Number 39 and the Three Dolphins Who Wore It Best

Hall of Famer Larry Csonka stands alone — literally

Miami Dolphins running back Larry Csonka carries the ball against the New York Jets at the Orange Bowl in 1979. / Manny Rubio-USA TODAY Sports

The countdown to the start of the 2024 regular season has begun now that we're under 100 days away, so we'll honor every day the best players to wear the corresponding number for the Dolphins.

Today, we're at number 39.

The top players at each number so far have been DE Jason Taylor at 99, DT Jared Odrick at 98, DE Phillip Merling at 97, DT Paul Soliai at 96, DT Tim Bowens at 95, DT Randy Starks at 94,  DE Trace Armstrong at 93, LS John Denney at 92, DE Cameron Wake at 91, DE/OLB Marco Coleman at 90,  WR Nat Moore at 89, TE Keith Jackson at 88, TE Andre Tillman at 87, WR Oronde Gadsden at 86, LB Nick Buoniconti at 85, DE Bill Stanfill at 84, WR Mark Clayton at 83, WR Brian Hartline at 82, WR O.J. McDuffie at 81, WR Irving Fryar at 80, T Jon Giesler at 79, T Richmond Webb at 78, LB A.J. Duhe at 77, T Branden Albert at 76, DT Manny Fernandez at 75, T Mark Dennis at 74, NT Bob Baumhower at 73, T Terron Armstead at 72, T Todd Wade at 71, DE Kendall Langford at 70, G Keith Sims at 69, G Robert Hunt at 68, G Bob Kuechenberg at 67, G Larry Little at 66, OL Jeff Dellenbach at 65, G Ed Newman at 64, G Mark Dixon at 63, C Jim Langer at 62, C Tim Ruddy at 61, G Bert Weidner at 60, LB Doug Swift at 59, LB Kim Bokamper at 58, C Dwight Stephenson at 57, LB John Offerdahl at 56, LB Earnest Rhone at 55, LB Zach Thomas at 54, LB Bob Matheson at 53, LB Channing Crowder at 52, LB Bryan Cox at 51, LB Larry Gordon at 50, CB William Judson at 49, CB Gerald Small at 48, S Glenn Blackwood at 47, S Don Bessilieu at 46, CB Curtis Johnson at 45, CB Paul Lankford at 44, LB Andrew Van Ginkel at 43, WR Paul Warfield at 42, FB. Keith Byars at 41, and S Dick Anderson at 40.

As a reminder about the ground rules, the top three will be determined only by what the players did while wearing that uniform for the Dolphins.

Players who wore 39 for at least one regular season game:

RB Larry Csonka (1968-74, 1979)

The breakdown of 39 with the Dolphins

Not very complicated here considering Larry Csonka was the first player to wear number 39 for the Dolphins and the last. After Csonka became team MVP in 1979 upon his return following time in the World Football League and with the New York Giants, the Dolphins didn't give out his jersey number until the organization decided to retire it in 2002. The ceremony took place at Pro Player Stadium at halftime of a Monday night game against the Chicago Bears where Ricky Williams rushed for 216 yards and become the third player in NFL history with a second consecutive 200-yard rushing game. Williams followed O.J. Simpson and Earl Campbell and they were joined in 2016 by another Dolphins player, Jay Ajayi. Csonka was the first of three running backs to have two 100-yard rushing performances in the Super Bowl before he was joined by Emmitt Smith and Terrell Davis. Csonka was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1987. 39 is one of the three numbers worn by only one Dolphins player in a regular season. The others are 0 (Braxton Berrios) and 12 (Bob Griese).

The top three Dolphins players with number 39

1. RB Larry Csonka

2. RB Larry Csonka

3. RB Larry Csonka

Dolphins 39's among the NFL's all-time best

Csonka is one of only two Hall of Famers associated with 39, the other being 49ers running back Hugh McElhenny. Csonka had a major statistical advantage and was part of two Super Bowl title teams, so he's got a good case for No. 1. Maybe the best non-Hall of Famer to wear the number was eight-time 1,000-yard rusher Steven Jackson.