Mike Kolen Obituary, Death Cause – Mike Kolen, a linebacker who played with the Dolphins until the early 1970s and started all three Super Bowls for the team, passed away on Wednesday at the age of 76. The news of Kolen’s passing was confirmed by Auburn, the university that he attended. In his honor, the Mike Kolen Award is given annually to the player who has the most tackles in a season. It was a perfect fit. Since Kolen was known for his violent tackling, supporters of the Dolphins referred to him as “Captain Crunch.” He described it as “a real thrill” to be able to return to his alma mater on an annual basis in order to give the award. In the year 1970, the Dolphins, who had recently announced the hiring of Don Shula as their new head coach, selected Kolen in the 12th round, which was the 289th overall pick. Kolen went on to play for the Dolphins for seven seasons, during which time he participated in 84 games and started 78 of them.
During the 1972 season, when the Dolphins finished with a perfect record of 17-0, Kolen started 13 games. Two seasons later, he was a part of one of the most famous plays in the history of the National Football League (NFL), the “Sea of Hands” pass by Ken Stabler, which enabled the Oakland Raiders to end the winning streak of the Miami Dolphins with a miraculous touchdown. Despite the fact that Kolen, linebacker Larry Ball, and defensive back Charlie Babb surrounded receiver Clarence Davis, they were unable to stop him from coming down with the ball in the end zone, which resulted in a thrilling victory of 28-26 from the opposing team. During an interview with ESPN, Kolen stated, “I thought I had a clear interception.” To put it another way, it was completely exposed. Davis was able to take the ball away from Kolen, despite the fact that he had a hand on it.
When asked about the situation, Kolen stated, “He was coming toward the ball and had the leverage and obviously a better grip than I had.” Kolen disclosed to The Miami Herald in 2017 that he had recently received a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease, which he suspected was a result of his involvement in football. In response, Kolen stated, “I don’t blame football.” “That’s a fantastic sport, football. There are a lot of life lessons that I’ve learned from it… Being able to play football, particularly for Auburn and the Miami Dolphins, is something that I consider to be a privilege. If I could have anything, I would give it to you. It was a wonderful chance that presented itself. There is not a single thing that I regret.”
