Bob Heinz, a member of the undefeated 1972 Miami Dolphins’ “No-Name Defense” and winner of two Super Bowl rings, has died at the age of 79.
Heinz was born and raised in Milwaukee but went out West to play his college football at the University of the Pacific. After an excellent college career, he was a second-round pick of the Dolphins in 1969.
The Dolphins defense that Heinz joined was known as the No-Name Defense, a term given to them by Cowboys coach Tom Landry, who called them “a bunch of no-names.” Some players might have taken offense, but the members of the Dolphins’ defense embraced it as a term that showed they were greater as a unit than any of them would have been individually.
Heinz was a starting defensive tackle on both the 1972 Dolphins team that remains the only undefeated, untied team in NFL history, and the 1973 Dolphins, who repeated as Super Bowl champions. He missed the entire 1975 season with an injury, but returned in 1976 and 1977. He finished his NFL career with one season in Washington in 1978.