Miami Dolphins At 50: Kickers and Punters
By Dan Heaning
This little guy had a big leg.
Kickers
No. 1 – Olindo Mare
You know you’re a pretty good kicker when Dennis Miller starts singing your name during a telecast.
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Unlike Miller’s antics on Monday Night Football, Olindo Mare stayed around for quite some time. From 1997 to 2006, Mare wasn’t just the best kicker in franchise history. He was, at times, the entire Miami Dolphins offense.
Mare made 245 field goals and 313 extra points for a franchise record of 1,048 points. He got a decent chunk of that when he set the single season franchise record of 144 point in 1999.
Ah yes, 1999 – a season with an offense so inept that Mare had to attempt 46 field goals while making 39. Since Mare did so much work that season, the NFL thought it fair to select him to the Pro Bowl, the only time he was nominated for the all-star event in his career.
But the lack of recognition didn’t stop him. Mare pieced together two consecutive 90-percent field goal seasons in 2000 and 2001. In 2001, his 90.5 field goal percentage led the league.
Career-wise, Mare put together six seasons of 100 points or more. Mare came close to three more seasons as he produced two 99-point seasons and a 95-point campaign as well.
Mare was an absolute field goal kicking machine. When the Dolphins drives stalled, which was normally the case, Mare would bail out the offense with an assured three points. His automatic leg coupled with his 10 years of service makes him the best place kicker in the history of the Miami Dolphins.