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RIP Bill Stanfill

DKphin

DKphin

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Bill Stanfill, the defensive lineman who starred at Georgia and went on to play for the undefeated 1972 Miami Dolphins in the NFL, died Thursday at age 69.

Stanfill was selected 11th overall by the Dolphins in the 1969 NFL draft and played eight seasons, all in Miami. He won two Super Bowl titles, including with the 1972 Dolphins team that finished 17-0, the only NFL team to finish an entire season with a perfect record.
Stanfill was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1998.
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http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/...ve-lineman-georgia-miami-dolphins-dies-age-69
 
Not many of the players from the '72 team left.

RIP Stanfill.
 
One of the best fins to ever play. People forget how rare it was to have two 6'6" ends back then, and how hard it was to get 18 sacks with fewer games and the QB primarily running the ball.

To put his size into perspective, stanfill and den herder were in the 6'6" 260/270 range at 4-3 end. Baumhower was a tad smaller and lighter, and played 3-4 nose a full generation later.

RIP Bill. You're one of the greats.
 
RIP. One of the best we ever had. Ahead of his time for sure.

Ozzy rules!!
 
Rest In Peace Bill Stanfill. You were perfect. You seriously were someone who was overlooked by Canton.

IMHO, we should dedicate this season to Bill Stanfill and wear his number on our helmet/uniforms.

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk
 
BobDole said:
One of the best fins to ever play. People forget how rare it was to have two 6'6" ends back then, and how hard it was to get 18 sacks with fewer games and the QB primarily running the ball.

To put his size into perspective, stanfill and den herder were in the 6'6" 260/270 range at 4-3 end. Baumhower was a tad smaller and lighter, and played 3-4 nose a full generation later.

RIP Bill. You're one of the greats.
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By comparison, Cameron Wake is only 6'2.5 and weighs maybe 250 pounds.

Even more amazing in that era were guys like Bobby Bell and Ted Hendricks, who stood 6'6 or 6'7 and played outside linebacker (in a 3-4, but still). Doug Atkins was another before-his-time freak, a 6'8 DE in the 1950s.

When you consider that Larry Little was one of the best guards to ever play and only stood 6'1, 265, it boggles the mind that these guys all shared the same field. But Little, as great as he was, probably would not have made it in today's NFL (maybe as a linebacker -- he was basically the size of Neville Hewitt). Stanfill on the other hand could have played today.
 
When you think of the best defensive ends in Miami history, Bill Stanfill is probably second or third all-time. Jason Taylor is the obvious #1. Cam Wake, Trace Armstrong, Vern Den Herder are up there as well.
 
This one really saddens me. I have his autographed card somewhere in my other place on the West Coast.

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I loved him and Den Herder. They took turns leading the team in sacks during those great years. One of the all-time best fins.

RIP Bill Stanfill.
 
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