Mike Kolen (1948-2024) American Football player
Mike Kolen (1948-2024) American Football player, Mike Kolen dead at 76, Find a Grave Memorial Mike Kolen Find a grave,
| No. 57 | |
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| Position: | Linebacker |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | 31 January 1948, Opelika, Alabama, USA |
| Died: | 3 April 2024 (aged 76) |
| Height: | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) |
| Weight: | 220 lb (100 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school: | W. A. Berry (Hoover, Alabama) |
| College: | Auburn |
| NFL draft: | 1970 / Round: 12 / Pick: 289 |
| Career history | |
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| Career highlights and awards | |
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He played the linebacker position for the National Football League’s Miami Dolphins from 1970 to 1977. Born John Michael Kolen, he played football collegiately at Auburn University, where he was a Second-team All-American in 1969 and two-time All-SEC (1968 and 1969).
He was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the 12th Round of the 1970 NFL Draft and went on to play for the Dolphins for eight years before retiring after the 1977 season. While with the Dolphins, he played in all three Super Bowls that the team played in and helping them win two (VII and VIII).
His hard-hitting style of play also earned him the nickname “Captain Crunch.” After retiring from football, he earned induction into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in 1985. He later was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.
Mike Kolen wiki bio, life and career
NFL history
Kolen was involved in one of the most famous plays in NFL history. On the December 21, 1974 playoff game between the Dolphins and the Oakland Raiders is The Sea of Hands game. With 35 seconds to play and the Dolphins leading 26-21, the Raiders had the ball 1st and Goal at the Miami 8-yard line. Quarterback Ken Stabler dropped back to pass and was flushed out of the pocket and nearly sacked by defensive end Vern Den Herder.
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As he went down, Stabler wristed a weak pass toward running back Clarence Davis in the end zone. Davis was surrounded by three Dolphins, including Kolen. Kolen got his hands on the ball and nearly knocked it away, but somehow Davis, amidst a “sea of hands,” ended up with the ball and the touchdown, giving the Raiders the win and ending the Dolphins’ dynasty.
Personal life
Kolen lived in Birmingham, Alabama, with his wife Nancy. He had two children, Kelly and John, and five grandchildren. He owned Kolen Financial Team and worked with his son. He later released a book The Greatest Team: A Playbook for Champions.
Kolen died on April 3, 2024, at the age of 76.
