Larry Csonka was the No. 1 pick by the American Football League's Miami Dolphins in the 1968 Draft, selected as the eighth overall player and the first running back taken in the first round. However, his pro career started on a rough note. In the fifth game of the 1968 season, Csonka suffered a concussion after hitting his head on the ground during a tackle, which led to a two-day hospital stay. Just three weeks later, he endured another concussion, along with a ruptured eardrum and a broken nose. Concerns arose that he might have to retire from football. He missed three games in both 1968 and 1969, raising doubts about whether he would ever play fullback again. When Don Shula arrived as head coach, he recognized Csonka’s potential but had to re-engineer his running style. Shula, along with backfield coach Carl Taseff, taught Csonka to lead with his forearm rather than his head, ultimately transforming him into a Hall of Fame-caliber player.
Over the next four seasons, Csonka didn’t miss a single game and led the Dolphins in rushing for five consecutive seasons. According to teammate Jim Langer, "Csonka had the utmost respect of every player on the team, offense and defense." By the 1970s, Csonka had become one of the most feared runners in professional football. Standing 6 feet 3 inches tall and weighing 235 pounds, he was one of the biggest running backs of his era, plowing through defenders with brute strength, often dragging tacklers 5–10 yards. His punishing running style earned comparisons to the legendary Bronko Nagurski, a power runner from the 1930s. Minnesota Vikings linebacker Jeff Siemon remarked after Super Bowl VIII, "It's not the collision that gets you. It's what happens after you tackle him. His legs are just so strong he keeps moving. He carries you. He's a movable weight." Known for his reliability, Csonka rarely fumbled or dropped passes and was also recognized as an exceptional blocker.
Csonka’s toughness was legendary. He broke his nose about ten times during his high school, college, and professional careers, often staying in the game despite bleeding profusely. He may be the only running back in NFL history to receive a personal foul for unnecessary roughness while running the ball. During a 1970 game against the Buffalo Bills, he knocked out safety John Pitts with a forearm shot that was more like a right cross. In a pivotal 1972 game against the Minnesota Vikings, during the Dolphins’ perfect season, Csonka took a vicious hit to the back from linebacker Roy Winston that was so brutal it was shown on *The Tonight Show*. Thinking his back was broken, Csonka crawled off the field, only to "walk it off" moments later and return to the game. His return was crucial, as a fake to Csonka set up the winning touchdown pass to tight end Jim Mandich. His remarkable resilience earned him a place among the NFL’s 100 Toughest Players, ranked 10th in the 1996 NFL Films production. Dolphins’ offensive line coach Monte Clark once quipped, "When Csonka goes on safari, the lions roll up their windows."
The Dolphins boasted one of the best rushing attacks in the NFL during the early 1970s, leading the league in rushing in 1971 and 1972, with a record-setting 2,960 yards in 1972. Csonka rushed for 1,117 yards that season, while teammate Mercury Morris contributed exactly 1,000 yards, making them the first duo in NFL history to each rush for over 1,000 yards in the same season. This dominant ground game propelled the Dolphins to three consecutive Super Bowls (VI, VII, and VIII), with victories in the latter two. Csonka’s bruising running style perfectly embodied the Dolphins' ball-control strategy. He had three straight 1,000-yard seasons from 1971 to 1973 and averaged more than 5 yards per carry in 1971 and 1972—an exceptional feat for a fullback. His 5.4 yards per carry in 1971 led the NFL. Teammate Bob Kuechenberg praised Csonka’s ability to extend plays, stating, "The line got him the start, he got the finish, and it added up to 4 or 5 yards every time."
During the Dolphins' historic 1972 season, when they became the only team in NFL history to complete a perfect season, Csonka was a critical piece of the puzzle, rushing for a career-best 1,117 yards. He led all rushers in Super Bowl VII with 112 yards on just 15 carries. One iconic run in that game captured his signature style—after breaking several tackles, Csonka rumbled for 49 yards. Near the end of the run, Washington Redskins cornerback Pat Fischer, a fearless tackler, stepped up to stop Csonka. Rather than evade him, Csonka turned toward Fischer and delivered a devastating forearm that sent the 175-pound defender sprawling.
In 1973, Csonka was named Super Athlete of the Year by the Professional Football Writers Association. That same year, the Dolphins captured their second consecutive title, and "Zonk," as he was affectionately known, was named MVP of Super Bowl VIII. He set a then-Super Bowl record by rushing 33 times for 145 yards and two touchdowns, exploiting the Dolphins’ dominant offensive line.
Csonka and his close friend and teammate Jim Kiick were famously known as “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.” Their bond was immortalized in the August 7, 1972 issue of *Sports Illustrated*, featuring a now-iconic cover photo by Walter Iooss. The issue has since become a collector’s item—partly because of Csonka’s inadvertent middle finger gesture on the cover.
Over the course of his 11-season NFL career, Csonka carried the ball 1,891 times for 8,081 yards and 64 touchdowns. He also caught 106 passes for 820 yards and four touchdowns. He ranked among the league’s top 10 in rushing yards four times, in rushing touchdowns five times, and in total touchdowns three times. Csonka earned All-AFC honors four times and was named All-Pro in 1971, 1972, and 1973. He was also selected to five Pro Bowls. In 1987, Csonka was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and in 2002, the Miami Dolphins retired his iconic #39. Csonka was also named to the Super Bowl Dream Team by NFL Films.