy.
Below are some photographic highlights from Harvey’s career:
Harvey Greene ’71 coming off the field with Head Coach Nick Saban after a game. (Photo courtesy of Harvey Greene ’71)
Harvey Greene ’71 and the Hall of Fame members of the Dolphins’ unique 1972 "Perfect Season" (undefeated and Super Bowl championship) team in the Diplomatic Reception Room of the White House when President Obama honored that team there. (Photo courtesy of Harvey Greene ’71)
Harvey Greene ‘71 with George Steinbrenner (Photo courtesy of Harvey Greene ’71)
Harvey Greene ‘71 with Billy Martin (Photo courtesy of Harvey Greene ’71)
Harvey Greene ‘71 with Dave Righetti (Photo courtesy of Harvey Greene ’71)
Harvey Greene ’71 with Don Shula (Photo courtesy of Harvey Greene ’71)