Nick Buoniconti, one of the greats of the Miami Dolphins dynasty, died Tuesday night at the age of 78.
“Today, with a heavy heart and profound sorrow, my family and the entire Miami Project to Cure Paralysis and Buoniconti Fund community mourn the loss of a man who was truly larger than life, my father, NFL Hall of Famer Nick Buoniconti,” Marc Buoniconti, his son, said in a statement. “My dad has been my hero and represents what I have always aspired to be: a leader, a mentor and a champion.”
Nick Buoniconti died in Bridgehampton, N.Y. Cause of death was not released. He had battleddementia and the likelihood of CTE caused by an estimated half-billion hits to the head for many years. He had been admitted to a hospice facility this week.
The 5-foot-11, 220-pound Buoniconti played college football at Notre Dame.
He spent his first seven seasons as a member of the Boston Patriots before becoming a Dolphin for the final seven seasons of his career.
Buoniconti was a 13th-round by the Boston Patriots`. He made the AFL All-Star Game six times and had 24 career interceptions for the Patriots, including three in a single game in 1968.
With Miami, he set a team record with 162 tackles in 1973 and was the heart of the “No-Name Defense.” Buoniconti played on Super Bowl champs in 1972 and ’73. The ’72 team is the only one to go undefeated in NFL history. He was a member of the 2001 Pro Football Hall of Fame class.
Buoniconti pledged his brain to science. He dedicated half his life championing scientific research in his quest to cure for paralysis after son Marc was confined to a wheelchair, the result of a neck injury suffered on the football field.
