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A20 SPORTS
Thursday 1 augusT 2019

Dolphins Hall of Fame linebacker Buoniconti dead at 78

By STEVEN WINE his life," the younger Buoni- small for a pro linebacker,
AP Sports Writer conti said in 2017. "But what but after being taken in the
MIAMI (AP) — Pro Football did he do? He went around 13th round by the Boston
Hall of Fame middle line- and gave the rest of his life Patriots of the upstart AFL,
backer Nick Buoniconti, an to help his son." he played for them from
undersized overachiever Following retirement, Buo- 1962 to 1968.
who helped lead the Mi- niconti worked as an at- He made the AFL All-Star
ami Dolphins to the NFL's torney, a broadcaster, as Game six times and had 24
only perfect season and president of U.S. Tobacco career interceptions for the
became a leader in the and as an agent to such Patriots, including three in a
effort to cure paralysis, has athletes as Bucky Dent and single game in 1968.
died at the age of 78. Andre Dawson. For 23 sea- Buoniconti played for the
Buoniconti died Tuesday in sons he was co-host of the Dolphins from 1969 to 1974
Bridgehampton, New York, weekly sports show "Inside and in 1976. He was the
said Bruce Bobbins, a fam- the NFL" on the HBO cable leader of Miami's famed
ily spokesman. network. "No-Name Defense" and in
In recent years, Buoniconti "He lived a life of honor 1973 he set a team record
struggled with symptoms and nobility, and his legacy with 162 tackles. He was
of CTE, a degenerative will live forever through his inducted into the Hall of
brain disease associated In this Dec. 16, 2012, file photo, Nick Buoniconti, former Miami Bronzed Bust in Canton, Fame in 2001.
Dolphins player and member of the 1972 undefeated team, in
with repeated blows to the introduced during the half time show of an NFL football game Ohio," said Pro Football In 1985, he and Marc Buo-
head. He had recently bat- against the Jacksonville Jaguars, in Miami. Hall of Fame president and niconti helped to found the
tled pneumonia, Dolphins Associated Press CEO David Baker. Miami Project to Cure Pa-
senior vice president Nat Buoniconti was chosen for ralysis, which has become
Moore said. 1972 team that finished 17- lyzed from the shoulders the all-time AFL team in the world's largest spinal
The 5-11, 220-pound Buoni- 0. down making a tackle for 1970, and for the NFL Pro cord injury research center.
conti was bypassed in the Following retirement, Buo- The Citadel in 1985. Bowl in 1972 and 1973. "Marc, the Miami Project
NFL draft but went on to niconti and his son, Marc, Marc Buoniconti said his fa- A native of Springfield, Team and I are committed
a 15-year career. He was worked to raise more than ther was his biggest hero. Massachusetts, Buoniconti to carry Nick's banner and
captain of the Dolphins' a half-billion dollars for pa- "He could have been sit- played guard on offense legacy forward to the goal
back-to-back Super Bowl ralysis research. The young- ting on the beach sipping and linebacker on defense line," project chairman Dr.
champions, including the er Buoniconti was para- champagne for the rest of for Notre Dame. He was Barth Green said.q