Bob Heinz, a former NFL defensive tackle who helped the Miami Dolphins complete their undefeated 1972 season and won two Super Bowl rings with the franchise, has died at 79, the team announced Tuesday.
The Dolphins said Heinz died of natural causes. In a statement posted on X, the team remembered him as a member of the 1972 “Perfect Team,” a two-time Super Bowl champion and an important figure in Miami’s famed “No-Name Defense.”
“We extend our deepest sympathies to his family, loved ones and former teammates,” the Dolphins said.
Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Heinz played college football at Delta College and Pacific before Miami selected him in the second round of the 1969 NFL Draft with the No. 37 overall pick. He spent 1969 through 1977 with the Dolphins, becoming a starter in 1971 and recording 3.5 sacks that season.
He later anchored Miami’s defensive line under coach Don Shula during the Dolphins’ back-to-back Super Bowl title seasons in 1972 and 1973, playing alongside Vern Den Herder, Bill Stanfill and Manny Fernandez. Heinz finished his Dolphins career in 1977 and appeared in two games for the Washington Redskins in 1978 before retiring.