A ’72 Dolphins 50th anniversary special: Where are the 45 players now

THE 1972 MIAMI DOLPHINS ROSTER

NUMBER, NAME, POSITION: CURRENT STATUS, ‘72 HIGHLIGHT

1. Garo Yepremian, kicker: Died in Pennsylvania in 2015, at age 70, after a bout with high grade neuroendocrine cancer. Highlight: Hit 24 of 37 field goals (long of 54) and converted 43 of 45 extra points during the ‘72 season.

7. Billy Lothridge, defensive back: Died in 1996 at 54 in Pensacola, after suffering three heart attacks in four years. Highlight: In ‘72, he filled in for injured punter Larry Seiple for two games, his only two appearances for the Dolphins.

11. Jim Del Gaizo, quarterback: 75, Retired and living in Plantation. Highlight: Began the ‘72 season as Miami’s No. 3 QB but was No. 2 behind Earl Morrall when Bob Griese missed nine games due to injury. He threw two TDs on nine pass attempts.

12. Bob Griese, quarterback: Griese, 77, is retired and living in Jupiter. Highlight: After a Week 5 injury, he came off the bench at halftime and led Miami to the AFC Championship win in Pittsburgh (going 3 for 5 for 70 yards) and then went 8 for 11 for 88 yards and a TD in the Dolphins’ Super Bowl win against Washington. Finished the ‘72 season with 53 completions in 97 attempts for 638 yards, four TDs and four interceptions.

13. Jake Scott, safety: Scott died at the age of 75 in 2020, after falling down a flight of steps while visiting friends in Atlanta. Highlight: He had five interceptions, forced a fumble and had two fumble recoveries while forming a dynamic safety combination with Dick Anderson.

15. Earl Morrall, quarterback: Died in 2014 at age 79; it was determined after death that he had grade 4 (the most serious stage) of chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a degenerative brain disease. Highlight: He went 10-0, including a playoff win, filling in for Bob Griese in ‘72, while throwing for 1,360 yards with 11 TDs and seven interceptions.

20. Larry Seiple, punter/tight end: Seiple, 77, is retired and living in The Villages in Central Florida. Highlight: He was only a punter that ‘72 season — after playing running back, receiver and H-back in some previous seasons — and had a key 37-yard gain on a fake punt in the AFC Championship Game in Pittsburgh.

21. Jim Kiick. running back: Died in 2020, at age 73, in Wilton Manors; was later diagnosed with CTE, a degenerative brain disease. Highlight: In ‘72, he carried the ball 137 times for 521 yards with five TDs and caught 21 passes for 147 yards and a touchdown.

22. Mercury Morris, running back: Morris, 75, lives in Miami and has appeared in several TV ads in retirement. Highlight: He ran 190 times for 1,000 yards and 12 TDs in ‘72.

23. Charlie Leigh, running back: Died of lung cancer in Albany, New York, in 2006 at age 60. Highlight: He ran 21 times for 79 yards in ‘72.

25. Tim Foley, cornerback: Foley is 75 and retired and living in Tavares. Highlight: He had three interceptions for a defense that picked off 26 passes and allowed only 10 passing TDs.

26. Lloyd Mumphord, defensive back: Mumphord, who turns 76 on Dec. 20, is retired and living in Lafayette, La. Highlight: He had four interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown, in 14 games, all off the bench, in ‘72.

28. Ed Jenkins, running back: Jenkins, who turned 72 on Aug. 31, practices law and teaches a law class in Boston. Highlight: He appeared in the first three games of the ‘72 season on special teams, sustained an injury and then was on taxi squad the rest of the season.

32. Hubert Ginn, running back: Ginn, 75, is retired and living in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Highlight: He had 27 carries for 142 yards, appearing in all 15 games in ‘72.

39. Larry Csonka, running back: Csonka is 75 and recently moved to North Carolina. Before that, he spent years splitting time between Alaska and Ohio after a successful post-playing career running a TV production company and hosting an outdoor adventure show. Highlight: He ran 213 times for 1,117 yards and six TDs in ‘72.

40. Dick Anderson, safety: Anderson is 76, living in Miami and running an insurance business. Highlight: He started every game in ‘72 and had three interceptions and five fumble recoveries. He also had two interceptions in a playoff game against Cleveland.

42. Paul Warfield, wide receiver: 79, Spent the past 18 years in Beaumont, Calif., enjoying retirement with his wife. Highlight: Had 29 catches for 606 yards and 3 TDs in ‘72.

43. Mike Howell, defensive back: Died in 2016 at 73. Highlight: He appeared in only one game for the ‘72 Dolphins, also played in Cleveland that year.

45. Curtis Johnson, defensive back: Johnson, 74, is retired and living in Detroit. Highlight: He had three interceptions as the starting cornerback opposite Tim Foley in ‘72.

49. Charlie Babb, safety: Babb is 72, retired and living in Naples. Highlight: He appeared in 14 games off the bench in the ‘72 season and had an interception.

5,; Larry Ball, linebacker: Ball turns 73 on Sept. 27. The former North Miami coach is retired and living in Cooper City. Highlight: He appeared in 10 games off the bench that season and recovered a fumble.

53, Bob Matheson, linebacker: Died at age 49 in 1994 at Duke University Hospital from complications of Hodgkin’s disease, which he battled for 13 years. Highlight: He had 2.5 sacks in 14 games and one start in ‘72, and Bill Arnsparger used him in different roles to fool defenses, leaving teams wondering if he was going to rush the QB or drop into coverage.

