Ralph Ortega Ralph Ortega ( born July 6 , 1953 ) is a former American college and professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League ( NFL ) for six seasons during the 1970s and early 1980s . Ortega played college football for the University of Florida , and received All - American honors . A second - round pick in the 1975 NFL Draft , he played professionally for the Atlanta Falcons and Miami Dolphins of the NFL . Early life . Ortega was born in Havana , Cuba in 1953 , but moved to Miami , Florida with his family when he was a child . Ortega played high school football for legendary coach Nick Kotys at Coral Gables High School in Coral Gables , Florida , and was a shot - put specialist on the track and field team . Two of his Coral Gables Cavaliers football teammates , defensive back Neal Colzie and fullback - linebacker Glenn Cameron , were first - round 1975 NFL Draft picks of the Oakland Raiders and Cincinnati Bengals , respectively . In 2007 , thirty - six years after he graduated from high school , the Florida High School Athletic Association ( FHSAA ) recognized Ortega as one of the " 100 Greatest Players of the First 100 Years " of Florida high school football . College career . Ortega received an athletic scholarship to attend the University of Florida in Gainesville , Florida , where he played linebacker for head coach Doug Dickey ' s Florida Gators football team from 1971 to 1974 . Memorably , in 1973 , he helped the Gators beat the Auburn Tigers for the first time at Jordan - Hare Stadium in fourteen visits . Ortega ' s big play was a crushing tackle that caused a fumble by Auburn tailback Chris Linderman inside the Gators ' five yard - line shortly before halftime . The Gators won 12 – 8 , with Auburn ' s only points coming near the end of the game . The Gators ' coach , Doug Dickey , was carried from the field by his players after the game . At the time , it was called " one of the greatest moments in Florida Gators football history . " Ortega finished his four - season college career with 357 tackles , twelve forced fumbles ( eight recovered ) , and five interception s . He was a first - team All - Southeastern Conference ( SEC ) selection in 1973 and 1974 , a first - team All - American in 1974 , an Academic All - America n , and the team captain during his senior year . He graduated from Florida with a bachelor ' s degree in management in 1976 , and was inducted into the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame as a " Gator Great " in 1978 . In a 2006 article series written for " The Gainesville Sun " , the " Sun " sports editors recognized him as No . 40 among the top 100 players of the first century of Florida Gators football . Professional career . Ortega enjoyed a six - year professional football career in the NFL . He was chosen in the second round ( twenty - ninth pick overall ) of the 1975 NFL Draft by the Atlanta Falcons . He was a starting linebacker in , and a key component of the renowned " Grits Blitz " Falcons defense , before being relegated to special teams in . He was traded to the Miami Dolphins for a future third - round draft pick in . He finished his NFL career with the Dolphins in . During his six NFL seasons , Ortega played in eighty - one regular season games , intercepted five passes and recovered seven fumbles . Life after the NFL . Ortega is a stockbroker in Miami . Oretga ' s son , Buck Ortega , played college football for the Miami Hurricanes as a quarterback and tight end from 2001 to 2004 , after winning the Florida Class 2A state high school football championship as the quarterback for Gulliver Preparatory School in 2000 . Ortega served as an assistant coach for his son ' s Gulliver Prep team , and had a close mentor relationship with future NFL star defensive back Sean Taylor , one of his son ' s Gulliver Prep teammates and close friends .