We are now 81 days away from the start of the 2019 regular season — nearing the end of the countdown of wide receivers and poised to jump into two weeks of offensive linemen and linebackers on our countdown to football series. Today, we remember O.J. McDuffie, the Dolphins’ 1st-round draft selection in the 1993 NFL Draft. Even though McDuffie didn’t find a ton of receiving production in his first two seasons in the NFL, it didn’t take McDuffie very long at all to leave a lasting impression and win over Dolphins fans.
McDuffie instantly became the team’s return man — and he was terrific. As a rookie in 1993, McDuffie ran back two punts for touchdowns and averaged nearly 12 yards per return on 28 punts fielded. McDuffie never found the end zone again as a return man but he did find plenty of touchdowns on offense — scoring 29 touchdowns over the next six seasons before a toe injury ultimately whittled down on McDuffie’s availability before forcing him to retire in the year 2000.
It was an unfortunate and unceremonious ending to a career that could have been so much more, but McDuffie can look back on his pro career with pride. And he does! McDuffie currently cohosts a Miami Dolphins podcast entitled “The Fish Tank: Dolphins Tales From The Deep”, where he is constantly sharing stories and insights from his 8 year career in South Florida.
