Number 53 and the Three Dolphins Who Wore It Best

We're now 53 days away from the start of the NFL regular season, so we honor the best players who have worn that number for the Miami Dolphins

Orlando Ramirez-USA Today Sports

The countdown to the start of the 2022 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 53.

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.

The top players at each number so far have been:

99. DE/LB Jason Taylor; 98. DL Jared Odrick; 97. DT Jordan Phillips; 96. DT Paul Soliai; 95. DT Tim Bowens; 94. DT Randy Starks; 93. DE Trace Armstrong; 92. LS John Denney; 91. DE/LB Cameron Wake; 90. DE/LB Marco Coleman

89. WR Nat Moore; 88. TE Keith Jackson; 87. TE Andre Tillman; 86. WR Oronde Gadsden; 85. LB Nick Buoniconti; 84. DE Bill Stanfill; 83. WR Mark Clayton; 82. WR Brian Hartline; 81. WR O.J. McDuffie; 80. WR Irving Fryar

79. T Jon Giesler; 78. T Richmond Webb; 77. DE/LB A.J. Duhe; 76. T Branden Albert; 75. DT Manny Fernandez; 74. T Mark Dennis; 73. DT Bob Baumhower; 72. DT Bob Heinz; 71. T Todd Wade; 70. DE Kendall Langford

69. G Keith Sims; 68. T Eric Laakso; 67. G/T Bob Kuechenberg; 66. G Larry Little; 65. OL Jeff Dellenbach; 64. G Ed Newman; 63. G/T Mark Dixon; 62. C Jim Langer; 61. C Tim Ruddy; 60. G Bert Weidner

59. LB Doug Swift; 58. DE-LB Kim Bokamper; 57. C Dwight Stephenson; 56. LB John Offerdahl; 55. Earnie Rhone; 54. Zach Thomas

Players who wore 53 for at least one regular season game:

Tom Erlandson (1966-67), DE Norm McBride (1969-70), LB Bob Matheson (1971-79), LB Rodell Thomas (1981), LB Ron Hester (1982), LB Jay Brophy (1984-86), LB Jack Squirek (1986), LB David Frye (1986-89), LB Ned Bolcar (1991), LB Aubrey Beavers (1994-95), LB Larry Izzo (1996-2000), LB Renaud Williams (2004), LB Jim Maxwell (2006), LB Reggie Torbor (2008-09), LB Erik Walden (2010), LB Austin Spitler (2010-12), LB Jelani Jenkins (2013-16), LB Justin March-Lillard (2017), LB Martrell Spaight (2018), DT Gerald Willis (2019), LB Kyle Van Noy (2020)

The breakdown of 53 with the Dolphins

Bob Matheson had a defense named after his jersey number, so it's tough to go against him when it comes to the top 53 in Dolphins history. Matheson played nine seasons with Miami before later becoming an assistant coach with the team, and started 51 of 125 games he played. His claim to fame, though, was being the extra linebacker who would come onto the field in obvious passing situations, as defensive coordinator Bill Arnsparger perfect the 3-4 defense. It's tough to find many other players who stood out wearing 53 for the Dolphins. Tom Erlandson had three interceptions in 1966 and was one of four Dolphins players named to the AFL All-Star Game in the franchise's inaugural season. Jay Brophy played 31 games with 11 starts after being a second-round pick in 1984. David Frye appeared in 40 games for the Dolphins over four seasons, but he made only three starts. Larry Izzo was a special teams standout his four seasons in Miami and made the Pro Bowl in 2000 before going on to play nine more years and make two more Pro Bowls. Austin Spitler played 55 games over four seasons after being a seventh-round pick in 2010, but he was a special-teamer who never started a game. Jelani Jenkins was a fourth-round pick in 2013 who started 34 games his final three seasons with Miami before he played seven games for Houston in 2017. Kyle Van Noy produced a solid 2020 season after signing a four-year contract in the offseason, but then was surprisingly released the following spring.

Worth noting:

After playing three games as a rookie free agent in 1981 wearing 53, Thomas went to Seattle and returned for two more seasons with Miami wearing 54. ... Squirek finished out his five-year NFL career with two games as a backup for the Dolphins in 1986, three years after he had interception in the Super Bowl to help the Raiders defeat Washington. ... Beaver was a disappointing second-round pick who was gone after two seasons after starting 11 of 32 games and failing to record a sack. ... Walden played 19 games as a backup in two different stints with the Dolphins, but made 66 starts in the seven years after he left Miami for good and had 11 sacks for the Colts in 2016. ... Willis signed with the Green Bay Packers this offseason after appearing in two games for Miami in 2019.

The top three Dolphins players with number 53

1. LB Bob Matheson

2. LB Larry Izzo

3. LB Jelani Jenkins