Remembering The Football Legend Nick Buoniconti
The undersized linebacker was a giant in so many ways. And the contributions he made to medicine and society may carry on.
Nick Buoniconti died Wednesday at 78. A standout with the then-Boston Patriots and Miami Dolphins, Buoniconti declined physically and mentally in his later years – and 78 is not all that old these days – and said he believed he had chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a brain disorder that results from too many hits to the head.
Elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2001, Buoniconti was best remembered as the soul of Miami’s No-Name Defense that carried the club to the only undefeated season in NFL history (1972) and consecutive Super Bowl victories. He is the only member of that defense in the Hall of Fame. He earned his law degree while playing for the Patriots and later was president of the United States Tobacco Company.
If football damaged his body and mind, never forget what it did to his family as well and the response. His son Marc was paralyzed from the neck down during a college football game and Nick helped form and fund The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis.
“His groundbreaking work with The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis has made a huge difference in the lives of so many people. I am thankful to have had Nick in my life. I will miss him,” Dolphins Hall of Fame coach Don Shula said in a statement.
It remains a cruel irony that, Buoniconti, one of the first stars of HBO’s Inside the NFL, would, at the end of his life, struggle for words and to maintain the thread of his thoughts.
It should be no surprise that Buoniconti had said he intended to donate his brain to CTE research. He got things done in life. He will get things done in death. And he will be missed.
Post By: Larry Weisman, a longtime sportswriter for USA TODAY, blogs for Twistity.com. Follow him on Twitter @MrLarryWeisman
-
The Bears got Claypool in exchange for a 2023 second-round pick. This week, the Pittsburgh Steelers cut a deal...
-
Belichick has cycled through several players in search of the right one. Recently, the New England Patriots have been...
-
The field needs new posts after overzealous fans dumped the old ones in the river. Over the weekend, the...
-
Hutchinson grew up idolizing the Patriots and Tom Brady. This Sunday, the Detroit Lions are scheduled to take on...
-
Judge has broken Babe Ruth’s record and tied with Roger Maris. Last week, New York Yankees center fielder and...
-
Judge is one homer away from beating the Bambino’s record. Babe Ruth, AKA The Great Bambino, AKA The Sultan...
-
Trout is one homer off from an MLB record. Last night, the Los Angeles Angels played the Cleveland Guardians....
-
Jones spoke about the new offense at their training camp. The New England Patriots are currently in the midst...
-
A fight broke out on the last day of joint practice. Thursday was the last day of joint practice...
-
Donaldson clinched the game for his team in extra innings. Wednesday night saw a major nail-biter game between the...
-
The Yankees have landed two impressive players from the Oakland Athletics. The New York Yankees, superstars of the American...
-
NFL+ offers game coverage for $4.99 a month. Following suit with other companies and brands establishing their own streaming...