Dolphins remember Garo Yepremian

Former Miami Dolphins kicker Garo Yepremian dies at 70

A day after former Dolphins kicker Garo Yepremian died following a yearlong battle with cancer, the team is remembering him as a character who had character.

Former coach Don Shula said the following in a statement:

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"Garo went from "I kicked a touchdown" to making some of the most pressure kicks in Dolphins history. He didn't know much about football when he started his career but certainly helped win a lot of games for us during his time in Miami.

 

"When you think back about Garo there were a lot of great moments and some that were not so great. No matter what, though, he had a positive attitude all the time. He always wanted to be involved in everything and I enjoyed having him on the team. He was unique in Dolphins history and will be missed."

 

Former Quarterback Bob Griese added:

"Garo was only 5'8" but stood a lot taller than that and played a big role in Dolphins history. Mentally he was sharp and I think his success as a kicker was based on his intelligence and his understanding of the challenges involved with kicking a ball through the uprights.

 

"There were some great additions to the Dolphins when Coach Shula took over in 1970 - Paul Warfield, Jake Scott, Tim Foley and others - and Garo was another key acquisition that year. He made some big kicks during the run to our championships in the 1970s.

 

"He was from Cyprus and didn't understand the game when he joined us but he was a fast learner who became one of the best kickers in the league.

 

"Being as small as he was, I didn't know how he kicked a ball so far and so straight, but he did and made most of his field goals. He was a huge part of the success of those great teams."

 

And Dolphins Senior Vice President Nat Moore said:

"Garo was one of the most popular and productive players in Miami Dolphins history, and we were sorry to learn of his passing. His effusive personality supplemented his strong competitive nature, and no one made more pressure kicks than Garo. His most important one, of course, came when he kicked a 37-yard field goal in double overtime on Christmas Day in a 1971 playoff game against the Kansas City Chiefs to give the Dolphins a hard-fought victory in the longest game in NFL history. 

 

While Garo is also remembered for his ill-fated pass attempt following a blocked kick in Super Bowl VII, even that miscue demonstrated his competitiveness  --  he was just trying to do whatever it took to make a play. And that was a singular exception in Garo's outstanding career in Miami that led him to become the only kicker in Dolphin history to make multiple Pro Bowls, and he remains the second leading scorer in Dolphins history.

 

With his love of life and of the Dolphins, Garo was one of a kind. He will be missed, and on behalf of the entire Miami Dolphins organization I want to extend my condolences to his family."