Manny Fernandez, a bruising defensive tackle for the Miami Dolphins during their “perfect season” in 1972, died on Sunday, the team announced. He was 79.
The cause of death has not been revealed, the Miami Herald reported.
A free agent out of Utah, Fernandez played his entire eight-year NFL career (1968-1975) with Miami. At 6-foot-2 and 250 pounds, he anchored a line that was part of Miami’s “No Name Defense” that went to three consecutive Super Bowls during the 1971, ‘72 and ‘73 seasons.
That included back-to-back Super Bowl victories after the 1972 and ‘73 seasons. In Super Bowl VII, Fernandez collected 17 tackles and a sack as Miami completed a perfect season with a 14-7 victory against Washington.
He did not win MVP honors, as safety Jake Scott -- who had two interceptions -- won the honor. But Fernandez certainly made an impact.
“His consistency 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. “Our thoughts are with the family, loved ones and teammates as we remember one of the best players in Dolphins history.”
We are deeply saddened by the passing of Manny Fernandez. pic.twitter.com/nh0xcQ0YIX
— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) May 26, 2026
During the 1972 season, Fernandez helped Miami win in the team’s closest brush with defeat -- a 24-23 victory against Buffalo at the Orange Bowl on Oct. 22, 1972.
As Buffalo quarterback Dennis Shaw turned to hand off the ball to Bills running back Jim Braxton during the third quarter, Fernandez broke through the line and wrestled the ball away, rumbling to the Buffalo 10-yard line.
Fullback Larry Csonka would score on a 10-yard run to give Miami a 14-13 lead, and Miami would improve to 6-0.
Manny Fernandez, should’ve been named Super Bowl MVP in the Miami Dolphins Perfect Season and had one of the greatest plays I’ve ever seen — he stole the opposing team’s handoff.
— Fernand R. Amandi (@AmandiOnAir) May 26, 2026
Haven’t ever seen that play replicated before or since.
RIP Manny Fernandez #75. pic.twitter.com/x7zCdGxYsF
A two-time second-team All-Pro, Fernandez was inducted into the Dolphins’ Ring of Honor in 2014, ESPN reported.
During his career, Fernandez had 35 career sacks, with a career-high eight in 1971.
Only one defensive lineman, nose tackle Bob Baumhower, recorded more sacks, with 39.5, the Herald reported.
According to the newspaper, Fernandez was a character off the field. Csonka told the story that the defensive lineman caught an alligator in the Everglades, taped its mouth shut, and put the reptile in coach Don Shula’s shower -- with Csonka’s help.
“He had a separate shower from the team. We thought that would be humorous,” Csonka said, recalling the story after Shula’s death in 2020. “We took a vote, and coach Shula won it by one vote that we’d tape the gator’s mouth up in case the gator got a hold of (Shula) in the shower. We didn’t want to lose Shula entirely.”
Fernandez, a California native, was an undrafted free agent. The Dolphins’ front office believed his name would appeal to Miami’s Spanish-speaking population.
But after he made the team, Fernandez revealed that he did not speak Spanish, The New York Times reported.
Fernandez is the sixth starter from the 1972 team’s defense and is believed to be the 23rd player on that team’s roster to have died, the Sun Sentinel reported. The six coaches on the team have also passed away.
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