The Miami Dolphins announced Tuesday that Manny Fernandez, 79, had passed away. No cause of death has been announced as of writing.
His mustache and beard were unmistakable, and his play on the field was legendary. Fernandez was a lot of things, and memorable is certainly one of them. He was a huge part of the Dolphins' 1972 perfect season.
Fernandez played for the Dolphins starting from the 1968 season, when they were still part of the AFL. He retired in 1975, having played 8 years with Miami. He may not have been with the team as long as some of the other greats from that era, but his impact was just as great.
We are deeply saddened by the passing of Manny Fernandez. pic.twitter.com/nh0xcQ0YIX
— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) May 26, 2026
Manny Fernandez was more than just a member of the Miami Dolphins 1972 perfect team
The stories about Fernandez are endless. During his off days, he wrestled alligators in the Everglades. He once caught one, threw it into his vehicle, and then into Don Shula's shower at their training facility.
On the field, Fernandez was a monster. Undersized, Fernandez made up for it with grit and physicality. He was so good, and yet, so underappreciated. His 17-tackle Super Bowl VII performance didn't garner the votes needed for MVP.
In 2023, we interviewed sports journalist Jeremy Schapp. The Dolphins' celebration of that 72 season was celebrating 50 years, and ESPN had just done an E60 documentary on it. Schapp told us the story of his legendary father's, Dick Schapp, biggest blunder.
The elder Schaap was responsible for passing out the MVP ballots during halftime, but he forgot. He also admitted to not paying close attention to the game, so when the Dolphins won, he looked at the stats quickly and saw the two interceptions by Scott, wrote his name down, and cast the only vote for Super Bowl VII MVP.
He would later admit that Fernandez should have received the honor. It's an incredible story that Fernandez joked about his entire life.
Years after retirement, Fernandez was a staple around the various incarnations of what is now Hard Rock Stadium. It wasn't uncommon to see him talking with other veteran players outside the stadium, under a tent, or walking among the crowd. Always gracious with a smile, always laughing at some inside joke, and yet still, in his own way, intimidating.
I last saw Fernandez during the filming of that E60 50th Anniversary documentary. I was helping the team get players to their interviews. I still remember him and Mean Joe Green laughing at a table surrounded by Mel Blount and a few others. That was only three years ago.
In 1972, the Miami Dolphins were perfect. Each member of that team, from the executives to coaches to trainers to the players, was perfect. They took pride in it. As time passes, however, fewer and fewer of those players will unfortunately be around to celebrate the accomplishment.
The Dolphins are losing a lot of those faces; Fernandez is just the latest. In 2024, the Dolphins inducted Tim Bowens into their Ring of Honor. It had been 10 years since they added a player's name to the stadium, and his name was Manny Fernandez.
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