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Larry Csonka
Larry Richard Csonka (/ˈzɒŋkə/; born December 25, 1946) is an American former professional football player who was a fullback in the National Football League (NFL), primarily with the Miami Dolphins. He also played in the NFL for three years with the New York Giants, and had a short stint with the Memphis Southmen in the World Football League (WFL). Nicknamed "Zonk", Csonka is widely regarded as one of the greatest running backs of all time. Csonka is mostly remembered for his success during his tenure with the Dolphins, which included being a member of their 17–0 perfect season in 1972, and winning Super Bowl championships in 1972 and 1973, the latter of which he was named Super Bowl Most Valuable Player (MVP) when he ran for a then-record 145 yards. He was also a commentator for the original run of American Gladiators.
A five-time Pro Bowler, and three-time first-team All-Pro, Csonka remains to this day as the Miami Dolphins franchise's all-time leading rusher with 6,737 yards and 53 touchdowns. In his last year with the Dolphins in 1979, Csonka also won the NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award. Csonka was inducted into both the College Football Hall of Fame in 1989 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1987. Csonka is also currently one of three former Miami Dolphins to have his jersey number (#39) retired—alongside Bob Griese (#12, 1985) and Dan Marino (#13, 2000) -- with his being the most recent, in 2002.
One of six children, Csonka was born in the Akron suburb of Stow, Ohio, where he was raised on a farm by his Hungarian family.
Csonka began his football career at Stow High School in Stow, Ohio. He was the starting fullback on the 1962 Stow Bulldogs football team that won the Metropolitan League of the Akron-area championship under coach Dick Fortner. Csonka played for Stow from 1960 to 1963. He was also a wrestler while in high school.
Csonka would become a running back by accident. Because of his size, he played defensive end on the varsity team as a sophomore. In the last game that year, he was sent in as a substitute on the kickoff return team. The ball just happened to go to him and he took off running with it. Csonka wrote,
Csonka was recruited by Clemson, Iowa, Vanderbilt, and Syracuse. He chose Syracuse, where he played middle linebacker in his first season before being switched to fullback from 1965 to 1967, the position where he was named an All-American. He established many of the school's rushing records, breaking several that had been held by Ernie Davis, Jim Nance, Floyd Little, and Jim Brown.
In his three seasons at Syracuse, Csonka rushed for a school-record 2,934 yards, rushed for 100 yards in 14 different games, and averaged 4.9 yards per carry. From 1965 to 1967, he ranked 19th, ninth and fifth in the nation in rushing. He was the Most Valuable Player in the East–West Shrine Game, the Hula Bowl, and the College All-Star Game. In 1989, he was enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame.
Csonka was the No. 1 pick by the American Football League's Miami Dolphins in the 1968 Common Draft, the eighth player and first running back drafted in the first round. He signed a three-year contract that paid him a signing bonus of $34,000 (equivalent to $307,000 in 2024) and a car, and a salary of $20,000 (equivalent to $181,000 in 2024), then $25,000 (equivalent to $226,000 in 2024), then $30,000 (equivalent to $271,000 in 2024) each year.
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Larry Csonka
Larry Richard Csonka (/ˈzɒŋkə/; born December 25, 1946) is an American former professional football player who was a fullback in the National Football League (NFL), primarily with the Miami Dolphins. He also played in the NFL for three years with the New York Giants, and had a short stint with the Memphis Southmen in the World Football League (WFL). Nicknamed "Zonk", Csonka is widely regarded as one of the greatest running backs of all time. Csonka is mostly remembered for his success during his tenure with the Dolphins, which included being a member of their 17–0 perfect season in 1972, and winning Super Bowl championships in 1972 and 1973, the latter of which he was named Super Bowl Most Valuable Player (MVP) when he ran for a then-record 145 yards. He was also a commentator for the original run of American Gladiators.
A five-time Pro Bowler, and three-time first-team All-Pro, Csonka remains to this day as the Miami Dolphins franchise's all-time leading rusher with 6,737 yards and 53 touchdowns. In his last year with the Dolphins in 1979, Csonka also won the NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award. Csonka was inducted into both the College Football Hall of Fame in 1989 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1987. Csonka is also currently one of three former Miami Dolphins to have his jersey number (#39) retired—alongside Bob Griese (#12, 1985) and Dan Marino (#13, 2000) -- with his being the most recent, in 2002.
One of six children, Csonka was born in the Akron suburb of Stow, Ohio, where he was raised on a farm by his Hungarian family.
Csonka began his football career at Stow High School in Stow, Ohio. He was the starting fullback on the 1962 Stow Bulldogs football team that won the Metropolitan League of the Akron-area championship under coach Dick Fortner. Csonka played for Stow from 1960 to 1963. He was also a wrestler while in high school.
Csonka would become a running back by accident. Because of his size, he played defensive end on the varsity team as a sophomore. In the last game that year, he was sent in as a substitute on the kickoff return team. The ball just happened to go to him and he took off running with it. Csonka wrote,
Csonka was recruited by Clemson, Iowa, Vanderbilt, and Syracuse. He chose Syracuse, where he played middle linebacker in his first season before being switched to fullback from 1965 to 1967, the position where he was named an All-American. He established many of the school's rushing records, breaking several that had been held by Ernie Davis, Jim Nance, Floyd Little, and Jim Brown.
In his three seasons at Syracuse, Csonka rushed for a school-record 2,934 yards, rushed for 100 yards in 14 different games, and averaged 4.9 yards per carry. From 1965 to 1967, he ranked 19th, ninth and fifth in the nation in rushing. He was the Most Valuable Player in the East–West Shrine Game, the Hula Bowl, and the College All-Star Game. In 1989, he was enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame.
Csonka was the No. 1 pick by the American Football League's Miami Dolphins in the 1968 Common Draft, the eighth player and first running back drafted in the first round. He signed a three-year contract that paid him a signing bonus of $34,000 (equivalent to $307,000 in 2024) and a car, and a salary of $20,000 (equivalent to $181,000 in 2024), then $25,000 (equivalent to $226,000 in 2024), then $30,000 (equivalent to $271,000 in 2024) each year.