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13. Dick Anderson

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13. Dick Anderson

Dick Anderson played his entire pro career with the Miami Dolphins, and it did not take long for the Strong Safety to prove his worth after being taken in the third round in 1968.

Anderson would lead the NFL in Interception Return Yards in both 1968 and 1970, with him posting eight Interceptions in both seasons.  In 1972, Anderson began a three-year run of Pro Bowls, with the first two being First Team All-Pro seasons.  Not so coincidentally, Anderson’s Miami Dolphins won the Super Bowl in both years, with the latter one seeing him win the Defensive Player of the Year with a league-leading eight picks.  Anderson would also be used occasionally on punt returns and would have 1,338 All-Purpose Yards.

The run of Anderson as an elite Safety ended in 1975 when he missed the entire season due to a knee injury.  He came back for two seasons but was never the same.  He retired with 34 Interceptions with 792 Interception Return Yards.  Anderson entered the Dolphins Ring of Honor in 2006.

The Bullet Points

  • Position: Strong Safety
  • Acquired: Selected in the 3rd Round, 73rd Overall in the NFL Draft 1/30/68.
  • Departed: Retired after the 1977 Season.
  • Games Played: 121
  • Notable Statistics:

    101 Games Started
    34 Interceptions
    792 Interception Return Yards
    3 Interception Return Touchdowns
    16 Fumble Recoveries
    100 Fumble Recovery Yards
    1 Fumble Recovery Touchdown
    2.0 Quarterback Sacks*
    1 Reception
    8 Receiving Yards
    46 Punt Returns
    324 Punt Return Yards
    7 Kick Returns
    114 Kick Return Yards
    9 Punts 
    335 Punting Yards
    83 Approximate Value

    11 Playoff Games
    5 Interceptions
    107 Interception Return Yards
    1 Interception Return Touchdown
    1 Fumble Recovery
    2 Fumble Recovery Yards
    3 Punt Returns
    -2 Punt Return Yards
    1 Kick Return
    14 Kick Return Yards

    *Sacks were unofficially calculated by Pro Football Reference from 1960 to 1981.

  • Major Accolades and Awards:

    Super Bowl Champion (VII & VIII)
    AP Defensive Player of the Year (1973)
    First Team All-Pro (1972 & 1973)
    Second Team All-Pro (1974)
    Pro Bowl (1972, 1973 & 1974)
    AP AFL Defensive Rookie of the Year
    Highest Approximate Value (1973)
    Most Interceptions (1973)
    Most Interception Return Yards (1968 & 1970)

Last modified on Tuesday, 06 September 2022 16:28

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