Dolphins' Hall of Fame linebacker Buoniconti dead at 78
https://news.yahoo.com/dolphins-hal...vbG8DYmYxBHBvcwMyBHZ0aWQDQjg0ODdfMQRzZWMDc2M-
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One of my favorite players from the early 70's teams that were so dominant.
https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/27295060/hall-fame-lb-nick-buoniconti-dies-78
Rest in peace Nick.firedan likes this. -
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He was retired before I was even born, but I respect what he meant to the franchise. Watched him on TV a little bit as a teenager. Seems like the Fins got a little lucky and traded for him after the only season where he ever really missed time due to injury. Perhaps New England thought he was on the decline at age 29, which makes sense. Then he goes on to play seven more years for the Fins, and only misses three games before his final season at age 36.
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Da 'Fins Season Ticket Holder Staff Member Club Member
Sad to hear. Great football player. Greater humanitarian after football. Really incredible what he did after tragedy struck his own son Marc, to raise awareness and to bring countless millions into the Miami Project.
A human being to be honored, for sure. -
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As great a LB as he was in the NFL, he was even a much greater human being. May he RIP.
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Puka-head My2nd Fav team:___vs Jets Club Member
When I was a little fat kid just learning to play football Buoniconti was who I wanted to be. When I didn't want to be Csonka anyway. The world is a far poorer place without men like him in it.
Thanks for keeping the light on Nick.The_Dark_Knight likes this. -
For those younger fans who never saw him play, he was Zach Thomas before Zack Thomas. He was the smartest guy on the defense. The difference was that while ZT played on dumb defenses, Nick played on very smart defenses. Nick was also the player's leader, more than Griese or any player on offense. I don't believe he was the best player on those great teams, but he was the heart and soul of those teams.
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I did and it broke my heart to see how rapidly his health declined.
On a side note, my father met him once in Nashville. Nick, Marino and a few others came into the club where my dad worked. The very first thing my dad asked Nick was how was his son.
That meant a lot to Nick, not fans going off on tangents about yesteryear but a true genuine caring question -
RIP Nick
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God Bless.
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One of my hero's when I was a 14 year old kid. RIP Nick.
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Given that he was the second oldest player on those great teams of the 70s (behind Earl Morral) I wonder if he and Shula had a closer relationship that Don did with some of the other players.