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Csonka's life after football? Just perfect

Ex-Dolphin, in area for autograph show, loves the outdoors.

By DARRELL FRY, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published May 17, 2002

Larry Csonka, who powered the great early 1970s Miami teams, figures he didn't make anywhere near the millions NFL players make today. But 30 years after he helped lead the Dolphins to that perfect 1972 season, he is in many ways as rich as anyone who ever played the game.

He realized that a few months ago while on an Alaskan fishing trip with a buddy, who pointed to nuggets of gold lying at the bottom of the stream.

"I said, "Don't you take it out?' And he said, "Some days we pan, but mostly we fish,' " Csonka recalled. "I thought about it and then I said, "If I did that, all I would want to do is get enough money to go fishing, and I'm already standing here doing that.' He said, "That's the point.' "

Since he retired from the NFL after the 1979 season, Csonka has spent most of his days doing exactly what he loves to do most -- fish and hunt. The Hall of Fame fullback did it for recreation at first, but for the past decade or so he has made it his living as the host of various outdoor television shows.

These days he hosts two series that air on Saturdays, Csonka Outdoors on the Outdoor Life Network and North to Alaska on The National Network, which basically allows him to live his dream life 30 to 35 weeks a year.

"Not a bad way to earn a living," he said this week by telephone.

Csonka, 55, comes out of the woods this weekend for a rare autograph session, along with former teammate and running back Jim Kiick, Saturday at Crossroads Mall in Clearwater. The two-hour session begins at noon.

Csonka said he only does one or two such appearances a year. "It's just sitting around signing footballs," he said. "I could be fishing."

Csonka seemingly has fished in every lake, stream and pond known to man as part of his outdoors shows. He has done it all, traveling to remote locations such as the Arctic Circle. And he has had everything happen to him, from getting stranded in the wilderness to nearly being attacked by a bear to witnessing a crash landing by his camera crew after the small plane filled with smoke (no one was hurt).

Not surprisingly, Csonka, who was as tough as anyone who ever played the game, talks about those chilling experiences as if they were no big deal.

"It's just part of being there," he said.

No matter where Csonka or Kiick go or how much time passes, there is no escaping their legacy. They are forever tied to that '72 Miami team that went 17-0, including a Super Bowl victory over the Redskins, still the only one ever to finish undefeated.

Csonka said he gets asked about it 15 to 20 times a day. Kiick, 55, who has remained in South Florida, said he still gets five or six letters a week related to that season.

"Down here especially (he gets recognized), but pretty much everywhere," said Kiick, who runs a sports promotions business that books former players for special events such as celebrity golf tournaments.

The Dolphins are planning to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the '72 perfect season, inviting players from that team to join the festivities in Miami. Csonka and Kiick plan to attend.

For Kiick, there never can be enough attention paid to that team, which he said doesn't get the respect it deserves. He said a computerized game hit the market a few years ago featuring all-time great teams and had the '72 Dolphins losing to one of the Steelers' Super Bowl squads.

"When you think that only one team has accomplished something in some 75 or 80 years of existence of the NFL, and when they talk about the great teams, they talk about the Cowboys and the 49ers and the Pittsburgh Steelers and we're down the list a little bit," he said. "I think it bothers most of the players that the recognition hasn't been given to us that we deserve.

"I mean, we weren't only good that year. We had the best two-year record of anybody by far (they went 12-2 in the 1973 regular season, and routed the Vikings in the Super Bowl). We only lost two games in two years. That's pretty phenomenal. I think if we had accomplished what we had accomplished in New York, we would have been thought about every year."

Added Csonka: "The record speaks for itself."

So, how would that '72 team fare in today's game?

"Obviously the game has changed and there's a lot more size now, but in the key positions I think we could fare well," said Kiick, who played at 215 pounds while Csonka was around 250. "The offensive line and the defensive line would be a little more difficult because these guys are 300 pounds. But it's not that the talent is not there."

Neither Csonka or Kiick harps on those days. Except for their traditional toast each season when the last undefeated team is beaten, preserving their achievement, they say they don't live in those days, focusing instead on their current lives.

Both of Kiick's children are involved in youth sports, especially his 6-year-old daughter, whom Kiick said dominates her soccer, basketball and flag football teams. "Someday you're going to read about her," he said.

Csonka is completely removed from pro football except for the few months each year he spends with family in Ohio and South Florida. The only place he stays for long stretches is outdoors.

"I would have liked to have made $30-million a year or whatever those guys are getting paid now," he said. "Sometimes people ask about that and I say, "If I would have (made that much money) I would have probably gotten involved in some business undertaking in order to protect all that money and I would have been standing outside a bank with a shotgun protecting the money instead of fishing.'

"It's like I said, gold is better off left in the stream."

AUTOGRAPH SESSION: Former Dolphins Larry Csonka and Jim Kiick will sign from noon-2 p.m. Saturday at Crossroads Mall on U.S. 19 and Roosevelt Boulevard in Clearwater. Csonka's autograph is $39-$79 depending on the item to be signed. Kiick's autograph runs $12-$25. More information: B-N-LSPORTS.COM.

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