Nick Buoniconti, humanitarian and Hall of Fame linebacker, dies at age 78

MIAMI – Pro Football Hall of Fame middle linebacker Nick Buoniconti, an undersized overachiever who helped lead the Miami Dolphins to the NFL's only perfect season and became a leader in the effort to cure paralysis, has died. He was 78.

Buoniconti, who died Tuesday in Bridgehampton, N.Y., struggled in recent years with symptoms of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative brain disease associated with repeated blows to the head. He had recently dealt with pneumonia, Dolphins Senior Vice President Nat Moore said.

The 5-foot-11, 220-pound Buoniconti was bypassed in the NFL draft but went on to a 15-year pro career. He was captain of the Dolphins' back-to-back Super Bowl champions, including the 1972 team that finished 17-0.

"He was the consummate team captain, the heartbeat of our team," Hall of Fame fullback Larry Csonka said. "I'll miss Nick, his wisdom and class."

"Nick was special to me in every way," said his former coach, Hall of Famer Don Shula. "He was someone I greatly admired."

Following retirement, Buoniconti and his son, Marc, worked to raise more than a half-billion dollars for paralysis research. The younger Buoniconti was paralyzed from the shoulders down making a tackle for the Citadel in 1985.

Following retirement, Buoniconti worked as an attorney, a broadcaster, as president of U.S. Tobacco and as an agent to such athletes as Bucky Dent and Andre Dawson. For 23 seasons he was co-host of the weekly sports show "Inside the NFL" on the HBO cable network.

Buoniconti played for the Dolphins from 1969 to 1974 and in 1976. He was the leader of Miami's famed "No-Name Defense" and in 1973 set a team record with 162 tackles. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2001.

In 1985, he and Marc Buoniconti helped to found the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, which has become the world's largest spinal cord injury research center. Marc Buoniconti said his father was his biggest hero.