Miami Dolphins All-Time Top 100 Players: 88. Oronde Gadsden

by Kevin Kraczkowski on Feb 18, 2012 8:00 AM EST in Miami Dolphins Historical Perspective

Miami Dolphins vs. Oakland Raiders, 2001 Divisional Playoffs

Oronde Gadsden played three seasons at Winston-Salem State before signing a free agent contract to play on the Dallas Cowboys practice squad in 1995. He did not appear in an NFL game that season, but was still awarded a Super Bowl ring after the Cowboys defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers, 27-17 in Super Bowl XXX. He was granted his outright release after the 1996 preseason, and also failed to make the Steelers squad after the 1997 preseason.

Gadsden was discouraged after being twice cut, so he took to the Arena Football League's Portland Forest Dragons for the 1997 season, scoring 37 touchdowns in only 14 games.

Gadsden made the Miami Dolphin's roster out of training camp in 1998, which would be his "official" rookie season. On opening day against the Indianapolis Colts, Gadsden made his first career reception count, catching the ball in stride and chugging 44 yards for a touchdown. The Dolphins would win, 24-15. He appeared in every game that season, starting 12 and gaining 713 yards on 48 catches, second on Miami's roster only to O.J. McDuffie. He also tied for the team lead, scoring seven touchdowns.

1999 would see Gadsden lead the Dolpins with six receiving touchdowns, finishing second behind Tony Martin with 48 catches and a career high 803 yards.

After Dan Marino's retirement following the 1999 season, Gadsden opened up 2000 as new starting quarterback Jay Fiedler's favorite target. He led Miami with 56 catches for 786 yards and six touchdowns.

In 2001, Gadsden's fourth season with the team, he would catch 55 passes for 674 yards.

In six years on the Miami Dolphin's, Gadsden would catch a total of 227 passes for 3,252 yards and 22 touchdowns. He is remembered for catching Dan Marino's 420th and final touchdown pass, and has two catches featured in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He now runs a clothing company called "Original Gear."

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The man had some Hands!

I remember many of his acrobatic catches…it was like he had glue on his hands!
Didn’t get a lot of separation but went up and got it….some of the best hands that ever played the game!

by MassFinFan65 on Feb 18, 2012 8:27 AM EST reply actions

Yes sir! Like he had venus fly traps on the end of both arms.

Get the best man to clear every hurdle that stand in the Dolphins way, go RG3.
RG3, the new Transformer of the future.

by fin4three5yrs on Feb 18, 2012 9:24 AM EST up reply actions

Guy was clutch thats for sure

Winner Of The 2009 Phinsider Predict The Pick Contest, Creator Of The Phinsider Annual Mock Draft,Dolphin Fan 4 Life No Matter What,
https://twitter.com/#!/WillFoy518.....give me a follow enjoy seeing others opinions and such regarding our beloved Phins. Draft RGlll Bandwagon

by Foy on Feb 18, 2012 9:37 AM EST reply actions

Loved watching him play, always exciting. You just knew if they could get the ball near him he would go up and get it.

One of the true , “high flyers” for the fins.

founding member of the dolphins really old bastards fan club GO PHINS... TO THE GRAVE BABY!

by daytonadolfan on Feb 18, 2012 10:42 AM EST reply actions

when i first started watching the phins it was around '02.

my dad always said he was our 3rd down machine. always got the third down conversion. but ill never forget the game when we played the broncos and it was a very physical game and in the end we won the game however we lost gadsden and feidler and it crippled us. thats because gadsden was so clutch we knew if he was in the game we could move the ball. hell of a player IMO

by crf163 on Feb 18, 2012 10:57 AM EST reply actions

My avatar is of one of my favorite gadsden catches

If his route running was a bit better or his speed a bit faster, he would have been a probowler.

Awesome redzone target too.

"The first thing I do when I get out of bed and feel the jolt in my knees is think of Roy Winston. On the second step, my calcified Adam's apple starts bobbing, and I think of Carl Eller. A few more steps in the dark and it's Willie Lanier. By the time I get to the bathroom, I'm flashing back to Dick Butkus and Ray Nitschke. And when the light finally comes on, I just hope that somewhere in the darkness they're thinking of me, too" - Larry Csonka.
He played before my time but one of the toughest SOBs to ever play!

by Strange on Feb 18, 2012 7:39 PM EST via mobile reply actions