Former Dolphin Matheson Dies of Hodgkin’s Disease

DURHAM, N.C. —  Bob Matheson, a member of the “No-Name” defense that led the Miami Dolphins to three consecutive Super Bowls in the early 1970s, died after a long battle with Hodgkin’s disease. He was 49.

Matheson died Monday at Duke University Hospital.

A first-team All-American for Duke in 1966, Matheson was a first-round draft pick of the Cleveland Browns.

He joined the Dolphins in 1971 and was a key member of the “53 Defense”--named for his uniform number--that helped Miami finish 17-0 in the 1972 season, the only perfect season in NFL history.

“I don’t think that people really understood or understand now how important he was to that Dolphin defense,” former teammate Nick Buoniconti said.

The Dolphins also won the Super Bowl the next season.

“His talents enabled us to do something new and unique with the ‘53’ defense, which became one of our trademarks,” Miami’s Don Shula said.

Matheson stayed with Miami through the 1979 season, then returned to Duke as an assistant to Coach Red Wilson.

He continued coaching after he was found to have cancer, working for John Gutekunst at Minnesota from 1988 to 1990, but returned to Durham to work for the cancer research center there.