A take a look at what occurred to the members of the Miami Dolphins 1972 staff after their achieved perfection with an undefeated season and Super Bowl title. The staff will probably be honored Sunday evening at halftime of the Dolphins-Steelers recreation at Hard Rock Stadium.
Dick Anderson, security: The 1973 NFL Defensive participant of the Year performed 9 seasons in a profession lower quick by damage in a Pro Bowl recreation. After taking part in, he stayed in Coral Gables and stays concerned in insurance coverage and actual property companies. He stated: “Almost all our players were drafted by [General Manager] Joe Thomas by the time Don Shula came [in 1970]. Then everything changed from the previous coaching staff in 30 seconds when Shula arrived. He had every minute of every day planned. His staff, starting with Bill Arsnparger on defense, was great. We were ready to win.”
Charley Babb, security: His blocked punt sparked ‘72 playoff win towards Cleveland, and he performed eight years for Dolphins. After soccer, he turned president of a building firm in Fort Myers.
Larry Ball, linebacker: He had the distinctive expertise of taking part in for undefeated Dolphins and winless Tampa Bay staff in 1976. After the NFL, he turned a highschool soccer coach for years in South Florida.
Marlin Briscoe, broad receiver: The first Black quarterback to begin in skilled soccer in Denver performed three years and picked up two Super Bowl rings with the Dolphins at receiver. After the NFL, he suffered from drug issues earlier than straightening out his life and working a Boy & Girls middle in Los Angeles. He died at age 76 in 2022.
Nick Buoniconti, linebacker: He was taken within the thirteenth spherical of AFL draft, and he wound up within the New England Patriots Hall of Fame, Dolphins Honor Roll and the Pro Football Hall of Fame. After taking part in, he was a sports activities agent, CEO of two Fortune 500 firms and co-founder of The Miami Project To Cure Paralysis after his son, Marc, was paralyzed taking part in soccer. He died of pneumonia at age 78 in in 2019.
Doug Crusan, deal with: He was a first-round decide of the Dolphins in 1968 whose profession ended with a damaged leg in 1974. After taking part in, Crusan was a gross sales supervisor in Indianapolis, the place he threatened to have salesmen, “run Shula’s gassers” in the event that they didn’t meet numbers.
Larry Csonka, fullback: A Hall of Famer whose working was focus of the offense in 1972, with a 5.2-yard common and 1,117 yards. After taking part in he turned common supervisor of Jacksonville Bulls earlier than making a profitable outdoor present, “North to Alaska.” He stated: “Nobody can better us but they can certainly tie us. So, you’re pulling very heavily against them to do that. It makes you feel alive. It makes you feel like you’re part of it again, and that’s a very good thing.”
Tom Curtis, defensive again: After stints in Baltimore and Los Angeles, he was picked up by the Dolphins in 1972 earlier than being traded again to Los Angeles in 1973. After the NFL, he retired in South Florida and commenced Curtis Publishing that printed Dolphin Digest and a ebook on the 1972 season entitled, “Still Perfect.”
Jim Del Gaizo, quarterback: He left the Dolphins after the 1972 season for years with Green Bay and the New York Giants earlier than returning to the Dolphins to shut his profession in 1975. He has lived in Plantation for 41 years and labored within the mortgage enterprise. He stated: “It went by in the wink of an eye. Fifty years. The greatest Dolphins memory I have besides the season is in going to the White House in 2013 and meeting with President Obama. I never saw Shula tongue-tied in my life, but he was at the White House. I had the biggest grin on my face the whole time. My face was sore from smiling.”
Vern Den Herder, defensive finish: He had 10.5 sacks in 1972 and performed 12 years with the Dolphins. He started shopping for farmland in his native Sioux Center, Iowa, whereas nonetheless taking part in and continues farming there at age 73. He stated: “At the time, our big goal was to win the Super Bowl. That started on the plane ride going back from the previous Super Bowl. Personally, I never thought this undefeated situation would ever had meant as much as it does. It’s unique and, as it goes on, is a lot of fun for us.”
Jim Dunaway, defensive deal with: He was sidelined with again surgical procedure through the 1972 season, however he went on to play 9 seasons in Buffalo. After the NFL, he began a dairy firm in Sandy Hook, Miss. He died at 76 in 2018.
Norm Evans, deal with: An growth staff member who performed 10 of 14 NFL seasons with Dolphins. After the NFL, he remained in Seattle after his closing season to begin a ministry and has retired there.
Manny Fernandez, defensive deal with: He had 17 tackles in Super Bowl VII and retired as a consequence of accidents in 1975 after eight seasons. He moved 12 years in the past from Broward to Ellaville, Ga., the place he lives on 18 wooded acres. he stated: “I like to think we were special. Not just for that season, but we had four or five pretty good seasons in a row and a lot of great guys who are still close.”
