Don Shula: I am sad to hear of Nick's passing. Nick was special to me in every way. He was someone I greatly admired. His love for his wife, Lynn, his children, grandchildren, friends, teammates, family and the community was evident. His groundbreaking work with The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis has made a huge difference in the lives of so many people. I am thankful to have had Nick in my life. I will miss him.
Nat Moore: It's a real sad day for the Dolphins and our alumni. We lost one of our greats with the passing of Nick Buoniconti. He was a great football player, a true Hall of Famer, but he was much more than that. He was a lawyer and a successful business leader. Most of all he was a family man. The work he did with the Miami Project following the tragic accident with Marc will never be matched. My thoughts are with his wife, Lynn, and children, Marc, Nick and Gina. He will be missed and always in our hearts.
Dick Anderson: It's a difficult day. Nick was the leader of our defense and another coach on the field. You combine him with our defense coach, Bill Arnsparger, and you know why he always bragged that we made just 11 mental errors on defense during the entire prefect season of 1972. We just had to go where they told us to go and make the play. As great a player as he was on the field, and he was a Hall of Famer, he was even more impactful off the field with all the work he did with the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis after the injury to his, Marc. He helped raised $200-300 million and made the Project one of the world's leading neurological research centers.
Larry Little: The main thing I always remember about Nick is that we were both traded to the Dolphins the same year (1969) and were bonded ever since then. He came from Boston and I was with San Diego. We had a great relationship and always kidded each other. We were both captains of the 1972 team and he would always call the coin toss and got it right every time. One time I asked to do it and I got it wrong. He never let me forget that! He was a great guy and a great person. He was always a fierce competitor. It's really a sad day for me.
Larry Csonka: I'm deeply saddened by the news of Nick's passing. He was the consummate team captain, the heartbeat of our team. I'll miss Nick, his wisdom and class. Because of Nick, the world's a much better place. My sincerest condolences to Lynn and family. RIP brother, #85.