Randy Starks began his NFL career with four seasons with the Tennessee Titans, and, in matter-of-fact terms, they were not extraordinary. The Dolphins signed him as a free agent in 2008, and after a year as a defensive role player who started only four games, he found his niche. Without much fanfare, he earned a larger role once the coaching staff saw what he could do on the interior.

Starks played defensive end and became a full-time starter in 2009. Showing off his versatility, he often started at defensive tackle and nose tackle depending on the scheme, and he made Pro Bowls in 2010 and 2012. Those two seasons marked the peak of his time in Miami, where he was a consistent presence up front who could rush the passer and hold the point of attack. He put together solid sack totals in those years and remained durable, starting nearly every game once he took over as a regular.

Starks remained a starter with Miami until 2014, his last season in Florida. He had re-signed with the team earlier and continued to contribute as a rotational and starting piece on the defensive line. The Dolphins released him in March 2015 after signing Ndamukong Suh, and he signed with Cleveland afterward. He left Miami with 30.5 sacks.

As a Dolphin, he was a reliable interior lineman who found a better role than he had earlier in his career. His ability to move between positions helped the defense stay flexible, and the Pro Bowl selections in 2010 and 2012 showed how valuable he became once he settled in. The release after the Suh signing brought an end to seven seasons in Miami.

National Football League teams passed on Utah’s Manny Fernandez, but he landed a job with the Miami Dolphins, who signed him in 1968, and he would go on to make the team. He started as a defensive end as a rookie before moving to the more natural position of left defensive tackle, where he became a steady presence on the interior of the line for the rest of his career. As an undrafted free agent, he earned his way onto the roster and into the starting lineup without much fanfare.

Fernandez was a crucial part of a rising Dolphins defense, and he played in Miami’s three straight Super Bowl appearances in the early 1970s, winning two. He was especially good in Super Bowl VII, where many thought he should have been considered for the game’s MVP after a strong performance against the Redskins. The No-Name Defense relied on players like him to hold up against the run and create pressure without many big names. He started every game during the perfect 1972 season and remained a regular starter through the championship years, helping the unit stay solid up front even when the offense got most of the attention.

While sacks weren’t kept official during Fernandez’s time, Pro Football Reference credits him with 35 over his career. He never made a Pro Bowl, though he was certainly in the conversation for them in multiple seasons and earned All-AFC recognition along the way. He played his entire career with Miami and retired after the 1975 season as injuries began to limit him. In 2014, Fernandez was inducted into the Dolphins’ Honor Roll. He finished with 103 games played and remains one of the more overlooked contributors to those championship teams. His durability and consistent play up front helped make those defenses hard to run against year after year.

A.J. Duhe's rookie season could be argued as the best of his eight-year career. The 13th overall pick in 1977 became an instant fan favorite in Miami, where he earned Defensive Rookie of the Year honors. Playing linebacker or defensive end depending on the scheme, Duhe was a strong interior run stuffer who helped the Dolphins build one of the AFC’s better defenses in the early 1980s.

He was a key part of teams that reached two Super Bowls. His biggest moment came in the 1982 AFC Championship Game against the Jets, when he intercepted three passes and returned one for a touchdown in a 14-0 win. That performance still stands out as one of the best individual games in Dolphins playoff history. 

In 1983, he started 15 games as the Dolphins went 12-4 and won the AFC East. He finished with 87 tackles and 5.5 sacks that year while the defense allowed the fewest points in the NFL, and he finished eighth in Defensive Player of the Year voting. Like so many players, Duhe began to compile injuries later in his career. He made his only Pro Bowl after the 1984 season, but the physical toll had already caught up with him. The Dolphins released him before the 1985 season because of his injuries, and he retired soon after.

In eight seasons with Miami, he played in 108 games and finished with roughly 38.5 sacks and 3 interceptions. The early production and that one unforgettable playoff game are what most fans remember.

Brock Marion won two Super Bowls with the Dallas Cowboys, but when he signed with the Dolphins as a free agent in 1998, he took on a much bigger role. He started every game he played in Miami as the free safety and never came off the bench. The Dolphins wanted someone who could cover the deep middle and make plays, and Marion delivered right away.

He made his first Pro Bowl in 2000 at age 30, and though he was older, he played some of the best football of his career. In 2001, he led the NFL in interception return yards with 227 and scored two touchdowns on returns. He went back to the Pro Bowl in 2002 and 2003. Those three straight Pro Bowl seasons showed he had become a consistent playmaker in the secondary.

Marion also handled kick returns; in 1999 he led the league with 62 returns and 1,524 yards. He was a reliable deep safety who could also make plays with the ball in his hands, and the return work gave the Dolphins an extra dimension on special teams. His range and instincts helped the defense stay competitive during those years.

The Dolphins released him after the 2003 season in a cost-cutting move. With Miami, he finished with 20 interceptions and 534 tackles. The numbers were strong for a player who arrived in his late 20s, and the three Pro Bowls showed how well he fit in Miami.