In 1972, the Miami Dolphins did the unthinkable, going undefeated and winning the Super Bowl in the same season.
No other team in the modern NFL has been able to duplicate the feat, though a few have come close.
The ‘72 Dolphins were a well-built machine with talented players on both sides of the ball.
One of those athletes, defensive tackle Manny Fernandez, was one of the unquestioned leaders of the organization.
Although he only played eight years in the league, Fernandez was considered one of the best defensive linemen in the game.
During Miami’s run to three consecutive Super Bowls between 1971 and 1973, Fernandez was part of the “No-Name Defense,” a unit that finished in the top three in the NFL during that span.
“Old Days”Bill Kilmer drops back to Pass as Manny Fernandez closes in during Super Bowl VII between
The Redskins and Dolphins #Miami #Dolphins #Redskins #Washington #NFL #1970s pic.twitter.com/XRQgsvntqR— Tom's Old Days (@sigg20) October 10, 2023
It has also been argued that he should have been the MVP of Super Bowl VII after finishing the game with a plethora of tackles.
Regardless, Fernandez never cared who got the glory, only that he was part of a franchise that established its dominance during his career.
Years later, he would be immortalized forever as a member of the Dolphins Honor Roll and Walk of Fame.
This is the story of Manny Fernandez.
Overlooked Prep Athlete
Manuel Jose Fernandez was born in Oakland, California on July 3, 1946.
Happy 77th Birthday to Manny Fernandez!#FinsUp (1968–1975)
🏆 2× SB Champ (VII, VIII)
💯 Miami Dolphins Honor Roll
✅ In Super Bowl VII, Fernandez had 17 tackles and he also recorded a sack against the Washington Redskins' QB Billy Kilmer.#NFL #Dolphins #HappyBirthday pic.twitter.com/u6CWxbU22C
— JVAN (@VanderlansJim) July 3, 2023
As he got older, Fernandez grew in stature and athleticism.
His love of sports was evident when he suited up year-round for the San Lorenzo High School Grizzlies.
Fernandez terrorized opponents on the gridiron then wrestled and threw the discus during track season.
Oddly enough, by the time he was set to graduate from San Lorenzo, there wasn’t a lot of interest in Fernandez playing collegiately.
Not to be deterred, Fernandez enrolled at nearby Chabot Junior College to play football for the Gladiators.
“I was just hoping (football) would get me an education,” said Fernandez years later.
Making His Name with Utah
After playing well in his lone season with Chabot, Fernandez signed a letter of intent to play for the University of Utah Redskins, and head coach Ray Nagel, in 1965.
(The program would change its name to “Utes” in 1972).
One year after posting a 9-2 record, the Redskins went 3-7 in Fernandez’s first year with the program.
However, his 6’2”, nearly 250-pound frame helped him become an anchor in the middle of the Utah defensive line.
Happy Birthday Manny Fernandez, out of Oakland, California & @Utah_Football Undrafted, Had 17 tackles in @SuperBowl VII, 8 year @NFL career, 2X @SuperBowl Champion, 2X 2nd Team All Pro, @MiamiDolphins Honor Roll; 76 Today…. pic.twitter.com/ibT9ViKKlh
— Larry in Missouri (@LarryInMissouri) July 3, 2022
Before the 1966 season, Nagel left to become the new head coach at the University of Iowa and former USC assistant coach Mike Giddings took his place.
Fernandez developed a reputation for reading the opposing offense’s plays and made countless plays behind the line of scrimmage.
He also rotated through different positions along the Redskins’ defensive line to further torment their foes.
Through the first six games of 1966, Utah was 5-1 and playing great football, even blanking New Mexico, 27-0, in the team’s homecoming game.
Unfortunately, a four-game losing streak ended the year with a disappointing 5-5 record.
1967
In Fernandez’s senior year, Utah once again started strong with a 3-2 record including dominating victories over Oregon, 21-0, and New Mexico, 42-27.
Beginning with an October 28 date against in-state rival BYU, however, the Redskins once again let the season get away from them.
A five-game losing streak was stopped in the final game of the year with a 25-20 win over the University of Hawaii.
Happy Birthday to @Utah_Football great, @MiamiDolphins legend & all around bad ass Manny Fernandez!! pic.twitter.com/qqOCw8YMLi
— J.Achtziger (@Sluricain72) July 3, 2021
Despite the constant losing, Fernandez hung tough and was by far the best defender on the Utah squad.
