The Miami Dolphins announced Friday that former linebacker John Offerdahl will be the 26th member of the team's Honor Roll.
The Dolphins selected Offerdahl out of Western Michigan in the second-round of the 1986 NFL Draft and he made an immediate impact, earning NFL Rookie of the Year honors and was the first Dolphins linebacker ever named a starter in the Pro Bowl.
Over an eight-year NFL career, he started 86 of 89 games and was picked for five straight Pro Bowls, four or which he started (1986, '88-'90). He finished his career with 518 tackles, 24 passes defensed, 9.5 sacks, eight forced fumbles, four interceptions and a fumble recovery.
"When John Offerdahl tackled you, you went down," said Hall of Fame coach Don Shula via press release. "Whether it was stopping the run, putting pressure on the quarterback, or dropping into coverage, John could do it all.
"He was a relentless player, a professional who practiced as hard as he played. And he was one of the smartest players out there -- he was like a quarterback on our defense. There are two great linebackers enshrined on the Dolphin Honor Roll, Nick Buoniconti and Zach Thomas, and I’m glad to see John join them."
Offerdahl will be inducted into the Honor Roll during halftime of the Bengals-Dolphins game on Oct. 31.
