Along with the spirit of Halloween, the world also bid goodbye to another icon of the NFL this past weekend. Former Miami Dolphins defensive tackle Bob Heinz passed away on October 31, 2026, at the age of 79. As he was the 22nd player to pass away from the Dolphins’ undefeated 1972 team, Heinz’s demise has brought the Dolphins community another step closer to the end of an era.

On November 3, the Miami Dolphins posted a message on X, mourning the legend’s demise and commemorating his achievements.

“We are saddened to learn of the passing of former Dolphins defensive tackle Bob Heinz, who played for Miami from 1969-77,” the Dolphins’ X account post stated. “Bob was a member of the 1972 Perfect Team, a two-time Super Bowl champion and a key part of Miami’s legendary No-Name Defense. We extend our deepest sympathies to his family, loved ones and former teammates.”

While speaking about Heinz, his son, John, revealed that Heinz was diagnosed with heart failure four years ago. In the end, he died of natural causes in his home in Fresno, California.

“What I loved most about my dad was just his loving good nature,” John Heinz said in an e-mail. “He was a giant of a person and looked every bit the part of the ‘big tough football player,’ which he of course was. But he was an overwhelmingly kind and caring person – a trait I’ve definitely sought to emulate in my life.”

Heinz was born on July 25, 1947, in Wisconsin. He grew up in Milwaukee and moved to California while he was in high school. He excelled at football, basketball, and track and field activities and began pursuing his football career after he joined the University of the Pacific and played as a defensive tackle for the UOP Tigers. He was inducted into the Pacific’s Hall of Fame in 1988.

Heinz was drafted by the Dolphins in the second round of the 1969 NFL Draft, and remained with them for the next eight years. With them, the defensive tackle won two back-to-back Super Bowls in the 1972 and 1973 seasons. In 1972, Heinz played a key role as part of Miami’s famous, seemingly indomitable defensive unit, which was nicknamed “No Name Defense” by Dallas Cowboys head coach Tom Landry due to a lack of household names in the unit.

The Dolphins legend retired from pro football after nine seasons in the league, the last of which he spent with the Washington Redskins. After calling it a career, Heinz pursued a career in sales and eventually moved to Fresno to be closer to family, where he continued to live until his passing this October.

Heinz is survived by his wife, Carol, and his children, Julie, Joe, and John, along with daughter-in-law, Laura, grandchildren, Matthew and Samantha, and sister-in-law, Claire Covington. A private service has been planned by his family to mourn his passing. According to his obituary, his family requested that “in lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Bob’s memory to the Miami Dolphins Foundation.”

Heinz’s Role in Miami’s Undefeated 1972 Season

Bob Heinz’s entrance into the Miami Dolphins roster coincided with Don Shula’s tenure as head coach, which turned the struggling team into playoff contenders within the course of a single season.

Heinz was a key part of the Dolphins’ run defense. With this unit, he led the Dolphins to a 17-0 run in 1972, which the team capped off with a 3-0 postseason run and a 14-7 Super Bowl win. They also led the league that season in terms of points and yards allowed. That iconic season earned the team the honor of being named the NFL’s only perfect team, a record that no other team has managed to attain since.

Across his eight-year stint with the team, Heinz played 109 games, recording nine sacks. He also played a total of 11 postseason games and recorded 2.5 sacks.