I was a big fan of #56 but it always seemed we were always waiting for him to come off an injury. He sacrificed his body with reckless abandonment but it certainly cost him time off his career.
http://touch.sun-sentinel.com/#section/-1/article/p2p-77055509/By Craig Davis, Staff Writer
12:18 pm, August 16, 2013
John Offerdahl, an overachieving middle linebacker who has excelled in business since his eight-year NFL career, will be the newest member of the Miami Dolphin Honor Roll.
Offerdahl will become the 25th individual member of the exclusive club when he is inducted Oct. 31 during halftime of the Dolphins' game against Cincinnati, the Dolphins announced Friday.
Offerdahl was the heart and soul of the Dolphins' defense beginning in 1986, when he was selected in the second round out of Western Michigan and became the NFL defensive rookie of the year. That was the first of five consecutive Pro Bowl selections for Offerdahl, was effective both as a run-stopper and in pass coverage. He led the Dolphins in tackles three times.
Injuries hampered him later in his career and he retired in 1993. He was elected to the Mid-American Conference Hall of Fame earlier this year.
He will become the third linebacker in the Honro Roll, joining Nick Buoniconti, who proceeded him and Zach Thomas who followed.
Thomas was elected to the Honor Roll last year along with defensive end Jason Taylor and former defensive coach Bill Arnsparger. Offerdahl will be the only addition this year.
Along with players and coaches, the entire 1972 Dolphins team is also recognized in the team's Honor Roll that is displayed in the upper level of Sun Life Stadium.
Offerdahl, 48, has been arguably even more successful after football as a restaurateer. While still playing, he started a successful chain of bagel shops in 1989, which became part of the coast-in-coast Noah Bagel Company. In 1990, he and wife Lynn co-founded Offerdahl's Bagel Gourmet and grew the concept to 10 stores before joining three other bagel entrepreneurs in March of 1995 to form Einstein Bros. Bagels, a national bagel retailer.
Offerdahl currently operates seven quick-casual restaurants named Offerdahl's Café Grille in South Florida.
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