Throughout his career, Fernandez was known for successfully fighting through double-teams, stuffing the run, and making life difficult for quarterbacks.
He would soon find out that those characteristics had been regrettably overlooked by pro teams.
Undrafted
As the upcoming 1968 NFL/AFL Draft loomed, exactly none of the franchises in either league had any intention of selecting Fernandez.
His play at Utah might have been top-notch, but Fernandez might as well have been playing on the Moon.
It turned out that Giddings, his college coach, told pro clubs that Fernandez didn’t have the talent or size to play with the big boys.
So, when the draft concluded, he was still at home, waiting to see if he would ever play football again.
Thankfully, the Miami Dolphins reached out and signed Fernandez as an undrafted free agent.
“I got off the airplane and got hit with the heat,” Fernandez said in 2014. “A Bay Area guy from California, from the University of Utah, and they put us in a station wagon with five other guys, no air conditioning, and we rode all the way to Boca. Got there and the mosquitoes and gnats ate us alive.”
One of the primary reasons the organization signed him was not his athletic ability, but the fact that he had Hispanic heritage in an area rich with the culture.
Happy birthday to 2× Super Bowl champion & a Dolphins legend…Manny Fernandez! pic.twitter.com/I3JVehuvK7
— Miami Dolphins UK (@Dolphins_UK) July 3, 2024
Fernandez declined to share with the team that he was Hispanic in name only and didn’t know a word of Spanish.
“I had other teams that wanted to sign me as a free agent and the reason I signed with the Dolphins was not because I spoke Spanish [he actually didn’t], but because, looking at their record and their roster, I thought, ‘I might be able to make this team,’” Fernandez continued.
Fernandez Hits the Ground Running
It didn’t take long for then-Dolphins head coach George Wilson to realize he had a gem.
During his rookie year, Fernandez started 12 games and had one fumble recovery and four unofficial sacks.
(The NFL did not keep track of sacks or tackles at that time).
Happy Birthday Manny Fernandez #Dolphins #FinsUp pic.twitter.com/UUuAeZO5tJ
— Old Time Football 🏈 (@Ol_TimeFootball) July 3, 2023
He consistently locked horns with bigger athletes as a smallish defensive end, but Fernandez held his own and was recognized.
“My rookie year I made the All-AFL rookie team playing against guys who were 340 pounds. I was lining up against 295-pound guys. Most guards were 265, 270,” said Fernandez in 2022. “The key was being stronger and quicker. Just because they were big doesn’t mean anything. And being a little smarter helped. They weren’t bench pressing at 500 pounds and running 4.7 40s like I was. I had a 22-inch neck, 22-inch biceps, 38-inch thighs.”
After Miami wrapped 1968 with a 5-8-1 record, Fernandez was moved inside to defensive tackle in 1969 and typically lined up as a nose tackle in the team’s 3-4 defense.
He was responsible for another four unofficial sacks and a fumble recovery, but the ‘Fins regressed to 3-10-1.
Shula Arrives
By the end of the 1969 season, Miami had built a fairly good roster that included Bob Griese, Mercury Morris, Larry Csonka, and Jim Kiick on offense.
The defense had Fernandez, Bill Stanfill, Nick Buoniconti, and Dick Anderson.
Yet, even with all the talent, the team couldn’t do better than three wins and head coach George Wilson was fired.
Miami owner Joe Robbie reached out to Baltimore Colts head coach Don Shula, who was on the hot seat after the Colts lost Super Bowl III in 1968 and then went 8-5-1 in 1969.
Baltimore owner Carroll Rosenbloom was more than happy to let Shula leave for a fledgling organization with just 15 wins in its four-year existence.
📆 On This Day in 1970: Miami Dolphins hire Don Shula
And the rest is history… 🐐 #FinsUp pic.twitter.com/jyWTQDlBlP
— FinsXtra (@FinsXtra) February 18, 2024
Shula quickly molded the team in his image as soon as he touched down in South Florida.
Training camp that year was grueling and the new coach expected his charges to be on the same page as him.
Those who made it soon discovered why Shula’s Baltimore teams were so successful.
Miami lost the first contest of 1970 to the Boston Patriots but went on a run, winning 10 of the next 13.
Just like that, the Dolphins were in the playoffs for the first time in franchise history, losing by seven points to the Oakland Raiders in the divisional round.
Fernandez thrived as well, bagging 4.5 unofficial sacks, and was selected as a second-team All-Pro for his efforts.
