Miami Dolphins legend Manny Fernandez dies at 79

The Miami Dolphins announced early Tuesday morning that legendary player Manny Fernandez has died at 79.

in a post on X, the Miami Dolphins said they were deeply saddened by the passing of Fernandez, a member of the 1972 Perfect Team, a two-time Super Bowl champion, Ring of Honor member and an anchor of the Dolphins' legendary No-Name Defense.

"His consistent and selfless contributions on the field were instrumental in the Dolphins' success throughout the early 1970s, particularly in the team's three consecutive Super Bowl appearances, in which he produced some of the most memorable defensive performances in the history of the game" the Miami Dolphins said in a statement.

The Miami Dolphins went on to say that their thoughts and prayers were with his family, loved ones and teammates.

Fernandez joined the Dolphins as an undrafted free agent in 1968. He spent his entire eight year NFL career with Miami, playing in 103 games and accumulating 35 quarterback sacks.

A major part of the No-Name Defense" that dominated the NFL in the late 60's and early 70's, Fernandez was a key contributor in all three of the Dolphins Super Bowl teams.

During the Dolphins win in Super Bowl VII that capped off the only perfect season in NFL history, Fernandez made a game-high 17 tackles.