‘72 Dolphins anniversary special: 5 questions with Kindig, who was talked out of retiring
To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Dolphins’ Perfect Season, The Miami Herald is running weekly conversations with members of 1972 team.
Five questions with former Dolphins offensive lineman Howard Kindig, who was Miami’s long-snapper and a backup offensive lineman that season:
▪ You have a unique story in that the Dolphins traded for you just before the 1972 season — after you had retired — and had to talk you into playing again. How did that come down?
“To this day, I still don’t understand why Don Shula traded for me after the first exhibition game. He saw something nobody else did. Don Shula called twice and told me he had traded for me. I told him that my wife and I had made a decision to retire. I had played eight years and the last five in Buffalo. He asked me if I’m healthy. I said, ‘Coach, I retired.’
“He said, ‘I wish you would reconsider.’ I said I would talk to my wife about it. My wife told me, ‘What the hell is wrong with you? You crazy? Get your [butt] on an airplane and get to Miami.’”
Then offensive line coach Monte Clark called.
“I told Monte I wasn’t in shape. Monte said, ‘I will give you until the third regular-season game to get in shape. I ended up playing another four years, winning two Super Bowls. I’m the luckiest guy in this whole thing.”
▪ How did playing for that team change you?
“It changed my life. Everyone who played for Don Shula knows what Shula Time is. Shula Time is you are never late. It changed my life a whole hell of a lot. Anybody who ever played for him is a much better person for having played for him. It created a hell of a lot of opportunities for me.”
PERFECT MEMORIES
Join us each Wednesday as we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the perfect 1972 team
Kindig — who began his career as a defensive end before becoming an offensive tackle and guard with the Bills — was able to make the Dolphins 1972 team after Jim Langer beat out Miami’s 1971 starting center Bob DeMarco for the 1972 starting center position, and DeMarco did not want to serve as the backup, opening a spot for Kindig.
Kindig went on to operate a real estate and appraisal company in Baton Rouge, La., and Houston.
▪ Your only 14 games for the Dolphins (all off the bench) were in 1972; you spent 1973 on injured reserve after a preseason injury. Were the ‘72 Dolphins made to feel like celebrities?
“We used to go to the Rhodes Brothers night club; everybody knew us. What was amazing was in 1987, a long time after 1972, I was down in Miami to see some lenders and I got in a cab and the cab driver said, ‘Are you Howard Kindig?’
“I said ‘that’s amazing! I could understand you recognizing Csonka!’ He was a big Dolphins fan, knew everyone on that team.”
▪ How often do you wear your Super Bowl ring?
“I wear it everywhere, never take it off except to shower. I’m as proud of it as anything I’ve done. I was in a grocery store in Houston and the lady behind the counter asked me, ‘That’s a beautiful ring. What kind of ring is that?’
“I said, ‘it’s a Super Bowl ring.’ She didn’t know much about football, had never heard of the Super Bowl. Guys behind me in line were going nuts, wanting to get a look at the ring.”
▪ You and your wife visited Larry Csonka and his wife in Alaska in the summer of 2021. What’s it like spending time with Csonka up there?
“I understand why Csonk is up there. It’s peaceful. We caught so many damn fish, I had to buy a new freezer. We came back with 250 pounds of fish in four days and ate a bunch of it. They [previously lived] in Wasilla, outside Anchorage, but you have to take another plane to get to where we fish.
“The thing about Csonka is he’s a damn good guy. He was the heart and soul of our team.”
