Former Dolphins RB great Jim Kiick passes away at 73

[LambeauLegs]

I remember him for sure and a fan of NFL history RIP Mr Kiick



Former Dolphins RB great Jim Kiick passes away at 73


Former Dolphins RB great Jim Kiick passes away at 73



Former NFL running back Jim Kiick, an AFL All-Star who later won two Super Bowls with the Miami Dolphins, has passed away, the team announced Saturday. The Associated Press reported Kick was battling Alzheimer's disease. He was 73.

Kiick was an integral member of the Dolphins' dynasty in the early 1970s, serving as a short-yardage specialist in their formidable rushing attack. He scored the decisive touchdown in Miami's 14-7 win in Super Bowl VII over the Redskins to punctuate a 17-0 season. He also scored in the Dolphins' Super Bowl win against the Vikings the following year.

After being drafted by Miami in 1968 out of Wyoming, Kiick played 10 years of pro football. The first seven came with the Dolphins, including two in the AFL. He earned all-star honors his first two seasons, leading the AFL with nine rushing touchdowns in 1969. He topped 1,000 yards from scrimmage in each of his first four seasons while posing as one of the league's top receiving threats out of the backfield.

In 1975, the versatile back, along with teammates Larry Csonka and Paul Warfield, left the Dolphins to play for the Memphis Southmen of the World Football League. Kiick returned to the NFL a year later and played for the Redskins and Broncos before retiring after the 1977 season.

The New Jersey native is the first player from the Dolphins' perfect 1972 team to pass away since Don Shula died last month.

 

[broncosmitty]

RIP


Amazing that he is the first player from the undefeated team to pass away. Most HS graduating classes from 72 aren't still complete.

Also crazy those guys left the NFL mid career. WFL must've paid crazy money.

 

[PhilSimms11]

RIP

Amazing that he is the first player from the undefeated team to pass away. Most HS graduating classes from 72 aren't still complete.

Also crazy those guys left the NFL mid career. WFL must've paid crazy money.

In March 1974, Kiick was selected by the Memphis Southmen in the third round (27th overall) of the WFL Pro Draft. In 1975, Kiick and teammates Larry Csonka and Paul Warfield played for the Southmen of the World Football League. Kiick had wanted out of Miami ever since he lost his starting role. The trio's press conference in March 1974 announcing what was then the richest three-player deal in sports was national news and shocked the sports world. They signed three-year guaranteed contracts beginning in 1975 with a total value, including perks, of $3.5 million. Csonka's salary was $1.4 million, Warfield's $900,000, Kiick's $700,000. Each player would also receive a luxury car every year and a three-bedroom luxury apartment.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

I remember him for sure and a fan of NFL history RIP Mr Kiick



Former Dolphins RB great Jim Kiick passes away at 73


Former Dolphins RB great Jim Kiick passes away at 73



Former NFL running back Jim Kiick, an AFL All-Star who later won two Super Bowls with the Miami Dolphins, has passed away, the team announced Saturday. The Associated Press reported Kick was battling Alzheimer's disease. He was 73.

Kiick was an integral member of the Dolphins' dynasty in the early 1970s, serving as a short-yardage specialist in their formidable rushing attack. He scored the decisive touchdown in Miami's 14-7 win in Super Bowl VII over the Redskins to punctuate a 17-0 season. He also scored in the Dolphins' Super Bowl win against the Vikings the following year.

After being drafted by Miami in 1968 out of Wyoming, Kiick played 10 years of pro football. The first seven came with the Dolphins, including two in the AFL. He earned all-star honors his first two seasons, leading the AFL with nine rushing touchdowns in 1969. He topped 1,000 yards from scrimmage in each of his first four seasons while posing as one of the league's top receiving threats out of the backfield.

In 1975, the versatile back, along with teammates Larry Csonka and Paul Warfield, left the Dolphins to play for the Memphis Southmen of the World Football League. Kiick returned to the NFL a year later and played for the Redskins and Broncos before retiring after the 1977 season.

The New Jersey native is the first player from the Dolphins' perfect 1972 team to pass away since Don Shula died last month.

RIP

As a resident in Memphis at the time...I remember the old WFL with the big name ex Dolphins.

73...too young.

 

[douggie]

I will forever remember the Miami Dolphins backfield of Csonka, Kick, and Mercury Morris

 

[PatsFan2003]

Part of a great backfield. 73 seems a little young to die from Alzeimers though.

 

[Wamu]

RIP


Amazing that he is the first player from the undefeated team to pass away. Most HS graduating classes from 72 aren't still complete.

Also crazy those guys left the NFL mid career. WFL must've paid crazy money.

He wasn't the first. HOF lb Nick Buoniconti passed away last year.

 

[Pure Steel]

He wasn't the first. HOF lb Nick Buoniconti passed away last year.

Earl Morrall died in 2014 also.....

 

[Wamu]

Earl Morrall died in 2014 also.....

That '72 squad was a helluva team. Not old enough to remember them. But being a fan of the history of the game know a lot about them. Still think Jake Scott belongs in the Hall. He only played nine years. But was s 5x pro bowler & S.B. VII mvp.

 

[GNG]

RIP


Amazing that he is the first player from the undefeated team to pass away. Most HS graduating classes from 72 aren't still complete.

Also crazy those guys left the NFL mid career. WFL must've paid crazy money.

At one time many players needed off-season jobs because the NFL didn't pay that much. How times have changed.

 

[Debbie Does]

Alzheimer's can develop from CTE or look very much like it. When I see a football player with Alzheimer's, I always suspect that CTE played a part.

And it bothers me to see a great player the same age as me passing away like this.

 

[BigFin]

Kiick lived in the same living facility my grandmother is currently in. My mom would see Jim around there once in a while, and during a Christmas party, Mercury Morris came to visit and my mom got her picture taken with Jim and him.

 

[Sharkonabicycle]

"Thoughts and prayers."

Fuckin' kidding me? He was 73, not 33. And thoughts and prayers. Is it just me that is seriously annoyed by that term?

Guarantee here's how it went down:

Some random jackass: "Uh, Mr. Ross (that's the Dolphins owner for those of you fuckers that don't know), Jim Kiick passed away...."
Ross: "Kick? No, we went for it on 4th."
Some random jackass: "No JIM KIICK, he passed away."
Ross: "Oh... was he a kicker?"
Some random jackass: "No... that's just his last name, he was a runningback."
Ross: "Ah God dammit.. alright another black man died, can you sen-"
Some random jackass: "Uh sir, he was white."
Ross: "A white runningback? Like that guy in Carolina?"
Some random jackass: "That's right, sir."
Ross: "Oh.. alright. Well get Debbie from accounting to post one of those 'thoughts and prayers' Twitter posts, and then tell her I'll meet her at the hotel at 3PM. OH, and tell her to wear that straple-... hmm actually just tell her to put on nothing underneath a trench coat. Oh, and dinner with my wife at 7:30PM tonight. Book something nice. Thanks."

 

[Rex Racer]

RIP


Amazing that he is the first player from the undefeated team to pass away. Most HS graduating classes from 72 aren't still complete.

Also crazy those guys left the NFL mid career. WFL must've paid crazy money.

The New Jersey native is the first player from the Dolphins' perfect 1972 team to pass away since Don Shula died last month.

 

[broncosmitty]

The New Jersey native is the first player from the Dolphins' perfect 1972 team to pass away since Don Shula died last month.

No idea why I said what I said, five months ago.

Or why I got zero replies then, and three today.

 

[RaZon]

The classic bull fullback, speedy tailback and that third down specialist. That was Csonka, Morris and Kiick.

RIP