Manny Fernandez joined the Miami Dolphins as a undrafted player in 1968. Eight years later, he left the team a legend.
Fernandez — who was inducted into the team’s ring of honor in 2014 — died, the team announced Tuesday. He was 79.
We are deeply saddened by the passing of Manny Fernandez. pic.twitter.com/nh0xcQ0YIX
— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) May 26, 2026
Fernandez was defined by his excellence at nose tackle, where he managed to receive down-ballot MVP votes during the 1970 NFL season. That season proved to be a coming-out party for the Dolphins, as it marked the first of five straight playoff appearances by the franchise.
Things only got better for the team after that 1970 season. After losing their first playoff game that year, the team reached the Super Bowl the following season, where it lost to the Dallas Cowboys.
In 1972, Fernandez and the Dolphins made history, going undefeated in both the regular season and the playoffs and winning the Super Bowl. Fernandez received high praise for his performance in that contest, a 14-7 win over Washington, with some suggesting he should have been named MVP after he was credited with 17 tackles.
The Dolphins were nearly as good the following season. Though the team didn’t go undefeated, it did win yet another Super Bowl title. Fernandez was credited with sacks in both of the team’s Super Bowl victories.
Over his eight-year NFL career, Fernandez was credited with 35 sacks, though those are unofficial numbers, as the NFL did not recognize sacks until 1982.
After his career, Fernandez’s legacy within the game continued to grow. He was voted onto the Dolphins’ All-Time team in 2007 and has appeared on numerous All-Super Bowl teams.
In 2015, Yahoo Sports’ own Frank Schwab listed Fernandez as the 10th greatest Super Bowl player.
While the entire 1972 Dolphins were inducted to the team’s ring of honor — called the honor roll — Fernandez is one of the few players from that team to be individually recognized on the team’s ring of honor.
In their statement Tuesday, the Dolphins referred to Fernandez as “one of the best players in Dolphins history.”