Number 99 and the Three Dolphins Who Wore It Best

Jason Taylor stands alone when it comes to number 99, but who also deserves mention?

Miami Dolphins former linebacker Jason Taylor reacts with his bust during the Professional Football HOF enshrinement ceremonies at the Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in 2017. / Charles LeClaire-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've decided to bring back our countdown where every day we will recognize the best players to wear the correspondent number for the Miami Dolphins.

We start the series with number 99.

To set 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 99 for the Miami Dolphins for at least one regular season game

WR Jimmy Hines (1969), DL George Little (1985-87), LB Rick Graf (1988-90), DT Chuck Klingbeil (1991-95), DE-LB Jason Taylor (1997-2007, 2009, 2011)

The debate on the best 99 on the Dolphins

The only discussion here is for second and third place because only one player on the list made the Hall of Fame, that obviously being Jason Taylor. And then there's the fact the Dolphins haven't given out that number to any other player since Taylor retired, even though the number itself hasn't officially been retired to join 12, 13 and 39 as officially never to be worn again. Graf and Little joined the Dolphins as second- and third-round picks, respectively, and each was a starter for at least one season, but it's difficult to overlook Klingbeil here. He joined the Dolphins in 1991 out of the Canadian Football League and as a rookie scored a touchdown on a fumble recovery in Don Shula's 300th career victory. He then went on to become a full-time starter the next four seasons.

The top three

1. Jason Taylor

2. Chuck Klingbeil

3. Rick Graf

Where No. 1 ranks among the NFL's all-time best

In a ranking of the best players in any sport to wear 99 done by Ranker, Taylor came in at number 6. There were three NFL players ahead of him: J.J. Watt, Aaron Donald and Warren Sapp, and Sapp might be the one with whom we could take an issue here. For the record, the top number 99 in all of sports was hockey legend Wayne Gretzky.