Miami Dolphins announce the passing of Bob Kuechenberg at 71

Earlier this morning the Miami Dolphins released a message on social media that one of their best offensive lineman, Bob Kuechenberg, has passed away.

Reports about the Miami Dolphins legend Bob Kuechenberg are not pointing to a cause of death but at the age of 71 it is safe to say it is too early.

Bob Kuechenberg was one of my favorite players growing up. He was tougher than anyone I had seen and while I was smaller than most of my other middle and high-school teammates I played guard on offense to be like him.

I played a lot of positions through the years. Linebacker, tight-end, defensive end, running back, hell I was even a kicker for a couple of years but when I first put on pads I lined up at guard just like Kooch.

Most kids didn’t want to play like a lineman. They wanted to be the quarterback or the wide-receiver or the running back who scored all the touchdowns. I wanted to hit people. I wanted to knock them to the ground. I wanted to be the guy that gave Larry Csonka that space.

I was o.k. Bob Kuechenberg was great.

Through the years Kooch as his teammates called him, watched as he continually was passed over for the Hall of Fame. His 14 years in the NFL were all spent with the Miami Dolphins as he built a HOF career and became one of the absolute best guards in the history of the NFL.

He beat up on Vikings HOF defensive lineman Alan Page with a broken arm wrapped in padding as the Dolphins won Super Bowl VIII. He played one whole season with a broken back. Yeah, he was tough as hell.

Kooch was a six-time Pro-Bowler and an All-Pro. His final two seasons in 1982 and ’83 both were both Pro-Bowl seasons. He played in 19 playoff games and four Super Bowls winning two of them including the 1972 perfect season.

Yet for all of what he accomplished on the field, it was off the field that kept him out of the HOF voting for years until he was no longer eligible on the normal voting ballot. See Kooch did not like the media and he made it well-known. The media of course are the ones voting on the election process.

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As Kooch got older and left the game he got more intense about his feelings towards the media and he became that ‘old’ curmudgeon. Later in his life he would run into some legal trouble but in the end he quieted down and lived his life.

Kooch won’t be remembered as a HOF guard although he should be. He is an example of what is wrong with the entire process. A name like Zach Thomas and Richmond Webb who also should be members of what should be a great shrine instead watered down with the latest football players turned on-air personalities that get the real votes these days.

For others, like myself and that little kid that still lives in this 49-year-old body, Kuechenberg will be that tough ass dude that simply played football. Kuechenberg was a football player and damn good one. I don’t know much about his life after the game but I’m sure his family is missing him today.

From that little kid Kooch, thank you. Rest in peace and may your family find comfort in knowing you are in a better place. Maybe now you will get that HOF recognition you so deserve. Someday.