Number 42 and the Three Dolphins Who Wore It Best

Hall of Famer Paul Warfield leads a clear top-three pecking order

Miami Dolphins receiver Paul Warfield (42) in a game against the San Diego Chargers at Jack Murphy Stadium in 1974. / Rod Hanna-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 42.

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

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 42 for at least one regular season game:

WR Bill Darnall (1968-69), WR Paul Warfield (1970-74), DB Vern Roberson (1977), S Lyle Blackwood (1981-86), DB Robert Sowell  (1987), DB Ernest Gibson (1989), S Chris Green (1991-94), RB Terry Kirby (1995), FB Roosevelt Potts (1997), S Trent Gamble (2000-03), RB Doug Easlick (2004), S Norman LeJeune (2005-06), S Gerald Alexander (2011), TE Charles Clay (2012-14), LB Spencer Paysinger (2015-16), CB Alterraun Verner (2017), RB Patrick Laird (2019); S Clayton Fejedelem (2020-22)

The breakdown of 42 with the Dolphins

There is no debate here when it comes to the top spot because it's Paul Warfield all the way. The speedy and smooth wide receiver was acquired from the Cleveland Browns in 1970 for a first-round pick and his five seasons in Miami only cemented his future place in the Hall of Fame. Warfield was the deep threat in the Dolphins in the 1970s, as he averaged 21.5 yards per catch in those five seasons and twice had 11 touchdown receptions, in 1971 and 1973. The rest of the top three also is pretty clear, with second place going to safety Lyle Blackwood. After played eight years in the NFL, Lyle signed with the Dolphins in 1981 to join his younger brother Glenn and become a key part of the Killer B's defense. Lyle Blackwood started every game for the Dolphins from 1982-84 and averaged three interceptions per year from 1981-84. After being a sixth-round pick in 2011, Charles Clay wore 31 as a rookie before switching to 42 and he had 69 and 58 catches, respectively, in his final two seasons (2013-14) with the Dolphins before he left as a restricted free agent when the team declined to match an offer sheet he got from Buffalo. Clay had seven touchdowns in 2013, including one rushing and six receiving. Fejedelem turned into a special teams captain after arriving from Cincinnati as a free agent. Terry Kirby had 66 receptions out of the backfield in 1995, which was his third season with the Dolphins but his first wearing 42 after being 43.

The top three Dolphins players with number 42

1. WR Paul Warfield

2. S Lyle Blackwood

3. TE Charles Clay

Dolphins 42's among the NFL's all-time best

Warfield is among the five Hall of Famers associated with number 42, along with Ronnie Lott, Sid Luckman, Johnny Robinson and Charley Taylor. Luckman is a tough comparison considering he played in the 1940s, but at the very least we'd put Warfield in the top three.