Tom Landry once quipped that the Miami Defense of the early 1970s was a “bunch of no-names.” In fact, it seemed the only defensive player on the team with any kind of recognition at all was Middle Linebacker Nick Buoniconti. The rest were treated like uncredited extras in a B-movie. That didn’t stop them. In fact, it seemed to fuel the fire in their bellies. They were the first team to make it to 3 Super Bowls in a row (winning 2 of them.) The 1972 Dolphins remain the only completely undefeated NFL team in the Super Bowl era.
In spite of his lack of name recognition, Manny Fernandez absolutely dominated opposing lines – on a defense chock-full of dominating players. Manny was undrafted out of Utah in 1968 before signing with the Dolphins. One of the unofficial reasons for signing him was his Latin heritage. The large Hispanic population was an under-represented demographic within the Miami fan base; and the ownership wanted to change that. In an interview with NFL Films, he laughed, saying, “I am a Spaniard, but I don’t speak a word of it.”
The team also joked about his poor eyesight. Without his glasses, he was “blind as a bat.” But that was OK. He only needed to follow the moving blur that was holding the football. Some sources cite him as the first in the NFL to play the Nose Tackle position (directly opposite the Center.) This meant that he was typically blocked by 2 offensive linemen. In Super Bowl VII, the Washington Redskins attempted to contain him against a single player. Manny said, “It was like a vacation.” He racked up an incredible 17 tackles and 3 sacks that game. And he played all 8 seasons of his career with the Dolphins. 
Both Pro Football Weekly and USA Today have listed him in ‘all time Super Bowl’ lists. In a January 2015 article in Shutdown Corner, Frank Schwab of Yahoo Sports named Fernandez among the all-time greatest NFL Super Bowl players. Manny was ranked 10th.
This morning, the news reported that we Dolphins fans have lost another great. Manuel Jose Fernandez died at the age of 79. His name and jersey #75 are immortalized at Hard Rock Stadium’s Ring of Honor in Miami, Florida. Although never enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, his photo and signature are proudly honored in my personal (and literal) hallway.
Rest in Peace, #75. We all remember you.
-Toph
