Former Miami Dolphin Great and Two-Time Super Bowl Winner Manny Fernandez Died at Age 79
He was an integral part of the No Name Miami Dolphins defense. Former Dallas Cowboys great head coach Tom Landry coined the phrase No Name defense. Because it lacked recognized stars but performed above and beyond average. It was this defensive scheme of which he was a part. So, it was with great sadness today that the team had to announce his passing. Former Miami Dolphin great and two-time Super Bowl winner Manny Fernandez died at age 79.
Fernandez was a part of the famed 1972 Miami Dolphins team that didn’t lose a game that season and went on to win the Super Bowl. No other team has been able to replicate a perfect season. The New England Patriots came close but eventually lost the Super Bowl to the New York Giants. Regarding the death of Fernandez, the Dolphins released the following statement:
“His consistent and selfless contributions on the field were instrumental to the Dolphins’ success throughout the early 1970s, particularly in the team’s three Consecutive Super Bowl appearances, in which he produced some of the most memorable defensive performances in the history of the game,” the team said in a statement. “Our thoughts are with his family, loved ones and teammates as we remember one of the best players in Dolphins history.”
Fernandez went undrafted and was picked up by the Dolphins in 1968. He spent his entire eight-year career in Miami before retiring after the 1975 season. Not only was he an anchor on the No Name defense but helped propel the organization during one of the most successful stretches in franchise history. Fernandez played in three Super Bowls and was part of the teams that won back-to-back championships following the 1972 and 1973 seasons.
Former Miami Dolphin Great and Two-Time Super Bowl Winner Manny Fernandez Died at Age 79
As noted by NFL.com, “Led by Fernandez, Nick Buoniconti, Bill Stanfil, Vern Den Herder and Jake Scott, Miami’s No-Name Defense held opponents to a league-best 12.2 points per game and 235.5 yards per game in 1972, logging three shutouts en route to a perfect 14-0 regular season.” The 1972 Dolphins having completed the only perfect season in NFL history was inducted into the team’s Honor Roll. And Fernandez was individually inducted in 2014.
Fernandez was also a sack monster before sacks started being officially recorded in 1982. His unofficial sack stats are 35 regular-season sacks and 4.5 postseason sacks. But regardless of how great he was on defense, Fernandez was not a fan of the talk surrounding the perfect season.
“The perfect s— was all media hype,” Fernandez explained to NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe in 2022. “The perfection s— started in the playoffs. I couldn’t stand it. I didn’t want to talk about it. I hung up on [Edwin] Pope — the Miami Herald sports reporter — because he called me with the perfect talk.”
Nevertheless, he carved himself into the history books. Rest in peace Manny Fernandez.
**Want Even More Sports, News, Hot Takes, Stats as well as Athlete Celebrity Sighting Updates, Insights as well as Trends? Well, be sure to join all of us Sports Feens over on Youtube to get an additional sports fix; and also don’t forget to check out all of our new Podcast topics and episodes. Plus, get fast highlights and trivia daily by following us on TikTok. Just Click HERE**
Thoughts on Former Miami Dolphin Great and Two-Time Super Bowl Winner Manny Fernandez Died at Age 79? Well, let’s connect then you Feen! We are always around on social media posting as well as chatting away. And we would love to hear some POV from you. Therefore, join the discussion and talk all things, Sports Feen; athletics as well as breaking industry news related with us by dropping a comment or two. Get into our comment section on YT; or also hit us up on our TikTok page or tweet us @SportsFeen.
