Tim Ruddy joined the Dolphins as a second-round pick in 1994, a Notre Dame center who was a second-team All-American as a senior. He spent his rookie season as a backup, appearing in all 16 games but not starting any, before taking over the job full-time as a sophomore.

From 1995 onward, he started at center, handling the first snap in nearly every game he played. Ruddy anchored the line for Dan Marino through the end of the Hall of Famer’s career and later protected the pocket and opened holes for Ricky Williams during Williams’ 1,853-yard season in 2002. He was durable once he became a starter, missing only a handful of games over the rest of his career, and the Dolphins reached the playoffs seven times without posting a losing record during his decade in Miami. In 2000, his consistency earned him a Pro Bowl selection—the first for a Dolphins center since Dwight Stephenson.

Injuries limited him in 2003, his final season. He still started most of the games he appeared in, but the physical toll had caught up with him. Miami released him the following offseason after he failed a physical, ending his 10-year run with the team. In those 10 seasons, he appeared in 156 games and started 140. Ruddy’s steady presence in the middle of the offensive line made him a reliable, understated piece of those Dolphins teams.