Miami Dolphins By The Numbers: 32 – 34
By Brian Miller
Skipping right along with our Miami Dolphins history by the numbers we tackle 32, 33, and 34 which will take us to someone who wasn’t easily tackled at all. First we need to get through the first two numbers. We will start with 32.
I wouldn’t necessarily call Joe Auer the greatest player to don the jersey although he will likely come very close in the voting and could easily win. It’s a toss up. Auer wore the uniform from 1966f to 1967 and his claim to fame is a simple and historic one. One that can never be erased by time or another player. Opening their very first game as an expansion team, the home team Dolphins took the field against the Oakland Raiders. Auer took the opening franchise kick-off 95 yards for a touchdown. A product of Coral Gable high-school, Auer became an instant legend.
Auer wasn’t the only player to wear 32 however and while the competition isn’t really tight there is still a name or two that deserves to be considered. We will start with the ones that are not.
Hubert Ginn 1970-73, Donald Brown 1986, Pete Roth in ’87 as a replacement player, Garrett Limbrick 1990, Bruce Alexander 1992 to ’93, Aaron Carver 1994, Cleveland Gary 1994, J.J. Johnson 1999-2001, Charlie Rogers 2003, Jamar Martin 2004, Jerris McPhail 1996-97, Nate Ness 2010, Nate Jones 2011, Jonathan Wade 2011, Michael Coe 2012, Dimitri Patterson 2012 and today it’s worn by no one.
Several players deserve your consideration and may be more worthy of being called the “best to wear the number”. That’s up to you.
Benny Malone was a Miami Dolphin from 1974 to 1978 carving out a solid career with the Dolphins. Tommy Vigorito was a go to target for Don Strock, David Woodley, and Dan Marino playing from 1981 to 1985.
Number 33 starts with Billy Joe in ’66, Hubert Ginn in 74 after a numbers change, Stan Winfrey from ’75-’77, Billy Cesare 1980, Bo Mathews 1981, Rich Diana 1982, Craig Ellis 1986, Ronald Scott and ’87 replacement, Sammie Smith 1989-91, Karim Abdul-Jabbar 1996-99, Deon Dyer 2000-2002, Vick King 2004, Jereme Perry 2007, Nate Jones 2008-2009, Daniel Thomas from 2011 to present.
The list of members wearing number 33 is thin but still boasts some talent and let’s face it we has some tougher decisions earlier.
34 brings us a few memories but none likely will stir more debate that Ricky Williams who wore the uniform from 2002-2003, 2005, 2007-2010. While Williams poured it on, on the field, his off-field issues took him through two suspensions and a retirement that kept him off the field for a full two seasons and part of another.
Ron Sellers wore it in ’73, Jim Braxton 1978, Don Testerman in 1980, Woody Bennett from 1980 to 1988, Nuu Faaola 1989, Tony Collins 1990, Aaron Craver 1991-93, Tyrone Braxton 1994, Tim Jacobs 1996-97, Ron Moore 1998, Cecil Collins 1999, Thurman Thomas 2000, Travis Minor 2001, and Marcus Thigpen currently wears the uniform.