Manny Fernandez, a legendary defensive tackle who spent his entire professional career with the Miami Dolphins, has passed away at the age of 79. He won the Super Bowl twice with the Fins, in the 1972 and 1973 seasons.

The official Miami Dolphins' handle posted on social media on Tuesday,

"We are deeply saddened by the passing of Manny Fernandez, a member of the 1972 Perfect Team, a two-time Super Bowl champion, Ring of Honor member and an anchor of the Dolphins' legendary No-Name Defense."

The Dolphins’ tribute reflected just how important he was to that championship team, especially during the franchise’s dominant run in the early 1970s, when his work on defense helped shape some of the team’s biggest moments on the Super Bowl stage.

The former DT passed away on Sunday in Ellaville, Georgia.

Fernandez began his collegiate career at Chabot Junior College before transferring to Utah. In 1968, he was overlooked and went undrafted in the NFL draft. But the defender signed with Miami to become an integral part of one of the most iconic NFL teams ever.

In the 8-years he spent playing pro with the Dolphins, Fernandez racked up 35 total sacks, ranking 12th in the regular season and 5.5 career sacks ranking thirf in the postseason in franchise history. Over the 103 games he played, he also logged six fumble recoveries.

Manny Fernandez and the Immortal Legacy of the 1972 Perfect Season

Playing under Don Shula, Manny Fernandez featured in three consecutive Super Bowls, winning two. That season remains a benchmark in NFL history.

Recognized as the No. 1 team on the NFL 100's list of the Greatest Teams of All Time, the 1972 Fins went the whole season unbeaten with a perfect record.

Miami's No-Name defense was led by Fernandez, Nick Buoniconti, Bill Stanfill, Vern Den Herder, and Jake Scott. They logged three shutouts en route to the playoffs, where they continued their dominance, eventually lifting the Super Bowl with a 14-7 win against the Redskins.

"The perfect s*** was all media hype...The perfection s*** started in the playoffs," Manny Fernandez told NFL Network's Cameron Wolfe about their perfect record in 2022. "I couldn't stand it. I didn't want to talk about it."

As per Fernandez's own admission, he cannot remember the final moments of the game nor the night's celebrations due to a concussion he suffered in the last 10 minutes. Miami's No. 75 led the team for six credited tackles (17, unofficially) and a sack against Billy Kilmer in the game.

"I was truly blessed," Manny Fernandez said on the NFL Network, talking about his career ahead of a tribute the Miami Dolphins gave the 1972 dream team in 2019.

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Written by

Nisarga Aseem Barkule

Edited by

Rudra Dubey