54. Howard Kindig, offensive lineman: Kindig, 81, is retired and living in Houston after running a real estate business. Highlight: Acquired from Buffalo in the ‘72 preseason, he was lured out of retirement by Don Shula and offensive line coach Monte Clark and appeared in 14 games off the bench, primarily as a long snapper.

56. Jesse Powell, linebacker: Died in a Texas hospital in 2012 at age 65; his brother cited cardiac arrest as the cause of death. Highlight: He appeared in 14 games as a backup in ‘72.

57. Mike Kolen, linebacker: Kolen, 74, is retired and living in Vestavia Hills, Alabama. Highlight: He started 13 games and had an interception in ‘72.

59. Doug Swift, linebacker: Swift, who turns 74 on Oct. 25, previously worked as an anesthesiologist and is living in Philadelphia. Highlight: He had a sack, a fumble recovery and three interceptions in 14 starts for the ‘72 team.

60. Al Jenkins, guard: Jenkins, 76, is retired and living in New Orleans. Highlight: Appeared in 14 games, and started none, as a backup interior lineman.

62. Jim Langer, center: Died in 2019, at age 71, in Minnesota, after a sudden heart-related issue. Highlight: He started all 14 games at center in his first year as a starter and went on to start every game for seven consecutive years in a Hall of Fame career.

65. Maulty Moore, defensive tackle: Moore, who turned 76 on Aug. 12, is retired and living in Port St. Lucie. Highlight: He had a sack in 14 games in ‘72, all off the bench.

66. Larry Little, guard: Little, who turns 77 on Nov. 22, is retired and living in Miami. Highlight: He started all 14 games in ‘72, in his fourth year as a Dolphins starter in a Hall of Fame career.

67. Bob Kuechenberg, guard: Died in 2019, at age 71, in Fort Lauderdale. Highlight: He started all 14 games at left guard and was a big contributor in the running game.

72. Bob Heinz, defensive tackle: Heinz is 75 and living in Fresno, California. Highlight: He had a fumble recovery in ‘72 and was a key part of the Dolphins’ run defense.

73. Norm Evans, offensive tackle: Evans, who is living in Seattle, turns 80 on Sept. 28. Highlight: He gave the Dolphins good work at right tackle, starting all 14 regular-season games in ‘72.

75. Manny Fernandez, defensive tackle: Now 76, Fernandez is enjoying retirement in Ellaville, Georgia. Highlight: He had two fumble recoveries and was a key component of a run defense that ranked in the top 10 in the league, allowing 4.0 yards per carry.

77. Doug Crusan, left tackle: Crusan is 76 and lives in Indianapolis, having retired from a sales management job. Highlight: He started nine games after returning from preseason injury in 1972 after starting all 14 games the previous three seasons.

78. Jim Dunaway, defensive tackle: Died in 2018 at 76; he was charged but ultimately not indicted after authorities found his ex-wife, Nonniel Dunaway, dead in a half-empty swimming pool. His children filed a wrongful death lawsuit against him and he was ordered to pay them $579,000. Highlight: He started all six games he played in ‘72 and had a sack.

79. Wayne Moore, offensive tackle: On Aug. 19, 1989, two days after his 44th birthday, he suffered a heart attack at his home in Miami and died at Coral Reef Hospital that afternoon. Highlight: He appeared in nine games and started five.

80. Marv Fleming, tight end: Fleming — who’s retired and living in Marina del Ray, California — turns 81 on Jan. 2. Highlight: He had 13 catches for 156 yards and a touchdown in ‘72.

81. Howard Twilley, wide receiver: Twilley, who will turn 79 on Christmas Day, is retired and living in Dallas. Highlight: He had 20 catches for 364 yards and three TDs in ‘72.

82. Otto Stowe, wide receiver: Stowe is 73 and living in Santa Barbara, California. Highlight: He caught 13 passes for 276 yards and two TDs in 9 games and three starts in ‘72.

83. Vern Den Herder, defensive end: Den Herder turns 74 on Nov. 28 and is retired and living in Sioux City, Iowa. Highlight: He had 10.5 sacks in 14 starts.

84. Bill Stanfill, defensive end: Died in Albany, Georgia., at 69 in 2016, after taking a fall; he was found to have CTE, the degenerative brain disease associated with repeated head trauma. Highlight: He had 10 sacks in 14 games, a year before he set a Dolphins record (subsequently matched by Jason Taylor) with 18.5 sacks.

85. Nick Buoniconti, linebacker: Died in New York in 2019, after a bout with pneumonia at age 78 and was later diagnosed with CTE, a degenerative brain disease. Highlight: He had two interceptions and a sack in ‘72 and was at the epicenter of the league’s best defense.

86. Marlin Briscoe, wide receiver: Briscoe, 76, died on June 27 in Norwalk, Calif., after a battle with pneumonia. Highlight: He had 16 catches for 279 yards and four TD catches in 10 games and three starts for the ‘72 Dolphins but was best known for being the AFL’s first Black starting quarterback for Denver as a rookie in 1968.

88. Jim Mandich, tight end: Died in 2011, in Miami Lakes, at age 62 after a battle with cancer. Highlight: He caught 11 passes for 168 yards and 3 TDs in ‘72 and later became a popular sports-talk radio host and Dolphins color analyst.