Marv Fleming, tight finish: He was a four-time NFL champion between taking part in for Green Bay and Dolphins. After the NFL, he obtained concerned in non-public enterprise and performing in Los Angeles, the place he stated within the film, “Heaven Can Wait,” to Warren Beatty: “Mr. Farnsworth, have you ever played college ball before?”
Tim Foley, cornerback: He spent all 11 NFL seasons with Dolphins with 22 interceptions and 7 fumble recoveries. After the NFL, he was one of many high producers in community advertising for Amway and nonetheless resides in Tavares, Fla.
Hubert Ginn, working again: The special-teams participant spent six of 9 NFL seasons with Dolphins. After taking part in, he offered vehicles in Albany, Ga., earlier than retiring to Myrtle Beach, S.C.
Bob Griese, quarterback: He retired from taking part in in 1980 and have become considered one of six gamers on the 1972 staff elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He additionally turned ABC’s high broadcast analyst for faculty soccer after which a Miami Dolphins announcer earlier than retiring to separate time between Jupiter, Fla., and Boone, N.C. He stated: “We had a hell of a defense, and we had a hell of an offensive line. We had the hell of a running game…and we were out there not trying to score points so much but to stay on the field, keep our defense on the sideline and the opponent’s very good offense on the sideline.”
Al Jenkins, guard: Played as a Dolphins reserve that 1972 season in an eight-year NFL profession, and his subsequent cease was beginning in Houston. After taking part in, he labored for a beer distributor earlier than retiring to New Orleans.
Ed Jenkins, working again: The Eleventh-round decide was considered one of three rookies to make the staff earlier than retiring after the 1973 season. After the NFL, he took the recommendation of Nick Buoniconti to attend regulation college and have become prosecutor and district legal professional in Boston.
Curtis Johnson, cornerback: He holds the Dolphins report with 9 blocked kicks in his 9 years with the staff. After taking part in he turned a firefighter in Toledo and is retired in Detroit.
Bob Heinz, defensive deal with: He began in three Dolphins Super Bowls earlier than retiring in 1975 as a consequence of damage. He turned a company gross sales supervisor earlier than retiring to New London, Wisc.
Mike Howell, cornerback: Intercepted 23 passes in seven-plus seasons in Cleveland earlier than coming to the Dolphins in mid-1972 and taking part in one recreation. He died at age 73 in 2016.
Jim Kiick, working again: He nonetheless ranks fifth amongst Dolphins all-time rushers with 3,544 yard and left the staff in 1975 to affix the World Football League with Larry Csonka and Paul Warfield. After taking part in he remained in Broward, the place he was a personal investigator till affected by dementia and transferring into an assisted residing facility. He died at age 73 in 2020.
Howard Kindig, offensive lineman: He served as long-snapper for 2 Dolphins seasons in his 11-year profession. He later labored in actual property in Louisiana and Houston.
Bob Kuechenberg, guard: He retired after 15 Dolphins seasons in 1984 with staff report for many seasons and most video games performed and was an eight-time finalist for the Hall of Fame. He owned a number of non-public companies. He died at age 71 in 2019.
Mike Kolen, linebacker: Nicknamed “Captain Crunch” for his arduous hitting, he performed seven years with the Dolphins. He later turned an actual property dealer and monetary adviser in his native Alabama.
Charlie Leigh, working again: A punt and kickoff returner who performed within the Dolphins’ three Super Bowl seasons in early Seventies. He later labored in building. He died of lung most cancers at age 60 in 2006.
Jim Langer, middle: Waived by Cleveland, Langer joined the Dolphins in 1970 and have become a starter in 1972 in his Hall of Fame profession. After the NFL, he labored for a truck firm in his native Minnesota. He died at 71 in 2019.
Larry Little, guard: He had a 13-year profession earlier than retiring in 1980 en path to the Hall of Fame. He turned a school coach at his alma mater, Bethune-Cookman, and North Carolina Central earlier than returning to Miami. he stated: “We knew we had a good football team from the year before, and we wanted to redeem ourselves [after] losing against Dallas in the Super Bowl, but we didn’t ever even think about going undefeated. We only wanted to get back to the Super Bowl and win it.”
Billy Lothridge, punter: Retired after eight years with 4 NFL groups in 1971 solely to be signed by Dolphins to punt two video games in 1972 for an injured Larry Seiple. He died at age 54 in 1996.
