Between the “No Name” Dolphins defense of the 1970s and the “Killer B’s” defense of the 1980s, long-time Miami Dolphins assistant Bill Arnsparger has left one heck of a mark on this history of the franchise. Under the direction of NFL great Don Shula, Arnsparger helped create tactical defensive approaches still used to this day — including being credited with manufacturing one of the early iterations of the 3-4 defense.
Over two separate tenures from 1970-1973 and 1976-1983, Arnsparger oversaw the defense on four of Miami’s five total Super Bowl appearances (1971-1973 & 1982).
To say that you can’t talk about the complete history of the Miami Dolphins without dedicating a chapter to Coach Arnsparger would be an understatement. That fact makes the latest news all that much more delightful for Miami Dolphins fans to hear — Arnsparger has been named as one of eight nominees for the Paul “Dr. Z” Zimmerman award for lifetime achievement by the Pro Football Writers Association.
The association identifies the award as one specifically geared towards an assistant coach in the NFL. Past winners include notable names such as Wade Phillips, Dante Scarnecchia, Howard Mudd, Dick LeBeau, Jim Johnson, Bud Carson and others.
In addition to Arnsparger, this year’s nominees include:
- Romeo Crennel
- Dick Hoak
- Rod Marinelli
- Bobb McKittrick
- Floyd Peters
- Buddy Ryan
- Bobby Turner
Arnsparger does have the championship pedigree to deserve serious consideration for the award. The final results for this year’s winners is scheduled to be announced beginning later this month on June 22nd.
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