Miami Dolphins legend Manny Fernandez, a defensive anchor for the only team in NFL history to go undefeated, has died at 79.
According to UPI, the Dolphins announced Fernandez’s passing on Tuesday, May 26, without revealing the cause of death.
The Dolphins stated, “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.”
“Our thoughts are with his family, loved ones and teammates as we remember one of the best players in Dolphins history,” the team added.
Fernandez starred at Utah before joining the Dolphins in 1968 as an undrafted free agent.
He went on to spend his entire eight-year NFL tenure with the Dolphins. The run included three Super Bowl trips, including back-to-back titles in 1972 and 1973.
The Dolphins allowed the fewest points in the NFL during each of those title-winning runs, including their perfect 17-0 campaign in 1972.
Fernandez is unofficially credited with 35 regular-season sacks, which were not an official NFL statistic until 1982.
With Fernandez as an anchor, the Dolphins' defensive unit was nicknamed the "No-Name Defense."
The Dolphins inducted Fernandez into their Honor Roll in 2014.
