The 25 best players in Miami Dolphins history
By Luke Allen
12. WR Mark Duper
"Super" Mark Duper was the other half of the "Mark Brothers", alongside the aforementioned Mark Clayton, and was a second-round pick in Miami's 1982 NFL Draft. Duper emerged as a star in 1983 in which he recorded his first 1,000-yard season to go along with 10 touchdowns and his first Pro Bowl nod. Super Duper followed up the next season with over 1,300 yards and 71 receptions, where he was named first-team All-Pro, and made his second Pro Bowl. Duper was again named first-team All-Pro in 1986, when reached over 1,300 receiving yards for the second time in his career to go along with a career-high 11 touchdown receptions. Duper again reached the 1,000-yard receiving mark in 1991, in his penultimate season. After Duper retired in 1993, he finished his career as a Dolphin with 8,869 receiving yards and 85 touchdowns on 511 receptions.
11. G Bob Kuechenberg
Only John Denney, Jason Taylor and Dan Marino have ever played more snaps than the Miami Dolphins than guard Bob Kuechenberg. A fourth-round pick in the 1969 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles, Kuechenberg signed on with the Miami Dolphins as a free agent in 1970. He was an immediate starter that same season and helped lead Miami to their first playoff berth in franchise history. In only his second season, the Dolphins appeared in their first ever Super Bowl. And you know what happened in 1972.
Kuechenberg remained a starter all the way until 1984 -- 14 straight seasons. In 1974, the guard was named to his first Pro Bowl. The next season, Kuechenberg's consistently elite play earned him first-team All-Pro, an honor he would receive twice in his career. From 1970 to 1984, Kuechenberg made six Pro Bowls after starting 176 games for the Dolphins. His sharp personality and oft-critical portrayal of the Dolphins may not earn him points with the fans, but Bob Kuechenberg's consistent and solid mainstay on the offensive line earned him a spot in the Miami Dolphins Honor Roll.
10. LB Nick Buoniconti
After beginning his legendary career with the then-Boston Patriots, linebacker Nick Buoniconti was traded to the Miami Dolphins. Buoniconti was already an All-AFL caliber player in Boston, but the linebacker truly unlocked his potential in Miami. In 1969, his first year in Miami, Buoniconti made the AFL All-Star roster and never looked back. Buoniconti was, by all accounts, the leader oof the defense in the early 1970's when the Miami Dolphins began their dynasty run. Buoniconti made the Pro Bowl in back-to-back seasons, 1972 and 1973, in the midst of the Dolphins' Super Bowl run. He was the best player on the field for the best team in the league. Buoniconti earned All-Pro honors in '72 and '73 as well as two Super Bowl championships and a third appearance. In 1973, Buoniconti recorded a then-franchise record 162 tackles en route to his third Most Valuable Player award given by the Dolphins. In 1991, Buoniconti was inducted into the Miami Dolphins Honor Roll. And in 2021, the linebacker was immortalized in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.