| No. 54, 59 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position: | Center,defensive end,defensive tackle | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born: | (1941-06-22)June 22, 1941 (age 83) Mexico, Missouri, U.S. | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school: | Mexico (MO) | ||||||||
| College: | Los Angeles State | ||||||||
| NFL draft: | 1964: 13th round, 170th pick | ||||||||
| AFL draft: | 1964: 14th round, 112th pick | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
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| * Offseason and/or practice squad member only | |||||||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||
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Howard Wayne Kindig, Jr. (born June 22, 1941) is an American former professionalfootballdefensive end who played ten seasons in theAmerican Football League (AFL) and theNational Football League (NFL), mainly with theBuffalo Bills.
Kindig started his NFL career as a defensive end with theSan Diego Chargers in 1965.[1] After 3 seasons with San Diego he moved to the Bills, where he played defensive end,offensive tackle andcenter.[1] Kindig decided to retire after the 1971 season with the Bills, but the Miami Dolphins traded for his rights in exchange fordefensive tackleFrank Cornish and a conditional draft pick, and Dolphins coachDon Shula was able to convince Kindig to unretire.[1][2] Kindig was able to make the Dolphins 1972 team afterJim Langer beat out Miami's 1971 starting centerBob DeMarco for the 1972 starting center position and DeMarco did not want to serve as the backup, opening a spot for Kindig.[1][2]
Kindig was thelong snapper for the undefeated1972 Miami Dolphins, which completed a 17-0 season by defeating theWashington Redskins inSuper Bowl VII.[2] After the Super Bowl, Redskin coachGeorge Allen claimed that one of the key plays in Miami's victory was a penalty Kindig drew on WashingtonlinebackerHarold McLinton, when McLinton attempted to steal the ball from Kindig when he was long snapping on apunt, and the penalty allowed Miami to retain possession of the ball.[3] Kindig broke his thumb during the 1973 preseason and missed the entire season, in which Miami won a 2nd consecutive Super Bowl.[2][4][5]
Kindig was traded by Miami to the Redskins before the 1974 season in exchange for a draft pick, but was cut by the Redskins before the 1974 season began.[6][7] He started the 1974 season with theJacksonville Sharks of theWorld Football League after signing a contract that was supposed to pay him $75,000 per year for three years.[8] He signed with the NFLNew York Jets after the Sharks stopped paying its players and disbanded in the middle of the 1974 season.[8][9] He returned to the WFL with theJacksonville Express for the 1975 season but was released before the end of the season.[10][11]
After retiring from football for good Kindig ran a real estate and appraisal company.[2]
