Nick Buoniconti
Co-Founder and Philanthropic Leader (Deceased)
Miami Connection
Buoniconti co-founded The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis in 1985, one of the world's leading neurological research centers at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. The organization has raised nearly half a billion dollars for spinal cord injury research and operates with a $20 million annual science budget employing 175 research scientists. Through The Buoniconti Fund established in 1992, he led national fundraising efforts that have significantly advanced treatments for paralysis.
About
Nick Buoniconti (December 15, 1940 – July 30, 2019) was an undersized linebacker who dominated the NFL for 14 seasons, primarily with the Miami Dolphins. He was a key anchor of the Dolphins' famed 'No-Name Defense,' leading the team to two Super Bowl victories in 1972 and 1973, and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2001. After his son Marc suffered a spinal cord injury in 1985, Buoniconti dedicated himself to medical research and philanthropy. He co-founded The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis with Dr. Barth A. Green and served as a longtime University of Miami trustee, balancing his football legacy with careers in law, broadcasting, and corporate leadership.