Jim Mandich, tight finish. He caught the successful landing at Minnesota in 1972 and performed eight years with the Dolphins earlier than gathering a 3rd Super Bowl ring in 1978 at Pittsburgh. He later turned president of a South Florida building firm and fashionable and beloved radio talk-show host, the place his phrases like “never better,” and “green lizards” turned a part of the present. He died of a most cancers of the bile duct at 62 in 2011.
Bob Matheson, linebacker: He stated he was on the “end of a mediocre career” when he was traded to Dolphins, and in 1972 his No. 53 turned title of novel “53 Defense.” He died of Hodgkin’s illness at age 49 in 1994.
Maulty Moore, defensive deal with: Played three seasons for the Dolphins earlier than ending his 5 NFL years with Cincinnati and Tampa Bay. Moore later labored in Broward as a division head at Sheridan Technical Center and is retired in Port St. Lucie.
Wayne Moore, deal with: Claimed off waivers from San Francisco, he began at left deal with for the Dolphins’ Super Bowl years and performed by way of 1978. Later he was a part-time highschool coach. He died from a coronary heart assault at 44 in 1989.
Earl Morrall, quarterback: The 1968 NFL MVP in Baltimore for coach Don Shula led the Dolphins to a 10-0 report in changing an injured Bob Griese. Later, he turned mayor of Davie. He died at age 79 in 2014.
Mercury Morris, working again: He led the NFL in touchdowns in 1972 and was a three-time Pro Bowl decide with Dolphins. After the NFL he has lived in South Florida and have become concerned with sports activities memorabilia reveals. He stated: “I met Buzz Aldrin and asked him what it’s like to walk on the moon and he told me. I still didn’t know what it was like to walk on the moon, but I knew what he told me. That’s what it’s like when we talk about going undefeated. You don’t know what it really feels like unless you do it.”
Lloyd Mumphord, cornerback: He was named staff’s high special-teams participant in 1972 with two blocked area objectives. After the NFL, he was a restaurateur in Tampa earlier than retiring to Lafayette, La.
Jesse Powell, linebacker: He performed 5 seasons with the Dolphins after being drafted in ninth spherical in 1969. After the NFL, he labored in insurance coverage in Lubbock, Texas. He died at age 65 in 2012.
Jake Scott, security: He was the 1972 season’s Super Bowl MVP and stays Dolphins’ all-time interception chief. After the NFL, he cut up time between Hawaii and Colorado. He died after a fall at age 75 in 2020.
Larry Seiple, punter: He averaged 40 yards a punt in his 11 years, however his largest play was a faux punt for a 37-yard run that sparked the win within the 1972 AFC Championship Game at Pittsburgh. He now lives in The Villages in Central Florida after a training profession that included the Dolphins (beneath Don Shula), Tampa Bay and Detroit earlier than closing with Howard Schnellenberger at Florida Atlantic University. He stated: “It’s been 50 years of waiting for the last team to get defeated, and right now we’re waiting on the Eagles. I’m hoping they’ll wait until I’m gone until someone else goes undefeated. It’s been a lot of fun for 50 years.”
Bill Stanfill, defensive finish: He held the Dolphins’ all-time sack report with 67.5 till Jason Taylor handed him. After the NFL, he ran an actual property enterprise in his hometown Albany, Ga. He died at age 69 in 2016.
Otto Stowe, broad receiver: After two Dolphins seasons, he was traded to Dallas in 1973 and retired after a season there. He labored as an athletic advisor in Santa Barbara, Calif.
Doug Swift, linebacker: He began for six Dolphins seasons earlier than retiring upon being claimed by growth Tampa Bay. He took his medical college examination whereas he was nonetheless a Dolphin and have become an anesthesiologist in Philadelphia.
Howard Twilley, broad receiver: An authentic Dolphin in 1966, Twilley performed 11 years with the franchise and had 23 touchdowns. After the NFL, he opened Athletes Foot shops in his native Oklahoma earlier than promoting them and retiring in 1990.
Paul Warfield, broad receiver: Hall of Famer who averaged 21.6 yards a catch and scored 35 touchdowns in his 5 Dolphins years. Later, he labored with NFL merchandising firm earlier than transferring from Palm Beach County to Beaumont, Calif. He stated: “The national media was not necessarily paying that much attention [to the undefeated season] until, as I recollect, we got to New York to play the Giants, next to our final ball game of the year. Then all of a sudden, it was like the New York media…”
Garo Yepremian, kicker: His three area objectives, together with a 51-yarder, led to Miami beating Minnesota in closest recreation of the ‘72 season. He’s remembered for Super Bowl blooper when a field-goal try went awry and he threw an interception — a move re-created within the White House go to with President Barack Obama. After the NFL he turned a motivational speaker. He died from neuroendocrine most cancers, in Media, Pa., on the age of 70 in 2015.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com