Fernandez, a defensive lineman who won two Super Bowls with Miami, was part of the 1972 perfect season team.
8:33 PM
Manuel "Manny" Fernandez, the defensive lineman who won two Super Bowls with the Miami Dolphins, has died at age 79, the team announced Tuesday. No cause of death was given.
Fernandez was a key part of the legendary Miami defense that helped bring the team to three consecutive Super Bowls. He was a member of the 1972 team that did not lose a game during the regular season or the playoffs — the only team in NFL history to accomplish that feat.
That year, no team scored more than 24 points in a game against Miami's "No-Name Defense," named for its lack of household names at the time. The defensive unit included future Hall of Famer Nick Buoniconti, while stars including Bob Griese and Larry Csonka led the offense.
The Miami Dolphins organization said in a statement that Fernandez's "consistent and selfless contributions on the field were instrumental to the Dolphins' success."
In addition to his two Super Bowl rings, Fernandez was a member of the Dolphins' Ring of Honor. In 2015, Yahoo! Sports ranked him as the 10th-best player of all time in Super Bowl history.
Fernandez attended Chabot Junior College before enrolling at the University of Utah. He signed with the Dolphins after going undrafted in the NFL draft.
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