Former Sun Bowl MVP, Super Bowl Winner Jim Kiick Dies at 73

Jim Kiick, who had an illustrious football career with the Miami Dolphins and Wyoming Cowboys, died this past Saturday of Alzheimer’s disease at the age of 73.

Some El Pasoans might remember Kiick all too well as a dominant running back for Wyoming during the late 60s. Aside from some tough duals against Texas Western in the Western Athletic Conference, the Cowboys made it to the 1966 Sun Bowl game against Florida State after winning the conference. With the help of the Sun Bowl's MVP in Kiick, No. 15 Wyoming slipped past Florida State, 28-20. Kiick rushed for 135 yards on 25 attempts, totaled 42 receiving yards and scored a pair of rushing touchdowns as the game's MVP.

Kiick was the tailback during the Miami Dolphins' perfect season in 1972 and started in the Super Bowl under legendary coach Don Shula. Miami went to back-to-back Super Bowls in 1973 and 1974 and won the latter 24-7 against the Vikings. After dabbling in the WFL before the league fell under, he returned to the NFL to play for the Denver Broncos and the Washington Redskins prior to his 1977 retirement.

“Running is instinct. I don’t really watch films of the team we���re about to play. To me, a running back can’t get that much out of films. Running is something that’s natural,” he said in a 1973 conversation with Csonka in Esquire