Dwight Stephenson

Stephenson was born in Murfreesboro, North Carolina. He played college football at the University of Alabama under coach Bear Bryant. Bryant called Stephenson the best center he ever coached, and described him as "a man among children".{{cite web|title=Dwight Stephenson Chat Transcript|url=http://www.profootballhof.com/news/dwight-stephenson-chat-transcript/|website=profootballhof.com|publisher=Pro Football Hall of Fame|access-date=October 3, 2016|date=October 20, 2000}} He was the Crimson Tide's starting center from 1977 to 1979, and was a member of Alabama's back-to-back national championship teams of 1978 and 1979.{{cite news|last1=Johnson|first1=Dave|title=Dwight Stephenson: From Hampton To Canton: On The Center Stage|url=https://www.dailypress.com/1998/07/31/dwight-stephenson-from-hampton-to-canton-on-the-center-stage/|access-date=October 3, 2016|work=Daily Press|date=July 31, 1998|archive-date=October 5, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161005074744/http://articles.dailypress.com/1998-07-31/sports/9807310003_1_triple-option-center-stage-coach-bryant|url-status=live}} He was a two-time second-team All-American; in 1978 by United Press International (UPI){{cite news|title=UPI All-America Team|newspaper=The Salina Journal|date=December 5, 1978|access-date=October 3, 2016|page=13|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4552263/five_big_eight_players_named_upi_all/}} and 1979 by the Associated Press (AP) and UPI.{{cite news|title=Southern Cal star White repeats as All-America|newspaper=The Pantagraph|date=December 5, 1979|access-date=October 3, 2016|page=B4|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4555992/southern_cal_star_white_repeats_as_all/}}{{cite news|title=UPI All-America: Trojans Grab 3 Berths|newspaper=The Daily News (Huntingdon)|date=December 4, 1979|access-date=October 3, 2016|page=5|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4556385/upi_all_america/}} "His speed, his foot quickness, was off the chart," said Mike Brock, a former Alabama lineman. "You couldn't compare it to other people who played at that time. There was no way for defenses to deal with him."

File:Little Webb Kuech Dwight.png and Stephenson, up on the Honor Roll, along with Bob Kuechenberg and Richmond Webb.]]

Stephenson was drafted by Don Shula and the Miami Dolphins in the second round of the 1980 NFL draft. He was used on special teams only until late in the 1981 season, when starting center Mark Dennard was injured. A few seasons later, Stephenson was "universally recognized as the premier center in the NFL".{{cite web|title=Dwight Stephenson Bio|url=http://www.profootballhof.com/players/dwight-stephenson/biography/|publisher=Pro Football Hall of Fame|access-date=October 3, 2016}}

With the exceptionally explosive Stephenson as offensive captain, the Dolphins offensive line gave up the fewest sacks in the NFL for a record six straight seasons, from 1982 to 1987, which doubled the length of the previous record. He retired from pro football in 1987, after sustaining a left knee injury in a play involving New York Jets Marty Lyons and Joe Klecko.

Stephenson was voted as an All-Pro five consecutive times from 1983 to 1987. He was selected to play on five Pro Bowl squads over the same span. He was named AFC Offensive Lineman of the Year by the NFLPA five consecutive times (1983–87) and voted the Seagram's Seven Crowns of Sports Offensive Lineman of the Year three consecutive times (1983–85). He started at center in the AFC Championship Game three times, in 1982, 1984, and 1985. He was the starting center in the Dolphins' two most recent Super Bowl appearances: Super Bowl XVII and Super Bowl XIX. In 1985, Stephenson was the recipient of the NFL Man of the Year Award for "outstanding community service and playing excellence."{{cite news|last1=Smothers|first1=Jimmy|title=Just Scribblin' On Sports|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1891&dat=19860207&id=FLEfAAAAIBAJ&pg=5574,1613103&hl=en|access-date=October 3, 2016|work=Gadsden Times|date=February 7, 1986|page=D1}}

File:1998 Dwight Stephenson.jpg

On December 12, 1994, Stephenson was added to the Miami Dolphins Honor Roll.

Despite the brevity of his career, in 1999, Stephenson was ranked number 84 on The Sporting News' list of the 100 Greatest Football Players. Also in 1999, he was inducted into the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame, and in 2011, Stephenson was inducted into the Hampton Roads Sports Hall of Fame, for his contributions to sports in southeastern Virginia.

In 1998, Stephenson was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was quoted as saying that "I know I’m not going to make every block, but I don’t like to ever get beat. That’s what keeps me motivated. There’s always the next play to get ready for.”

In 2005, Stephenson was named the Walter Camp Man of the Year.

He is the namesake of Pro Football Focus' annual Dwight Stephenson Award, honoring the player the website considers best in the NFL regardless of position.{{cite web|title=The Dwight Stephenson Award|url=https://www.profootballfocus.com/pffs-dwight-stepheson-award-the-best-player-in-football/|website=profootballfocus.com|date=January 10, 2013 |publisher=Pro Football Focus|access-date=October 3, 2016}}

After retiring from football, as of 2013, Stephenson had worked as a construction manager and general contractor in Florida. He remains a strong supporter of the University of Alabama's football team.{{cite news|last1=Hicks|first1=Tommy|title=Football played huge role in Dwight Stephenson's life (photos & video)|url=http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2013/03/football_played_huge_role_in_d.html|access-date=October 3, 2016|work=The Birmingham News|date=March 9, 2013}}

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Category:1957 births

Category:Living people

Category:People from Murfreesboro, North Carolina

Category:Alabama Crimson Tide football players

Category:American Conference Pro Bowl players

Category:American football centers

Category:Miami Dolphins players

Category:Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees

Category:University of Alabama people

Category:Players of American football from North Carolina

Category:Hampton High School (Virginia) alumni

Category:21st-century African-American sportsmen

Category:20th-century African-American sportsmen