Overview
- The Miami Dolphins announced Tuesday that Manny Fernandez has died at 79 and posted a team statement mourning him while not disclosing a cause of death.
- Fernandez signed with Miami as an undrafted free agent out of Utah in 1968, spent his entire eight‑year NFL career with the Dolphins, and was inducted into the team’s Ring of Honor in 2014.
- He delivered one of his most famous games in Super Bowl VII, when he was credited with 17 tackles and a sack in the 14‑7 win that completed the 1972 undefeated run and was widely discussed as a contender for game MVP.
- Statistical context complicates career totals because the NFL did not record sacks as an official stat until 1982, so Fernandez is unofficially credited with 35 career sacks in team and historical accounts.
- Expect tributes from former teammates and the franchise to continue as the NFL community reflects on the lasting legacy of the No‑Name Defense and the unique place of the 1972 Dolphins in league history.