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Manny Fernandez was part of the only NFL team to accomplish a perfect season. Manny Rubio \/ USA Today Sports<\/p>\n
May 26, 2026 Updated 1:14 pm EDT<\/p>\n
Manuel \u201cManny\u201d Fernandez, the defensive lineman who won two Super Bowls with the Miami Dolphins, including during the team\u2019s perfect season in 1972, has died\u00a0at the age of 79, the team announced Tuesday.<\/p>\n
No cause of death was given.<\/p>\n
Fernandez was a key part of a legendary Miami defense that helped bring the team to three consecutive Super Bowls. He was a member of the 1972 team that did not lose a game during the regular season or the playoffs \u2014 the only team in NFL history to accomplish that feat. That year, no team scored more than 24 points in a game against Miami\u2019s \u201cNo-Name Defense,\u201d named for its lack of household names at the time. That group included future Hall of Famer Nick Buoniconti, while stars including Bob Griese and Larry Csonka led the offense.<\/p>\n
\u201cHis consistent and selfless contributions on the field were instrumental to the Dolphins\u2019 success throughout the early 1970s, particularly in the team\u2019s three consecutive Super Bowl appearances, in which he produced some of the most memorable defensive performances in the history of the game,\u201d the Dolphins said in a statement. \u201cOur thoughts are with his family, loved ones and teammates as we remember one of the best players in Dolphins history.\u201d<\/p>\n
Fernandez, listed at 6-foot-2 and 250 pounds during his playing days, had a knack for getting to the quarterback, despite often being double-teamed. He recorded five sacks in the Dolphins\u2019 unbeaten season and 6.5 during the 1973 campaign, which ended with the franchise\u2019s second Super Bowl victory. Miami has not won one since.<\/p>\n