Hall of Famer Buoniconti dies
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 and became a leader in the effort to cure paralysis, has died at the age of 78.
Buoniconti died Tuesday in Bridgehampton, New York, said Bruce Bobbins, a family spokesman.
In recent years, Buoniconti struggled with symptoms of CTE, a degenerative brain disease associated with repeated blows to the head. He had recently battled pneumonia, Dolphins senior vice president Nat Moore said.
The 5-11, 220-pound Buoniconti was bypassed in the NFL draft but went on to a 15-year career. He was captain of the Dolphins' back-to-back Super Bowl champions, including the 1972 team that finished 17-0.
Following retirement, Buoniconti and his son, Marc, worked to raise more than a half-billion dollars for paralysis research.
The younger Buoniconti was paralyzed from the shoulders down making a tackle for The Citadel in 1985.
Marc Buoniconti said his father was his biggest hero.
“He could have been sitting on the beach sipping champagne for the rest of his life,” the younger Buoniconti said in 2017. “But what did he do? He went around and gave the rest of his life to help his son.”
Following retirement, Buoniconti worked as an attorney, a broadcaster, as president of U.S. Tobacco and as an agent to such athletes as Bucky Dent and Andre Dawson.
For 23 seasons he was co-host of the weekly sports show “Inside the NFL” on the HBO cable network.
“He lived a life of honor and nobility,” said Pro Football Hall of Fame president and CEO David Baker.
Saints reward Thomas: The New Orleans Saints and leading receiver Michael Thomas have agreed to a new fiveyear, $100 million contract, his agent said.
Andrew Kessler of the agency Athletes First, who joined colleague David Mulugheta in negotiating the deal with the Saints, said the contract pays Thomas about $61 million in guaranteed salary and bonuses.
The agreement, first reported by NFL Network, brings to an end Thomas' training camp holdout that spanned five practices.
The Saints had a scheduled day off on Wednesday and Thomas was expected to join practice Thursday.
Currently, Thomas' average annual pay of $20 million represents a new high for NFL receivers, eclipsing the $18 million per year paid to Cleveland's Odell Beckham Jr.
Last season, Thomas ranked first in the NFL in catches with 125.