The Miami Dolphins community is mourning the loss of legendary defensive tackle Manny Fernandez, who passed away at the age of 79.
A two-time Super Bowl champion, Ring of Honor member and a stalwart of the Dolphins' historic 'No-Name Defense,' Fernandez rose to the occasion in the biggest moments, including a 17-tackle performance in Super Bowl VII.
"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 Dolphins said in a statement.
Those Dolphins defenses of the 1970s, paired with the league's best ground game, helped spark a dynasty and achieve perfection. A member of the 1972 Perfect Team, Fernandez was a starter in three Super Bowls (VI, VII, VIII) and a leader of a unit that set a franchise record for fewest points allowed (150) in 1973. He totaled 28 tackles and 3.0 sacks across those three Super Bowl appearances and registered 35.0 sacks over his career.
Fernandez is often said to have been the first nose tackle in the history of the NFL. The 'No-Name Defense' was known for its 5-3 alignment in an era when teams ran a standard 4-3 defense. This put Fernandez over the center on most snaps, meaning he typically dealt with double teams from either guard, except in Super Bowl VII when the Redskins attempted to block him with only the center.
"They weren't double-teaming Manny, which most of the other teams we played in the division did during the season," said former Dolphins safety and Super Bowl VII MVP Jake Scott. "Manny was in their backfield the whole day just doing whatever he wanted to do. Maybe I should have shared the MVP with Manny."
Fernandez helped pave the way for the introduction of the 3-4 defense, which was adopted by the New England Patriots in 1974.
Originally an undrafted free agent out of Utah, Fernandez signed with the Dolphins ahead of the 1968 season. He played his entire eight-year career with the Dolphins, appearing in 103 games and starting 93.
Fernandez was a second-team All-Pro in 1970 and 1973 and the recipient of the NFL's Unsung Player Award in 1973. He was inducted into the Miami Dolphins Ring of Honor in 2014 and was named to the Dolphins 50th Season All-Time Team and the Silver Anniversary Team.
