Number 55 and the Three Dolphins Who Wore It Best

The countdown to the start of the 2022 regular season has begun now that we're under 100 days away, so we'll honor every day the best players to wear the corresponding number for the Dolphins.

Today, we're at number 58.

As a reminder about the ground rules, the top three will be determined only by what the players did while wearing that uniform for the Dolphins.

The top players at each number so far have been:

99. DE/LB Jason Taylor; 98. DL Jared Odrick; 97. DT Jordan Phillips; 96. DT Paul Soliai; 95. DT Tim Bowens; 94. DT Randy Starks; 93. DE Trace Armstrong; 92. LS John Denney; 91. DE/LB Cameron Wake; 90. DE/LB Marco Coleman

89. WR Nat Moore; 88. TE Keith Jackson; 87. TE Andre Tillman; 86. WR Oronde Gadsden; 85. LB Nick Buoniconti; 84. DE Bill Stanfill; 83. WR Mark Clayton; 82. WR Brian Hartline; 81. WR O.J. McDuffie; 80. WR Irving Fryar

79. T Jon Giesler; 78. T Richmond Webb; 77. DE/LB A.J. Duhe; 76. T Branden Albert; 75. DT Manny Fernandez; 74. T Mark Dennis; 73. DT Bob Baumhower; 72. DT Bob Heinz; 71. T Todd Wade; 70. DE Kendall Langford

69. G Keith Sims; 68. T Eric Laakso; 67. G/T Bob Kuechenberg; 66. G Larry Little; 65. OL Jeff Dellenbach; 64. G Ed Newman; 63. G/T Mark Dixon; 62. C Jim Langer; 61. C Tim Ruddy; 60. G Bert Weidner

59. LB Doug Swift; 58. DE-LB Kim Bokamper; 57. C Dwight Stephenson; 56. LB John Offerdahl

Players who wore 55 for at least one regular season game:

LB Jack Rudolph (1966), LB Randy Emunds (1968-69), OL Irv Goode (1973-74), LB Earnest Rhone (1975-84), LB Hugh Green (1985-91), LB Chris Singleton (1993-96), LB David Merritt (1993), LB Ronnie Ward (1997), LB Junior Seau (2003-05), LB Keith Newman (2006), LB Joey Porter (2007-09), LB Koa Misi (2010-16), LB Jerome Baker (2018-21)

The breakdown of 55 with the Dolphins

The number 55 has been worn almost exclusively by linebackers and the Dolphins have gotten solid contributions from a lot of players, though nothing that compared to the impact of a, say, John Offerdahl. Earnest Rhone made the Dolphins as an undrafted rookie and went on to play 116 games over 10 seasons with 54 starts. He never made the Pro Bowl, though he had a really good year in 1981 when he led the team in tackles with 120 and had three interceptions. Hugh Green started 66 of the 82 games he played for the Dolphins over parts of seven seasons and did have 7.5 sacks in 1989, but he was slowed by injuries and never made the Pro Bowl for Miami after being acquired from Tampa Bay as a two-time Pro Bowl selection in a trade that cost the Dolphins first- and second-round picks. Junior Seau was the biggest name to ever wear 55 for the Dolphins after he arrived in a trade with the Chargers. But after making the Pro Bowl the previous 12 seasons, Seau never earned the accolade in Miami as injuries had a major effect after a solid first season with the Dolphins. Joey Porter arrived as a free agent as a three-time Pro Bowl linebacker, and he was a pass-rushing force in the last two of his three seasons in Miami. Porter came up just shy of the team record of 18.5 sacks when he finished with 17.5, including four in the memorable "Wildcat game" at New England. He made the Pro Bowl that season while helping the Dolphins win the AFC East. Koa Misi started 72 games in seven seasons after arriving as a second-round pick, but he never was an impact player. Jerome Baker has been a key member of the Dolphins defense the past four seasons and belongs in the conversation for the top three.

Worth noting

Rudolph started 11 games in the Dolphins' inaugural season after coming over from the Boston Patriots in the expansion draft. ... Edmunds started every game his two seasons with Miami, but he was waived-injured before the 1970 season and never played again. ... Goode was a 33-year-old, two-time Pro Bowl selection when he arrived in a trade with Buffalo, and he played two seasons as a backup before retiring. ... Singleton started 39 games for Miami after being the eighth overall pick in the 1990 draft for New England. ... Merritt, who played four games for the Dolphins as a rookie seventh-round pick, is now the secondary coach for the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs were he works alongside cornerbacks coach Sam Madison. ... Ward was a third-round pick in 1997 never played again after fracturing his left leg in his fourth NFL game. ... Newman joined the Dolphins after starting at least 10 games each of the previous six seasons, but he was strictly a backup in his 11 games with Miami.

The top three Dolphins players with number 55

1. LB Earnest Rhone

2. LB Joey Porter

3. LB Jerome Baker