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Former Dolphins Super Bowl Star Passes Away

The wide receiver who scored the first Dolphins touchdown in a Super Bowl has died at the age of 81
Alain Poupart|
Miami Dolphins receiver Howard Twilley (81) catches a touchdown pass as he is defended by Washington Redskins defensive back Pat Fischer (37) in Super Bowl VII at the Los Angeles Coliseum.
Miami Dolphins receiver Howard Twilley (81) catches a touchdown pass as he is defended by Washington Redskins defensive back Pat Fischer (37) in Super Bowl VII at the Los Angeles Coliseum. | Darryl Norenberg-Imagn Images

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Miami Dolphins

The man who scored the Miami Dolphins' first Super Bowl touchdown, Howard Twilley, died this week at the age 81, days before the latest Super Bowl takes place.

Twilley was a wide receiver from the University of Tulsa who spent his entire 11-year professional career with for the Dolphins from 1966-76.

He opened the scoring in the Dolphins' 14-7 victory against Washington in Super Bowl VII when he caught a 28-yard touchdown pass from Bob Griese late in the first quarter. The Dolphins were making their second consecutive Super Bowl appearance, but had been held to only a field goal in their 24-3 loss against the Dallas Cowboys in Super Bowl VI.

Twilley joined the Dolphins as a 10th-round pick in the 1966 AFL draft, though he also was a 14th-round pick of the Minnesota Vikings in the NFL draft.

Twilley started 82 games for the Dolphins, including 11 in that 1972 season when Miami produced the only perfect season in NFL history.

Before he joined the Dolphins, Twilley was a two-time All-American selection at Tulsa and the Heisman Trophy runner-up in 1965.

Twilley was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1982 and his number 81, which he wore in college and with the Dolphins, was retired by Tulsa.

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Alain Poupart
ALAIN POUPART

Alain Poupart is the publisher/editor of Miami Dolphins On SI and host of the All Dolphins Podcast. Alain has covered the Miami Dolphins on a full-time basis since 1989 for various publications and media outlets, including Dolphin Digest, The Associated Press and the Dolphins team website. In addition to being a credentialed member of the Miami Dolphins press corps, Alain has covered three Super Bowls (for NFL.com, Football News and the Montreal Gazette), the annual NFL draft, the Senior Bowl, and the NFL Scouting Combine. During his almost 40 years in journalism, which began at the now-defunct Miami News, Alain has covered practically every sport at one time or another, from tennis to golf, baseball, basketball and everything in between. The career also included time as a copy editor, including work on several books, such as "Still Perfect," an inside look at the Miami Dolphins' 1972 perfect season. A native of Montreal, Canada, whose first language is French, Alain grew up a huge hockey fan but soon developed a love for all sports, including NFL football. He has lived in South Florida since the 1980s.

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