Former Dolphins Tim Foley and Hubert Ginn, members of undefeated 1972 team, have died
Former Dolphins Tim Foley and Hubert Ginn, members of the undefeated 1972 team, have died at 75 and 76, respectively, the team announced.
A cause of death was not given for either.
Both Foley and Ginn were a part of Hall of Fame coach Don Shula’s first draft class in Miami in 1970. Foley, a cornerback, was a third-round pick. Ginn, a running back, was a ninth-round pick.
Foley played his entire 11-year career with the Dolphins, appearing in 134 with 100 starts. He recorded 22 interceptions, four of which came on the 1972 championship team’s “No Name Defense.” The following season, when the Dolphins repeated as Super Bowl champions, Foley intercepted two passes.
In 1979, Foley was named to his lone Pro Bowl.
Former Dolphins safety Dick Anderson, who started with Foley in the defensive backfield of Miami’s undefeated team, said Foley was in poor health in recent years and suffered from cognitive decline.
”His mental issues continued to get worse,” Anderson told the Miami Herald. “You get hit in the head and it’s not healthy.”
According to the Dolphins, Foley had been living in Tavares, 45 minutes northwest of Orlando.
Anderson said Foley was “a great teammate. He was a very bright guy and very religious. He was a straight arrow. I don’t ever recall arguing with him. You couldn’t find a nicer person than Tim Foley.”
After his playing days, Foley worked as an Amway representative and spent over a decade as a college football color commentator for TBS.
A native of Evanston, Illinois, Foley played college football at Purdue, earning All-America honors in the 1969 season.
Ginn had 27 carries for 142 yards and one touchdown in the 1972 season. He also returned kicks for Miami. Three games into the 1973 season, Ginn was traded to the Baltimore Colts for fullback Don Nottingham and a sixth-round pick. Ginn re-signed with the Dolphins in 1974 and played the next two seasons in Miami before he was released in the middle of the 1976 season after beginning the year on injured reserve.
He then signed with the Oakland Raiders and spent the final three seasons of his career with the team, winning a Super Bowl in 1976.
Ginn finished his career with 521 rushing yards and three touchdowns. A native of Savannah, Georgia, Ginn played college football at Florida A&M. Ginn had been retired and living in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
Ginn and Foley are the 19th and 20th players from that 1972 team who has died. Here was the Miami Herald’s piece from last September on all of the members of that team and where they are now.