Then, as if by magic, Miami shocked the world in 1971 and won 10 games, beat Kansas City in the divisional round, beat Shula’s former team, the Colts, in the AFC Championship game, and played in Super Bowl VI.
The Dolphins lost to the Dallas Cowboys, but that season Fernandez established his dominance with eight unofficial sacks, a career-high.
1972
Although most of the media believed Miami would contend for a title again in 1972, absolutely no one was prepared for what would happen next.
Well-balanced on both sides of the ball, the Dolphins won the first four games and were leading the San Diego Chargers in Week 5 when quarterback Griese broke his ankle and was lost for the remainder of the regular season.
(He would return in time for the playoffs).
No matter.
Before the season began, Shula brought in his former quarterback from the Colts, Earl Morrall.
Although he was long in the tooth at 38 years old, Morrall kept the offense steady and refused to panic.
“Yeah, but he’s interchangeable — he’s a quarterback,” Fernandez joked about Morrall in 2016. “Anybody could hand off to (Jim) Kiick, (Larry) Csonka and Mercury Morris.”
After defeating the Chargers, Fernandez made one of the most memorable plays in team history against Buffalo in Week 6.
The Bills were ahead of Miami, 13-7, at halftime, but Fernandez turned the game around shortly after the second half began.
On second-and-nine, Buffalo quarterback Dennis Shaw turned for a handoff and was quickly accosted by Fernandez.
October 22, 1972
Quarterback Earl Morrall makes his first start for the #Dolphins, fullback Larry Csonka has his first 100-yard rushing effort of the season, and defensive tackle Manny Fernandez steals a handoff as Miami nips the Bills, 24-23, to move to 6-and-0.
The closest… pic.twitter.com/fPfvKWX40k
— Kevin Gallagher (@KevG163) October 23, 2023
The D-tackle arrived in the Bills’ backfield so suddenly that he ripped the ball from Shaw’s hands and started running the other way.
“Fernandez steals ball on handoff,” read the next day’s news.
The play led to a Csonka touchdown and eventual 24-23 win.
Miami won the remainder of their games, including two shutouts of the Colts and a huge 52-0 crushing of the Pats.
One year after finishing the season ranked third in the NFL, the Dolphins’ “No-Name Defense” (coined by Cowboys coach Tom Landry) finished first in the league.
Fernandez had five total sacks but he wasn’t done by a long shot.
Super Bowl VII
In the postseason, the Fins took care of Cleveland in the divisional round then slipped by Pittsburgh in the AFC Championship game, 21-17.
For the second year in a row, Miami was playing in a Super Bowl.
This time, the opponent was the Washington Redskins and its well-known “Over-the-Hill Gang” roster.
Almost immediately, the Dolphins proved too much as Csonka and the run game kept Washington off balance.
Miami’s “No-Name” defense became well-known by the end of the contest.
Manny Fernandez stopping Larry Brown ! Super Bowl VII pic.twitter.com/wwSrdisTvB
— DolphinsGary (@DolphinsGary) March 12, 2023
Although a flubbed pass by kicker Garo Yepremian in the fourth quarter turned into a touchdown by the Redskins, the Dolphins owned Washington with a 14-7 win.
Safety Jake Scott was named MVP after snagging two interceptions.
However, Miami’s fans believed the rightful recipient should have been Fernandez.
Super Bowl great performances: January 14, 1973 DT Manny Fernandez dominates the Redskins with 17 tackles & a sack. Dolphins win SB VII 14-7,pic.twitter.com/PGVTetNLtQ
— Dolphins History (@DolphinsHistory) February 6, 2023
During the game, he had been everywhere and bagged an unbelievable 17 tackles and one sack.
“It was the game of his life–in fact, it was the most dominant game by a defensive lineman in the history of the game, and he would never be given much credit for it. They should have given out two game balls and made Manny Fernandez the co-MVP with Jake Scott,” said teammate Buonconti.
As usual, Fernandez deflected the praise and gave it all to Scott.
“Winning the car never entered my mind until I heard that Jake won it,” Fernandez said. “I was happy for Jake, he played a helluva game for a guy who was healthy but he had two bad shoulders.”
Miami Repeats
In 1973, the Dolphins had essentially the same roster in place and the defense once again finished first in the NFL.
Fernandez had 6.5 unofficial sacks and was named second-team All-Pro for the second time in his career.
Miami didn’t duplicate its regular season perfection from 1972, but the team only lost twice before defeating the Bengals and Raiders in the postseason.
