Manny Fernandez ( American football ) Manuel Jose Fernandez ( born July 3 , 1946 ) is a former American football player of who played eight seasons for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League . He played in three Super Bowls for the Dolphins . High school career . At San Lorenzo High School in San Lorenzo , California , he played football , wrestled , and threw the discus . College career . Next came Chabot Junior College before enrolling at Utah under head coach Mike Giddings . Fernandez wore number 65 at the Utah and was a 3 - year letterman . He went undrafted and signed with the Dolphins who , according to Fernandez in an interview in NFL America ' s Game : Miami Dolphins , had hoped he would be a draw for the South Florida Spanish - speaking audience . NFL career . Manny Fernandez was a strong contender for MVP of Super Bowl VII . Wrote Nick Buoniconti , " It was the game of his life – in fact , it was the most dominant game by a defensive lineman in the history of the game , and he would never be given much credit for it . They should have given out two game balls and made Manny Fernandez the co - MVP with Jake Scott . " Larry Csonka also said he thought Fernandez should have been the MVP . The MVP was selected by Dick Schaap , the editor of " SPORT " magazine . Schaap admitted later that he had been out late the previous night , struggled to watch the defense - dominated game , and was not aware that Fernandez had 17 tackles . Fernandez also recorded a sack against the Washington Redskins ' QB Billy Kilmer . " Winning the car never entered my mind until I heard that Jake won it , " Fernandez said in the January 1974 issue of SPORT magazine . " I was happy for Jake , he played a helluva game for a guy who was healthy but he had two bad shoulders . " The following year , Fernandez recorded 5 tackles and 1 sack in Super Bowl VIII against the Minnesota Vikings . Two years earlier , Fernandez recorded 6 tackles , 1 sack and recovered a fumble in the Dolphins loss to the Dallas Cowboys . In his three Super Bowls Fernandez recorded three sacks and 28 tackles . For his career Fernandez had 35 career sacks , a high number for a nose tackle , with a career - high of 8 in 1971 , which led the Dolphins . In Dolphin history only one nose tackle ( Bob Baumhower : 39 . 5 ) recorded more sacks . Fernandez recorded 5 . 5 sacks in post - season play which is currently 3rd in Dolphins history behind defensive ends Kim Bokamper ( 8 ) and Trace Armstrong ( 6 ) . Fernandez was 2nd team All - Pro in 1970 and 1973 , and an All - AFC selection in 1971 and a second - team All - AFC choice in 1972 and 1973 , marking four consecutive season with post - season honors . Fernandez is also credited with being one of the first nose tackles in the NFL , since the Dolphins played the famed " 53 " defense ( which was a 3 - 4 defense ) in 1972 through 1974 , which put Manny over the center . Likely , no team played the 3 - 4 defense more until the New England Patriots when went to the 3 - 4 full - time in 1974 . In 2007 was voted to the Dolphins All - Time team . Fernandez had previously been voted to the 1990 Dolphins Silver Anniversary Team that celebrated the Dolphins ' 25 years in the NFL . From 1968 through 1973 Fernandez was voted as the Dolphins " Outstanding Defensive Lineman " even though Pro Bowlers like Bill Stanfill and Vern Den Herder were on the same line . In January , 2001 , was named to " Pro Football Weekly " ' s All - Time Super Bowl team . In 2006 , " USA Today " named Manny to their All - time Super Bowl team . Manny Fernandez was honored into the Miami Dolphins Walk of Fame at Sunlife Stadium on December 16th , 2012 .