Nick Buoniconti, a Pro Football Hall of Famer, has died at 78 years old. His son, Marc, shared the news Wednesday morning. The cause of death is still unknown. Buoniconti said in 2017 that he planned to donate his brain for CTE research as he was starting to suffer from memory loss.
Buoniconti played 14 seasons of pro football with the Boston Patriots and the Miami Dolphins, including two Super Bowl championships in 1972 and 1973. As a linebacker, he anchored the Dolphins’ “No Name” defense in what became the only undefeated NFL season to this day. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2001.
In a statement on Wednesday Hall of Fame president David Baker said: “Nick Buoniconti was a true hero of the game. … He lived a life of honor and nobility and his legacy will live forever through his bronzed bust in Canton, Ohio.”
