Overview
- The Miami Dolphins confirmed on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, that Manny Fernández has died at age 79, and the team released a statement mourning his contributions; the cause of death has not been disclosed.
- Fernández spent his entire eight-year NFL career with Miami after signing as an undrafted free agent in 1968 and retired in 1975.
- He played in three straight Super Bowls, won two championship rings, and was a key interior lineman for the Dolphins’ defense during the club’s run of success in the early 1970s.
- Fernández produced a memorable performance in Super Bowl VII that is often cited in discussions of the game’s MVP—he is widely credited with 17 tackles and one sack in the 14-7 win.
- Official sack totals were not recorded by the NFL until 1982, so historians credit him with an unofficial 35 regular-season sacks, and his Mexican ancestry and long association with Miami shaped his standing in the community and the franchise’s history.