Tim Duncan retires after 19 season: What did the Dolphins look like when he was drafted in 1997?

As some of you may know, I am a San Antonio Spurs fan. It caused some issues on Twitter at times, especially when the Spurs and Miami Heat played in the Finals. As a Spurs fan, today is a little bitter-sweet, because it is not a surprise that Tim Duncan, one of the all-time greats in basketball, is retiring, but it is still a little sad. The Great Fundamental leaves the game without the “farewell tour” hoopla we have seen over the past few years, but rather the team releases a statement saying he is retired and that’s it.

That is how the 19 year career of a five-time NBA Champion ends. And it is the most Tim Duncan way possible. Duncan finishes his career second in wins in league history, fifth in blocks, sixth in rebounds, and 14th in points.

Do you realize Duncan was drafted by the Spurs in 1997? Duncan was made the first-overall pick by San Antonio 19 years ago. Which made me wonder, what did the Miami Dolphins look like when Duncan was drafted?

1997 Miami Dolphins Draft

Round 1 (Pick 15) - Yatil Green, WR, Miami

Round 2 (Pick 44) - Sam Madison, CB, Louisville

Round 3 (Pick 73) - Jason Taylor, DE, Akron

Round 3 (Pick 92) - Derrick Rodgers, LB, Arizona State

Round 3 (Pick 96) - Brent Smith, OT, Mississippi State

Round 4 (Pick 121) - Jerome Daniels, OT, Northeastern

Round 5 (Pick 149) - Barron Tanner, DT, Oklahoma

Round 5 (Pick 157) - Nick Lopez, DE, Texas Southern

Round 6 (Pick 166) - John Fiala, LB, Washington

Round 6 (Pick 170) - Brian Manning, WR, Stanford

Round 6 (Pick 173) - Mike Crawford, LB, Nevada

Round 6 (Pick 177) - Ed Perry, TE, James Madison

Round 7 (Pick 2013) Hudhaifa Imsaeli, S, Northwestern

1997 Miami Dolphins Roster

(Stats from Pro-Football-Reference.com)

Quarterback

Dan Marino (319-for-548, 3780 yards, 16 TD, 11 INT)

Craig Erickson (13-for-28, 165 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT)

Damon Huard

Running back

Karim Abdul-Jabbar (283 carries, 892 yards, 15 TD)

Irving Spikes (63 carries, 180 yards, 2 TD)

Bernie Parmalee (18 carries, 59 yards)

Lawrence Phillips (18 carries, 44 yards)

Jerris McPhail (17 carries, 146 yards, 1 TD)

Stanley Pritchett (3 carries, 7 yards)

Roosevelt Potts (1 carries, 3 yards)

Ray Nealy (1 carry, 2 yards)

Dewayne Dotson

Jim Kitts

Wide receivers

O.J. McDuffie (76 rec, 943 yards, 1 TD)

Lamar Thomas (28 rec, 301 yards, 1 TD)

Charles Jordan (27 rec, 471 yards, 3 TD)

Brett Perriman (19 rec, 309 yards, 1 TD)

Fred Barnett (17 rec, 166 yards, 1 TD)

Brian Manning (7 rec, 85 yards)

Qadry Ismail

Tight ends

Troy Drayton (39 rec, 558 yards, 4 TD)

Ed Perry (11 rec, 45 yards, 1 TD)

Frank Wainright

Offensive linemen

Richmond Webb

Keith Sims

Tim Ruddy

Everett McIver

James Brown

Mike Sheldon

Jeff Buckey

John Bock

Defensive ends

Trace Armstrong (47 tackles, 5.5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, 3 recoveries)

Jason Taylor (42 tackles, 5.0 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, 2 recoveries)

Shane Burton (27 tackles, 4.0 sacks, 1 forced fumble, 1 recovery)

Daniel Stubbs (3 tackles, 1.0 sack)

Dunstan Anderson (5 tackles, 1 recovery)

Mike Chalenski (5 tackles)

Defensive tackles

Tim Bowens (48 tackles, 5.0 tackles, 1 forced fumble, 1 recovery, 1 TD)

Daryl Gardener (52 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 1 forced fumble, 1 recovery)

Barron Tanner (22 tackles)

Linebackers

Zach Thomas (128 tackles, 0.5 sacks, 1 INT, 2 forced fumbles)

Derrick Rodgers (80 tackles, 5.0 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, 1 recovery)

Anthony Harris (67 tackles, 1.0 sack)

Dwight Hollier (35 tackles)

O.J. Brigance (1 recovery)

Mike Crawford

Ronnie Ward

Cornerbacks

Terrell Buckley (85 tackles, 4 INT, 1 forced fumble, 2 recoveries, 1 TD)

Calvin Jackson (76 tackles, 0.5 sacks, 1 recovery)

Sam Madison (21 tackles, 1 INT, 1 forced fumble)

Jerry Wilson (10 tackles, 2.0 sacks, 1 recovery)

Tim Jacobs (19 tackles)

Denorse Mosley

Safeties

Shawn Wooden (83 tackles, 2 INT, 2 recoveries)

George Teague (39 tackles, 2 INT, 1 forced fumble)

Correy Harris (43 tackles)

Bracy Walker (2 tackles, 1 recovery)

Specialists

Olindo Mare (28-for-36 FGs, 33-for-33 XPs, 117 points, 5 punt, 47.0 YPP avg)

John Kidd (52 punt, 43.2 YPP avg)

Kyle Richardson (11 punt, 43.6 YPP avg)