Doug Betters
Encyclopedia
Doug Betters is an American football
player who played defensive end
for the Miami Dolphins
from 1978 to 1987.
After graduating from Arlington Heights High School in Illinois
, Betters played college Division I football for the University of Montana Grizzlies from 1974 to 1976, then transferred to the University of Nevada, Reno
in 1977. The next year he was a 6th round draft pick
for the Dolphins.
Betters was a part of Miami's "Killer B's" defense, and went to Super Bowl XVII
and XIX
. In 1983, Betters recorded 16 sack
s in 16 games and won the NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award
, and was named to the AFC
Pro Bowl
team. In '83 and '84, Betters was named the Miami Dolphins "Outstanding Defensive Lineman." Betters played 146 NFL games and made 64½ career sacks (46½ official, post–1981). He was named by the fans to the Dolphins' Silver Anniversary Team in 1991. Betters was an assistant coach for the University of Montana Grizzlies in 1995 and 1996.
In 1998, Betters suffered a spinal cord
injury while skiing
at Big Mountain
in Whitefish, Montana
.
Betters founded the Doug Betters Winter Classic Organization in 1985, which provides money for children in need of medical care. Betters is involved with numerous other charitable organizations, including the Special Olympics
and United Way. In 2002 he received the Big Brothers/Big Sisters
of Montana Award. As of 2003 he resides in Whitefish.
On December 14, 2008, Betters was inducted into the Miami Dolphins Ring of Honor
during a ceremony at Dolphin Stadium.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player who played defensive end
Defensive end
Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...
for the Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
from 1978 to 1987.
After graduating from Arlington Heights High School in Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, Betters played college Division I football for the University of Montana Grizzlies from 1974 to 1976, then transferred to the University of Nevada, Reno
University of Nevada, Reno
The University of Nevada, Reno , is a teaching and research university established in 1874 and located in Reno, Nevada, USA...
in 1977. The next year he was a 6th round draft pick
NFL Draft
The National Football League Draft is an annual event in which the National Football League teams select eligible college football players and it is their most common source of player recruitment. The basic design of the draft is each team is given a position in the drafting order in reverse order...
for the Dolphins.
Betters was a part of Miami's "Killer B's" defense, and went to Super Bowl XVII
Super Bowl XVII
Super Bowl XVII was an American football game played on January 30, 1983 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California to decide the National Football League champion following the strike-shortened 1982 regular season...
and XIX
Super Bowl XIX
Super Bowl XIX was an American football game played on January 20, 1985 at Stanford Stadium, on the campus of Stanford University in Stanford, California, to decide the National Football League champion following the 1984 regular season...
. In 1983, Betters recorded 16 sack
Quarterback sack
In American football and Canadian football, a sack occurs when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage before he can throw a forward pass, or when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage in the "pocket" and the intent of what he was going to do is unclear...
s in 16 games and won the NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award
NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award
The NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award is given by the Associated Press to the league's most outstanding defensive player at the end of every NFL season since 1971. Multiple-award winners include Lawrence Taylor, who won it three times, and Joe Greene, Mike Singletary, Bruce Smith, Reggie...
, and was named to the AFC
American Football Conference
The American Football Conference is one of the two conferences of the National Football League . This conference and its counterpart, the National Football Conference , currently contain 16 teams each, making up the 32 teams of the NFL....
Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
team. In '83 and '84, Betters was named the Miami Dolphins "Outstanding Defensive Lineman." Betters played 146 NFL games and made 64½ career sacks (46½ official, post–1981). He was named by the fans to the Dolphins' Silver Anniversary Team in 1991. Betters was an assistant coach for the University of Montana Grizzlies in 1995 and 1996.
In 1998, Betters suffered a spinal cord
Spinal cord
The spinal cord is a long, thin, tubular bundle of nervous tissue and support cells that extends from the brain . The brain and spinal cord together make up the central nervous system...
injury while skiing
Skiing
Skiing is a recreational activity using skis as equipment for traveling over snow. Skis are used in conjunction with boots that connect to the ski with use of a binding....
at Big Mountain
Big Mountain
-United States:* Big Mountain Ridge, California, an unincorporated area* Big Mountain, Alaska, a mountain in Lake and Peninsula Borough, Alaska** Big Mountain Air Force Station, near Big Mountain, Alaska* Big Mountain, Arizona, another name for Black Mesa, Arizona...
in Whitefish, Montana
Whitefish, Montana
Whitefish is a city in Flathead County, Montana, United States. The population was 5,032 at the 2000 census. It is home to a ski resort on Big Mountain called Whitefish Mountain Resort. Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer hails from Whitefish....
.
Betters founded the Doug Betters Winter Classic Organization in 1985, which provides money for children in need of medical care. Betters is involved with numerous other charitable organizations, including the Special Olympics
Special Olympics
Special Olympics is the world's largest sports organization for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, providing year-round training and competitions to more than 3.1 million athletes in 175 countries....
and United Way. In 2002 he received the Big Brothers/Big Sisters
Big Brothers Big Sisters of America
Big Brothers Big Sisters of America is a 501 non-profit organization whose mission is to help children reach their potential through professionally supported, one-to-one relationships with mentors that try to have a measurable impact on youth....
of Montana Award. As of 2003 he resides in Whitefish.
On December 14, 2008, Betters was inducted into the Miami Dolphins Ring of Honor
The Miami Dolphin Honor Roll
The Miami Dolphin Honor Roll is a ring around the second tier at Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, which honors former players, coaches, contributors, and officials who have made significant contributions to the Miami Dolphins franchise....
during a ceremony at Dolphin Stadium.