Miami-Dade commissioner Jose “Pepe” Diaz said Sunday that aging Sun Life Stadium “absolutely” needs a canopy if South Florida wants to keep hosting the nation’s premier sporting events.

How that roof gets paid for, however, remains up in the air. Diaz, who is also chairman of the county’s sports commission, said the Dolphins have not yet asked the county for public funding to make renovations on their 25-year-old stadium.

When asked if Diaz — who the Dolphins would likely need as an ally should they make a play for tax dollars — would support public financing, he said: “We have to look at all the variables involved. What would the citizens get for this? That’s a question a lot of people, including myself, have put up.”

Still, Diaz said that if renovations are not made — including the rain-blocking canopy, improved seating, high-definition lighting and a scoreboard upgrade — South Florida risks missing out on the blue-ribbon sporting events this area has hosted for decades.

“It makes a big difference economically,” Diaz said of coveted games like the Super Bowl. “The problem is, how do you express that to the people out there that are still trying to get a job, still trying to get their life together? That’s the key point here.”

WATER LOGGED

Speaking of the facility, the Dolphins ignited a comedic firestorm on Twitter when the field sprinklers went off during the third quarter, causing a short delay in the action.

Afterwards, the organization said the accidental watering was a result of a computer malfunction. The system thought it was Saturday, not game day.

“You know what? In all my years of football, that’s a first one,” Reggie Bush said. “It kind of reminded me of the old 18th hole trick where you send a rookie out there at 9 p.m. and the sprinklers come on.”

CYCLING DONATION

A check for a record $2.2 million from the Dolphins Cycling Challenge was presented to the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center before kickoff.

More than 2,000 cyclists rode more than 90,000 miles in the third installment of the annual event that took place Nov. 3-4.

“As someone who grew up in South Florida, being an active participant in the community and enhancing that community has been very important to me,” Dolphins owner Stephen Ross said.

THIS AND THAT

• Dolphins inactives: Pat Devlin, Lamar Miller, Josh Kaddu, Will Yeatman, Ryan Durand, Michael Egnew and Kyle Miller.

•  Anthony Fasano (hip) and Austin Spitler (ankle) played despite being listed as questionable on the team’s final injury report.

• Sunday’s paid attendance was 51,295. The game was televised, and the team has already announced next week’s home affair against the Patriots will be as well.

•  Dan Carpenter, on hitting a game-winning kick after missing one earlier in the year: “I wouldn’t call it redemption. It’s just a win for our team. It’s a big one.”

• The Dolphins are 12-1 since 1997 in games against West Coast teams in Miami.

•  Charles Clay set career-highs in catches (six) and receiving yards (84).

•  Nolan Carroll and R.J. Stanford alternated at cornerback opposite Sean Smith in base formations. Jimmy Wilson started at nickel corner and later moved to safety, when Chris Clemons was out briefly with cramps.