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| Garo Yepremian | |
|---|---|
| Name | Garo Yepremian |
| Birth date | March 2, 1944 |
| Birth place | Larnaca, British Cyprus |
| Death date | May 15, 2015 |
| Death place | Winston-Salem, North Carolina, United States |
| Occupation | Professional American football placekicker |
| Nationality | Cypriot American |
Garo Yepremian
Garo Yepremian was a professional American football placekicker who played in the National Football League during the 1960s and 1970s. He is remembered for both clutch field goals and a famous play in Super Bowl VII; he influenced perceptions of specialist kickers in the National Football League and the Miami Dolphins championship era. Yepremian's career intersected with figures and organizations across American football including multiple franchises, coaches, and championship teams.
Born in Larnaca, British Cyprus, Yepremian grew up in a family rooted in Cyprus and Armenian heritage, with early years shaped by the local community in Larnaca District and the island's postwar environment. He emigrated to the United States in the 1960s, joining a diaspora that included other Armenians in cities like New York City and Los Angeles, and settled in regions where opportunities in sports intersected with immigrant networks near Florida and California. His arrival during a period of expanding American sports media exposure brought him into contact with collegiate programs and professional scouts from organizations such as the National Collegiate Athletic Association, the American Football League, and the National Football League.
Yepremian's path to professional football began through local tryouts and semi-professional opportunities that connected him with institutions like University of Tampa programs, regional combines, and coaching figures who scouted kicking talent for franchises including the Detroit Lions and the Miami Dolphins. He developed technique influenced by international soccer styles prevalent in clubs across England, Greece, and Turkey, which informed his approach compared with contemporaries from programs such as Notre Dame, Ohio State University, and University of Alabama. His transition into the American Football League reflected scouting pipelines shared with athletes from schools like University of Southern California and Penn State University, leading to signings by professional teams seeking placekicking specialists.
Yepremian's professional tenure included stints with franchises such as the Detroit Lions, the Miami Dolphins, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and interactions with coaching staffs led by figures like Don Shula, George Allen, and counterparts across the AFL–NFL merger era. He contributed to the Dolphins' kicking game during landmark seasons culminating in the 1972 undefeated campaign and the franchise's appearances in Super Bowl VII and Super Bowl VI contexts alongside teammates like Bob Griese, Larry Csonka, and Paul Warfield. Yepremian's role placed him in league statistical records maintained by the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the National Football League Record and Fact Book, and he competed against opponents such as the Dallas Cowboys, the Washington Redskins, and the Pittsburgh Steelers during playoff and regular season contests. His kicking style and occasional on-field incidents drew commentary from media outlets including ESPN, Sports Illustrated, and The New York Times, as well as analysis by broadcasters from CBS Sports and NBC Sports.
Yepremian kicked critical field goals and extra points that contributed to the Dolphins' postseason successes and earned recognition from organizations like the Pro Bowl selection committees and franchise honors from the Miami Dolphins organization. He remains associated with the 1972 perfect season, a team coached by Don Shula and featuring Hall of Famers such as Larry Csonka and Mercury Morris, and his career is frequently cited in retrospectives by the Pro Football Hall of Fame, NFL Films, and historians of the Super Bowl. Yepremian's public legacy includes influence on the specialist kicker position, inspiring players trained in soccer-rich regions like Argentina, Brazil, and Italy to pursue American football, and he is remembered in sports literature alongside kickers such as Jan Stenerud, Morten Andersen, and Tom Dempsey. His infamy from a misplayed kick return in Super Bowl VII entered popular culture through references in books, documentaries, and sports broadcasting archives from outlets such as ESPN Films and HBO Sports.
Following his playing career, Yepremian engaged in business ventures and community activities in Florida and later in North Carolina, maintaining ties with former teammates from the Miami Dolphins alumni association and participating in charity events organized by groups such as the NFL Alumni Association and local foundations. He made media appearances on sports talk programs produced by networks like ESPN and local radio stations, and he was involved in coaching clinics and youth programs linked to high schools and colleges including St. Thomas Aquinas High School and regional camps staffed by former professionals. Yepremian's later years included public reflections on his career in interviews with publications like Sports Illustrated and obituaries in outlets such as The Washington Post and The New York Times, and he passed away in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, leaving a legacy commemorated by the Miami Dolphins and chronicled by historians of American football.
Category:1944 births Category:2015 deaths Category:Miami Dolphins players Category:American football placekickers Category:Cypriot emigrants to the United States