Csonka was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1987. Corrections? In 1989, he was enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame. Dolphins at Jets Larry Csonka Autographed 8×10 NFL Licensed Action Shot, SB VIII MVP Larry Csonka Autographed 8×10 NFL Licensed Action Shot, Larry Csonka Autographed Throwback Mini Helmet, Larry Csonka Autographed Throwback Full Size Helmet, Larry Csonka Autographed Official NFL Ball, Larry Csonka Autographed Official NFL Game Ball, Larry Csonka Autographed 8×10 NFL Licensed Headshot, SB VII Perfect Season Larry Csonka Autographed 8×10 NFL Licensed Action Shot, Larry Csonka Autographed Miami Classic Throwback Jersey. A free agent again, he joined the New York Giants in 1976, along with Memphis coach John McVay. [18], Larry Csonka—awards, championships, and honors. From 1965 to 1967, he ranked 19th, ninth and fifth in the nation in rushing. [16], From 1998 through 2013, Csonka was producer and co-host of Napa's North to Alaska, before retiring the show. The book provides insight into the history of the Dolphins and the state of pro football in the late 1960s and early and mid-1970s. During the 1972 season, the Dolphins became the only team since the AFL-NFL Merger to go undefeated, and Csonka was an instrumental part of the success, rushing for a career best 1,117 yards. Audrey and I have told you about the award winning travel club we’ve joined and mentioned we’d be offering a DreamTrip soon to join us for the Jets vs Dolphins game, Nov 4 at home in Miami. New programs and perks are added regularly to [...]. In the last game that year, he was sent in as a substitute on the kickoff return team. He's an immovable weight. He carries you. Csonka's 1,117 yards that season combined with Mercury Morris contributing exactly 1,000 yards made them the first 1,000 yard rushing duo in NFL history. He missed three games in 1968 and three more in 1969. He played for Stow from 1960 to 1963. Plus, he is a host for NBC Sports Network and a motivational speaker. Two seasons later, he was on the field for The Miracle at the Meadowlands, the play that for years epitomized Giants' fans exasperation with the franchise's long-term mediocrity. It's what happens after you tackle him. Csonka became a running back by accident. He was described as a bulldozer or battering ram. Although there were doubts about his abilities, he did well in the first game of the season. "[6] By the 1970s he was one of the most feared runners in professional football. After breaking several tackles near the line of scrimmage, he rumbled for 49 yards. We’d attend the parade on Main Street honoring our local veterans and watch the little league baseball playoffs. Three weeks later at San Diego, he suffered another concussion, plus a ruptured eardrum and a broken nose. Because of his size, he played defensive end on the varsity team as a sophomore. Larry Csonka, byname of Lawrence Richard Csonka, (born Dec. 25, 1946, Stow, Ohio, U.S.), American gridiron football player who won two Super Bowls (1973, 1974) playing for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League (NFL) and was named Most Valuable Player of Super Bowl VIII. Csonka signed a three-year guaranteed contract for a salary of $1.4 million. Csonka began his football career at Stow High School as the starting tailback on the 1963 Stow Bulldogs squad that won the Metropolitan League of the Akron-area championship under coach Dick Fortner. On November 19, 1978, New York had apparently secured a 17–12 victory over the favored Philadelphia Eagles. In 1973, Csonka and Kiick, in collaboration with sportswriter Dave Anderson, wrote a book, Always on the Run. Many times he would take three or four defenders into the end zone with him. Between 1985 and 1990 Csonka started spending time in Alaska, eventually spending most of the year in Anchorage. That rushing attack led the Dolphins to Super Bowls VI, VII, and VIII, with victories in the last two. After high school football practice in August of ‘62, I drove with some buddies to witness the groundbreaking ceremonies for the new Hall of Fame. Stories abound about Csonka's toughness. [4] There was talk he might have to give up football. ", The Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton is very close to my hometown of Stow, OH. In each of three consecutive years (1971–73) he rushed for more than 1,000 yards, and in 1972 he was a mainstay in the Dolphin’s perfect 17–0 season. He worked for the United States Football League (USFL) Jacksonville Bulls in the mid-1980s, first as director of scouting and then as general manager. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. Larry Richard Csonka (/ ˈzɒŋkə /; born December 25, 1946) is an American professional American football fullback. Csonka and his friend, Dolphins running back Jim Kiick, were known as Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. He ran for over 800 yards, his best since their Super Bowl days, and rushed for a career-high 12 touchdowns while catching one more. He's a movable weight. He was among the NFL's top 10 ranked players in rushing yards four times, in rushing touchdowns five times, total touchdowns three times and yards from the line of scrimmage once. They rode out the storm for 10 hours before a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter could reach them and rescue them one-by-one in a basket.[17].