Garo Yepremian facts for kids
Yepremian in 2013
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| Position: | Placekicker | ||||||||
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| Born: | June 2, 1944 Larnaca, Cyprus |
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| Died: | May 15, 2015 (aged 70) Media, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
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| Height: | 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m) | ||||||||
| Weight: | 175 lb (79 kg) | ||||||||
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| Undrafted: | 1966 | ||||||||
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Garo Yepremian (born Garabed Sarkis Yepremian; June 2, 1944 – May 15, 2015) was a famous football placekicker. He was from Cyprus and played in the National Football League (NFL) for 15 seasons. Garo is best known for his time with the Miami Dolphins.
During his nine years with the Dolphins, Yepremian was chosen for two Pro Bowls. He also earned first-team All-Pro honors twice. He helped the Dolphins win two Super Bowl championships. His first Super Bowl win was in Super Bowl VII with the 1972 Dolphins. This team made history by having the only perfect season in the NFL. Garo also played for the Detroit Lions, New Orleans Saints, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He retired from football in 1981. Many people consider Garo Yepremian the best kicker in Dolphins history.
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Garo's Early Life and Journey to Football
Garo Yepremian was born in Larnaca, Cyprus. His parents were Armenian. Garo and his brother, Krikor, moved to the United States. Krikor went to Indiana University on a soccer scholarship.
Garo had played soccer in London before coming to the U.S. This meant he could not play NCAA football in college. One day, he watched a football game on TV. He decided he wanted to play in the NFL. With his brother Krikor as his agent, he got a contract with the Detroit Lions.
Garo's Professional Football Career
Yepremian joined the Detroit Lions on October 13, 1966. In his first year, he set an American football record. He kicked six field goals in one game against the Minnesota Vikings. This happened on November 13.
Garo was new to American football rules and words. In his first game, his coach said they lost the coin toss. Garo ran to the middle of the field and looked for the coin. He did not know what "coin toss" meant in football.
Other NFL players sometimes tried to hit Garo hard. They thought American football was only for Americans. Before his first kickoff, his coach told him to run to the bench quickly. Garo kicked the ball, then ran to the wrong bench! He sat with the other team. They laughed, picked him up, and put him back on the field.
Garo did not wear a facemask on his helmet at first. This changed in Week 4 of the 1966 season. He was tackled and hurt by Green Bay Packers player Ray Nitschke. After that, he started using a single-bar facemask. He was the last NFL player not to wear a facemask on his helmet.
In an early game with the Lions, they were losing. They scored a touchdown with 10 seconds left. Garo went in to kick the extra point. He was so excited after making the kick. He ran off the field with his arms raised. His teammate Alex Karras asked him why he was celebrating. Garo famously replied, "I keek (kick) a touchdown."
After the 1967 season, Yepremian joined the U.S. Army. When he returned in 1968, the Lions did not re-sign him. So, Garo played for the Michigan Arrows in another league. This team did not do well and soon closed down.
Joining the Miami Dolphins
After not playing in 1969, Yepremian joined the Miami Dolphins in 1970. He led the NFL in scoring in 1971 with 117 points. In Super Bowl VI, he scored the Dolphins' only 3 points.
The next year, he was a key player for the 1972 Miami Dolphins. This team had a "Perfect Season" and won Super Bowl VII. Garo was their top scorer. He made many important field goals to help the Dolphins stay unbeaten. Yepremian played in three Super Bowls (VI, VII, and VIII).
Garo played for the New Orleans Saints in 1979. He then spent his last two years with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He retired after the 1981 season.
Over his career, Yepremian made 210 out of 313 field goals. He also made 444 out of 464 extra points. This gave him a total of 1,074 points. He was the best in the league for field-goal accuracy three times. Garo and Rick Upchurch are the only first-team members of the 1970s NFL All-Decade team not in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Famous and Infamous Moments
Yepremian is known for two memorable plays. One was a great success. In a playoff game against the Kansas City Chiefs on Christmas 1971, he kicked a 37-yard field goal. This happened 7 minutes and 40 seconds into double overtime. It ended the longest game in NFL history. This kick sent the Dolphins to the AFC Championship game.
The other play is more famous, but for a mistake. It happened in Super Bowl VII in 1973. The Dolphins were leading the Washington Redskins 14–0. Yepremian tried to kick a field goal. This would have made the score 17-0 and sealed the win. But the kick was blocked by Bill Brundige. Garo picked up the ball. Instead of just falling on it, he tried to throw a pass. The ball slipped and went straight up. He then tried to bat it out of bounds. Instead, he batted it to Redskins player Mike Bass. Bass caught it and ran for a touchdown!
The Dolphins still won the game 14–7. This completed their undefeated 1972 season. After the game, Yepremian joked, "This is the first time the goat of the game is in the winners' locker room."
In the 1973 Pro Bowl, Yepremian kicked five field goals. This helped the AFC win the game. He was voted the Most Valuable Player of that game. He was also chosen for another Pro Bowl in 1978. In 1979, he made 20 field goals in a row without missing.
Garo's Achievements and Honors
- Voted "Kicker of the Decade" for the 1970s by the Pro Football Hall of Fame Committee.
- Named to Sports Illustrated's "Dr. Z's All Decade 1970s Team."
- Chosen for two Pro Bowls.
- Received two First-team All-Pro honors.
- Led the NFL in total scoring during the 1970s with 905 points.
- Inducted into the Florida Sports Hall of Fame in 1982.
- Nominated for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
- Was the leading scorer for the undefeated 1972 Miami Dolphins Super Bowl VII team. He was also a top scorer for the 1973 Super Bowl VIII team.
- Ended the longest game in pro football history in 1971. This was the Miami Dolphins vs. Kansas City Chiefs playoff game.
- Named one of the Miami Dolphins' all-time 40 greatest players in 2005.
- Had the longest NFL career (14 seasons) for any player who did not play football in college.
- Inducted into the American Football Association's Semi Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1988.
- Named one of the Miami Dolphins' all-time 50 greatest players in 2015.
Garo's Life Outside Football
Garo Yepremian was a motivational speaker. He also started the Garo Yepremian Foundation for Brain Tumor Research. This foundation helps with research into brain tumors.
Reebok made a commercial featuring Yepremian and his 1972 Dolphins teammates. It aired during Super Bowl XLII.
He also appeared on TV. He was a guest star in an episode of The Odd Couple in 1974. Garo also appeared as himself in the movie Paper Lion.
Garo's Passing
Garo Yepremian passed away on May 15, 2015. He was 70 years old. He died from a type of brain cancer called high-grade neuroendocrine cancer. He is buried at the Oaklands Cemetery in West Chester, Pennsylvania.