Manny Fernandez vs. the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl VIII. @mannyfernandez @MiamiDolphins @NFL @NFLAlumni @Super70sSports pic.twitter.com/iu0ieXOXS2
— NFL Classic! (@79_nfl) February 13, 2023
Then, for the third year in a row, Shula’s bunch advanced to the world championship, this time facing the Minnesota Vikings and their “Purple People Eaters” defense in Super Bowl VIII.
While Fernandez bagged five tackles and a sack during the contest, the Miami offense kept the People Eaters in check, eventually pulling away for a 24-7 win.
Fernandez Retires
One year after winning its second consecutive title, Miami returned to the playoffs after posting an 11-3 record.
Unfortunately, a hard-fought battle against the Oakland Raiders in the divisional round ended in the infamous “Sea of Hands” touchdown caught by Raiders running back Clarence Davis with only seconds remaining.
That gave Oakland a 28-26 win and eliminated Miami.
“This has to be the toughest loss I’ve ever suffered,” said Shula, “The Raiders are a great credit to professional football”, he added. “They needed touchdowns to win and they got them.”
Fernandez ended his seventh professional season with three unofficial sacks, and after starting just four games in 1974, retired after the season.
For me, the "other" Manny Fernandez is the one who played for the Miami Dolphins in the early 1970s. The Raging Bull Manny Fernandez was sometimes billed as a former NFL player because of the similar name. pic.twitter.com/rawlI9aooo
— Night Zac (@zacelmenreich) January 3, 2023
During his career, Fernandez had 35 unofficial sacks and six fumble recoveries.
He was a two-time All-Pro and played in three Super Bowls, winning two.
His totals in all three games included 28 tackles and three sacks.
Fernandez was named the Dolphins’ Most Outstanding Defensive Lineman after his first five years with the organization and was later added to the franchise’s Walk of Fame and Honor Roll.
“Manny Fernandez was the first of several elite defensive tackles who played for the Miami Dolphins,” said Nat Moore, Miami Dolphins Senior Vice President of Special Projects & Alumni Relations. “Fernandez was an expert at controlling the line of scrimmage on defense and freeing up the linebackers to run and make tackles. We’re elated to celebrate his accomplishments by welcoming him to the prestigious Honor Roll.”
Life After Football and the Legacy of the 1972 Team
After retiring from football, Fernandez eventually found his way into the business sector where he used the fame from his days in Miami to find even more success.
“I was vice president of marketing/sales for several national underwriters, national insurance companies. [Being an NFL player on a Super Bowl champion] presented entrances into several large firms that other people did not enjoy. It got my foot in the door,” said Fernandez. “Who I was and what I had done tended to make people trust me. I was the top salesperson for the Southeastern United States for each company I worked for, all in title insurance and real estate. I was getting hired with major pay increases.”
Over the past few decades, Fernandez has kept up a steady drumbeat of praise for his former teammates, believing that many of them have been criminally overlooked.
“It bothers me that my teammates have been so terribly ignored by the Hall of Fame committee, and it’s a complete affront to the talent they were,” said Fernandez. “Bill Stanfill had [18.5 sacks in 1973 and 69.5 in his career] and he did it in a 14-game season. Why isn’t Dick Anderson in the Hall of Fame? Why hasn’t Jake Scott been mentioned? We were the best defense in the NFL for a five-year run, and nobody in our secondary was ever nominated for the Hall of Fame. Nick Buoniconti would have been ignored had it not been for him being on [HBO’s] ‘Inside the NFL’ for 20 years.”
In 2013, it came to the attention of then-President Barack Obama that the 1972 Dolphins had never been invited to the White House for a proper ceremony.
Obama invited the organization to Washington D.C. but Fernandez declined to attend.
“I’ll just say my views are diametrically opposed to the President’s… Enough said. Let’s leave it at that. I hope everyone enjoys the trip who goes,” Fernandez said.
References
https://www.palmbeachpost.com/story/news/2014/10/09/manny-fernandez-finally-gets-wish/6974595007/
https://www.palmbeachpost.com/story/sports/nfl/2014/12/22/manny-fernandez-part-no-name/7501349007/
https://www.cbsnews.com/miami/news/manny-fernandez-to-be-inducted-into-dolphins-honor-roll/
https://www.miamiherald.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/barry-jackson/article266385491.html
https://www.miamidolphins.com/podcasts/manny-fernandez-the-phantom-was-here
https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/F/FernMa20.htm
https://web.archive.org/web/20080103195836/http://www.raiders.com/common/article.aspx?id=1164
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