Pro Football Hall of Fame middle linebacker Nick Buoniconti, an undersized overachiever who helped lead the Miami Dolphins to the NFL's only perfect season, has died at the age of 78.
"Today, with a heavy heart and profound sorrow, my family and the entire Miami Project to Cure Paralysis and Buoniconti Fund community mourn the loss of a man who was truly larger than life, my father, NFL Hall of Famer Nick Buoniconti," Marc Buoniconti said in a statement. "My dad has been my hero and represents what I have always aspired to be: a leader, a mentor and a champion.
Family spokesman Bruce Bobbins said Nick Buoniconti died Tuesday in Bridgehampton, New York. A cause of death wasn't immediately known.
