Larry Csonka knows a thing or two about delivering a Super Bowl trophy. The longtime Miami Dolphins running back was a part of the last Dolphins team to raise the Vince Lombardi Trophy as champions.
However, Csonka will once again have his hands on football's most prized item on Sunday evening at Super Bowl LVIII. According to Csonka himself, he has been entrusted with bringing the Lombardi Trophy up to the stage to the winning team.
Indeed the delivery of the trophy will commemorate Csonka and the Dolphins' triumph in Super Bowl VIII fifty years ago. The Dolphins defeated the Minnesota Vikings 24-7 at Rice Stadium in Houston, Texas on January 13, 1974. Csonka ran for 145 on 33 carries with two touchdowns to earn Super Bowl MVP honors.
The win punctuated the two greatest seasons in franchise history from 1972-73. The Dolphins became the one and only perfect team in NFL history in 1972, defeating the Washington Redskins 14-7 in Super Bowl VII. They followed that up with a 12-2 regular season in 1973, ultimately toppling the Vikings for their second straight title.
Csonka would go on to early first-team All-Pro honors in 1973, his second time of his career to do so. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1987. His number 39 was retired by the Dolphins in 2002.
Now, he will get to have one last carry on Super Bowl Sunday. One that is very well deserved.
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