USATSI.
Mike Kolen, an essential participant of the Miami Dolphins’ champion groups in the very early 1970s, passed away on Wednesday, according to his university, Auburn. He was 76.
Nicknamed “Captain Grind” for his intense dealing with, Kolen went from a 12th-round choice to a beginning participant on among the best defenses in NFL background. A prompt starter (he showed up in Miami the exact same year as Hall of Popularity instructor Don Shula), Kolen began at linebacker in each of Miami’s 3 successive Super Dish journeys from 1971-73. He had 11 takes on and an interception throughout the Dolphins’ 1971 playoff run.
Kolen had an additional choice throughout the 1972 playoffs while assisting the Dolphins cap off an ideal period. He established a job high in interceptions the list below period as Miami efficiently protected its title. Kolen tipped far from football adhering to the 1977 period after investing his whole professional occupation in Miami.
Before his time in Miami, Kolen delighted in a very effective university occupation at Auburn. A 1985 Alabama Sports Hall of Popularity conscript, Auburn produced an honor in his honor that is offered yearly to the Tigers gamer that leads the group in takes on that period. Kolen consistently went back to university to directly provide the honor to that year’s recipient.
” It’s been an actual adventure for me,” Kolen claimed in 2016. “You’re congratulating a gamer from the previous year that had a fantastic influence on Auburn’s protective side of the round, being the leading tackler. Existing at Auburn, being out on the area, sort of advises you of some old memories. It’s simply a truly following experience, and something I have actually extensively taken pleasure in for many years.”
Kolen, that released a publication regarding the ’72 Dolphins, informed the Miami Herald in 2017 that he had actually been detected with Alzheimer’s, which he thought was the by-product of playing football.
” I do not criticize football,” Kolen claimed, by means of the Hand Coastline Article. “Football’s a fantastic …
