Miami Dolphins great Bob Kuechenberg dies
Bob Kuechenberg, a driving force on the Super Bowl-winning
Miami Dolphins teams of the 1970s including the undefeated 1972 squad, has died
at the age of 71.
His death Saturday was confirmed by the Dolphins on Sunday,
who had no further details.
A native of Gary, Indiana, Kuechenberg, who was named a
five-time All-Pro guard, played at Notre Dame before he was selected by the
Philadelphia Eagles in the fourth round of the 1969 NFL draft.
Kuechenberg, who was also known by his nickname, “Kooch,”
never played for the Eagles, who cut him. He then signed with the Atlanta
Falcons, but they soon cut him, too. He ended up playing a year for a semi-pro
team in Chicago before the Dolphins signed him as a free agent in 1970.
He played for the Dolphins until he retired at the age of 37
and was a key figure on what was viewed as one of the best offensive lines in
NFL history.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and
friends of Bob Kuechenberg," the Dolphins wrote on Twitter.
Former Dolphins coach, Hall of Famer Don Shula, labeled
Kuechenberg one of the toughest players he ever coached.
“He was one of the key performers on our championship team,
leading by example every time he stepped on the field,” Shula said. “That was
especially true in Super Bowl VIII, when he dominated Alan Page the entire game
despite playing with a broken arm, a performance that was one of the keys to
victory over the Vikings. You could count on Kooch to play well and to play
hard.”
Miami Dolphins legend Bob Kuechenberg over the years | Photo
gallery
Shula pointed out that Kuechenberg was penalized for holding
only 15 times throughout his accomplished career. He only missed four games in
his 14 seasons playing professional football.
“I’ve coached a lot of Hall of Fame players, including a
number of offensive linemen, and Kooch was as good as any of them,” Shula
added. “I hope one day he gets that ultimate recognition by being enshrined in
Canton. It’s an honor long overdue, and one he certainly deserves.”
Kuechenberg played for the Dolphins from 1970 to 1983. He
started every game for the team that went 17-0 in 1972, and started 16 games
for the team that repeated as Super Bowl champions in 1973.
He’s a member of the Dolphins' Honor Roll, and played in six
Pro Bowls and made the list of finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in
Canton several times, but was never elected.
South Florida Sun Sentinel sports columnist Dave Hyde argued
in a 2009 column that Kuechenberg deserved to be in the Hall.
“Talk to players on the ’72 team (my credentials: I wrote a
book on the ’72 team) and they'll tell you he might have been their best
lineman,” Hyde wrote.
“Larry Little and Jim Langer, of course, are in the Hall. So
that tells you where Kooch stands. But those great ’72 teams weren't the end
Kuechenberg's portfolio. It's just the beginning.”
Kuechenberg was a finalist eight years in a row but in 2010
he failed to even get to the semifinals on the Hall of Fame ballot. Many from
that legendary ’72 Dolphins team are already in the Hall of Fame, including
fellow linemen Langer and Little, and the consensus among the Hall of Fame
voters has been they felt that group has been sufficiently recognized.
Monday is the 46th anniversary of the Dolphins’ 14-7 victory
against the Washington Redskins to complete their 17-0 season.
At the time, Kuechenberg was the last remaining active
player from that storied perfect season team.
In retirement, Kuechenberg got into art collecting, which
surprised the people who knew him as a fierce competitor.
Langer, who said he stayed in touch with Kuechenberg, spoke
with him in the past week and was shocked to learn of his death.
“He was the kind of guy you'd want in your foxhole,” Langer
said. “He played hard and was very intense about the game, which was typical of
our team. He was my roommate for 10 years, and we talked football damn near all
the time.”
Kuechenberg is survived by his older brother, former Bears
linebacker Rudy Kuechenberg.
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