The Miami Dolphins’ proud legacy of successes through the 1970s and 1980s has officially added another feather to their cap. Former Dolphins defensive coordinator Bill Arnsparger has been named the co-winner of the Pro Football Writers of America’s ‘Paul “Dr. Z” Zimmerman award for lifetime achievement by the Pro Football Writers Association.
The PFWA identifies the award as one specifically geared towards assistant coaches at the NFL level and with Arnsparger and Romeo Crennel splitting the award this year, they join past winners such as Wade Phillips, Dante Scarnecchia, Howard Mudd, Dick LeBeau, Jim Johnson, Bud Carson and others.
To be named co-winners, Arnsparger and Crennel had to beat out a field of six other nominees:
- Dick Hoak
- Rod Marinelli
- Bobb McKittrick
- Floyd Peters
- Buddy Ryan
- Bobby Turner
Between the “No Name” Dolphins defense of the 1970s and the “Killer B’s” defense of the 1980s, Arnsparger quietly carved out an impressive resume in South Florida while working alongside Don Shula with the Dolphins. His tenure as a head coach was not quite as graceful — Arnsparger logged a 7-28 record over the course of three seasons as the New York Giants’ head coach from 1974 to 1976. But that shortcoming led him back to Miami for nearly another decade of calling the shots with the Dolphins’ defense and helped him further cement his legacy as an all-time great assistant head coach.
That title is further cemented with his winning of the Dr. Z Award this summer.
Arnsparger last coached in the NFL in 1994 as the defensive coordinator for the San Diego Chargers, a stop that was preceded by a three year stint with the LSU Tigers at the college level. In those three seasons, Arnsparger averaged 9 wins per season and twice won SEC Coach of the Year honors.
He passed away in 2015 at the age of 88, but his legacy is remembered today as he joins an exclusive list of NFL assistants to be recognized for their lifetime contributions to the game.
