Number 29 and the Three Dolphins Who Wore It Best

Sam Madison is the clear top choice, but does recent safety Brandon Jones belong in the top three?

Miami Dolphins CB Sam Madison during a 1997 game. / 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 29.

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, S Dick Anderson at 40, FB Larry Csonka at 39, CB Calvin Jackson at 38, CB J.B. Brown at 37, FB Don Nottingham at 36, DB Walt Aikens at 35, RB Ricky Williams at 34, RB Karim Abdul-Jabbar at 33, RB Kenyan Drake at 32, and S Brock Marion at 31, RB Ron Davenport at 30.

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 29 for at least one regular season game:

RB Jack Harper (1967-68), DB Garry Grady (1969), RB Tom Smith (1973), CB John Swain (1985), S Liffort Hobley (1987-93), CB Frankie Smith (1994-95), CB Sam Madison (1997-2005), CB André Goodman (2006), CB Travis Daniels (2007), S Tyrone Culver (2008-11), S Jonathon Amaya (2012), CB Will Davis (2013-15), RB Jonas Gray (2015), CB Tyler Patmon (2015), RB Arian Foster (2016), S Nate Allen (2017), S Minkah Fitzpatrick (2018-19), CB Xavier Crawford (2019), RB Samaje Perine (2019), S Brandon Jones (2020-23)

The breakdown of 29 with the Dolphins

There is no debate for the top spot when it comes to 29 because it belongs to four-time Pro Bowl cornerback Sam Madison. The second-round pick started 127 games for the Dolphins in nine seasons and had 31 interceptions, including three in a memorable Sunday night game against Tennessee in 1999. Madison won a Super Bowl title with the New York Giants in 2007 and as an assistant coach with the Kansas City Chiefs this past February. The rest of the group at number 29 included some big names, though the second spot has to go to safety Liffort Hobley, who played 84 games with 29 starts in six seasons with Miami. Hobley had eight fumble recoveries, including two he returned for touchdowns, with the Dolphins. Among others who made contributions wearing 29 was safety Tyrone Culver, who played 66 games in four seasons with six starts. Culver, who wore 36 when he played four games in 2012, saw extensive action on special teams. We probably have to mention Minkah Fitzpatrick, the 2018 first-round pick whose time in Miami ended when he was traded to Pittsburgh after two games in 2019. Fitzpatrick ended up playing 18 games with 13 starts for the Dolphins and recording two interceptions. The way his departure unfolded — he requested a trade and was granted his wish — keeps him out of this top three. Brandon Jones started 30 games in four seasons before leaving as a free agent this offseason and had some moments, including five sacks in 2021 and two interceptions in the 30-0 victory against the New York Jets in 2023.

The top three Dolphins players with number 29

1. CB Sam Madison

2. S Liffort Hobley

3. S Brandon Jones

Dolphins 29's among the NFL's all-time best

The clear-cut top player to wear 29 would have to be Rams Hall of Fame running back Eric Dickerson, but a case could be made for Madison being as good as any of the other top players, such as WR Harold Jackson, CB Albert Lewis or DB Earl Thomas.