The countdown to the start of the 2024 regular season has begun now that we're under 100 days away, so we'll honor every day the best players to wear the corresponding number for the Dolphins.
Today, we're at number 85.
The top players at each number so far have been Jason Taylor at 99, Jared Odrick at 98, Phillip Merling at 97, Paul Soliai at 96, Tim Bowens at 95, Randy Starks at 94, Trace Armstrong at 93, John Denney at 92, Cameron Wake at 91, Marco Coleman at 90, Nat Moore at 89, Keith Jackson at 88, Andre Tillman at 87, and Oronde Gadsden at 86.
As a reminder about the ground rules, the top three will be determined only by what the players did while wearing that uniform for the Dolphins.
Players who wore 85 for at least one regular season game for the Dolphins:
DE Johnny Holmes (1966), LB Nick Buoniconti (1969-76), WR Terry Anderson (1977-78), WR Bo Rather (1978), WR Jeff Groth (1979), WR Mark Duper (1982-92), WR Eddie Chavis (1987), TE Ronnie Williams (1993-95), WR Lamar Thomas (1996-98), TE Desmond Clark (2002), TE Donald Lee (2003-04), TE Will Heller (2005), TE Jason Rader (2006), TE Kory Sperry (2009), WR Gerrell Robinson (2014), WR Greg Jennings (2015), TE Dominique Jones (2016), TE A.J. Derby (2017-18), TE Chris Myarick (2020), WR Tommylee Lewis (2021), WR River Cracraft (2022-23)
The debate on the best 85 on the Dolphins
We have arrived at the first number with two players who clearly deserve a No. 1 ranking. First there's linebacker Nick Buoniconti, the leader of the No-Name Defense and eventual Hall of Famer. Then there's Mark Duper, who is first in franchise history in receiving yards, second in receptions and third in touchdown catches. At first glance, it's easy to suggest that Buoniconti deserves the nod because he is, after all, in the Hall of Fame. But the reality is that Buoniconti played as many years with the Boston Patriots as he did with the Dolphins. Buoniconti was a three-time all-star for Miami (two Pro Bowls, one AFL) and a one-time All-Pro. Duper was a three-time Pro Bowl selection but never made All-Pro. On the one hand, it could be argued that Duper benefited from playing with Dan Marino, but it also coud be said that Buoniconti was surrounded by really good players on the Dolphins defense of the 1970s. Like we mentioned earlier, they're both deserving. Among others to have worn 85 for the Dolphins, Ronnie Williams played 41 games in three seasons as a backup tight end, though he caught only five passes in those three years. Lamar Thomas joined the Dolphins after spending three years with Tampa Bay and the former University of Miami standout was mostly a backup, though he did have a memorable three-touchdown game in a victory over the Denver Broncos late in the 1998 regular season.
The top three Dolphins players with number 85
1. LB Nick Buoniconti
2. WR Mark Duper
3. WR Lamar Thomas
Dolphins 85's among the NFL's all-time best
As it turns out, Buoniconti is one of only two Hall of Famers to predominantly wear 85, along with longtime Rams defensive lineman Jack Younglood. Other greats to wear 85 would include Antonio Gates, Chad Johnson, Wesley Walker and most definitely Duper. From this vantage point, Buoniconti probably would rank in the top three and Duper probably belongs somewhere in the top 10.
