Jim Kiick, a key part of the Miami Dolphins’ three-pronged running attack during their rise to prominence in the early 1970s, has died at 73, the team announced on Saturday evening.
Along with Hall of Fame fullback Larry Csonka and fellow running back Mercury Morris, Kiick was part of the greatest backfield in team history. Together, they helped the Dolphins pursue perfection in 1972, and win a second straight Super Bowl title the following season.
Kiick had been battling dementia and had been in a South Florida assisted-living facility. His daughter, Allie, shared on social media that the former Dolphins running back’s health was “declining rapidly” as he was confined to his room and unable to accept visitors due to coronavirus restrictions.
“I miss my dad. Every time I see him, he says, ‘I miss you,’ ” she wrote on social media earlier this week. “It’s pretty hard when your sitting on the outside of the glass and can’t do anything to cheer him up. He’s lost the spark in his eyes as anyone would in this situation.”
Kiick, drafted out of Wyoming with a fifth-round pick in the 1968 AFL-NFL draft, was an all-AFL selection his first two seasons, and then became an effective complementary piece in the backfield after coach Don Shula took over in 1970.
Although smaller in stature, standing at 5 foot 11, Kiick often found himself blocking for the 6-4 Csonka under Shula’s leadership. Together, Kiick and Csonka later became affectionately known as Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid during their playing days.
Kiick played seven seasons with the Dolphins, where he ran the football 997 times for 3,644 yards with 31 total touchdowns in 99 games with 66 starts. He sits at fifth on the Dolphins’ all-time rushing yards list.
In his final two seasons, Kiick played 17 games with the Denver Broncos and one with the Washington Redskins. He finished with his playing career with 3,759 yards rushing and 33 total touchdowns in 115 games.
Kiick, who later became a private investigator for Broward’s public defenders office, spent his final days at Independence Hall assisted living facility in Wilton Manors. Attempts to reach Independence Hall were unsuccessful.
Along with Allie, who plays professional tennis, Kiick is also survived by his son Austin.
