Miami Dolphins At 50: Top 10 DLs

Mandatory Credit: MiamiDolphins.com

No. 3 – Vern Den Herder

Vern Den Herder played a lot of game for the Miami Dolphins. So much so that he arrived just in time for all the Super Bowl fun of the 1970s and stuck around long enough to make it back in 1982.

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In that time, he put together 64.5 unofficial sacks and about 786 tackles while starting in 144 out of 166 appearances.

Den Herder put together a couple spectacular campaigns. Like so many other Dolphins defensive players, he had an outstanding 1973 making about 90 tackles and about 12 sacks.

However, unlike most Dolphins players, his 1976 was actually pretty good. While the defense was allowing 5.7 yards per rush as many of the staples of the “No Name Defense” had moved on due to various reasons, Den Herder started every game, made about 90 tackles, four sacks, recovered two fumbles and blocked a field goal.

Den Herder was also an iron man only missing three games (all in 1977) from his rookie campaign in 1971 to 1981. That’s right, in one decade he missed three games.

However that trend would not continue. Den Herder would miss significant time in 1982 and be relegated to a backup role as he would only appear in seven contests and start in one.

Den Herder appeared in 17 playoff games throughout his career and started in 10. He recorded three official sacks during that time.

His longevity is unmatched within the organization. The only player to successfully bridge the gap between the “No Names” and the “Killer B’s”, Den Herder’s career is a testament to endurance, consistency, and the willpower to play through the pain.