Miami Dolphins linebacker A.J. Duhe still a fan favorite all these years later
DAVIE, Fla. — It’s not often, but every now and then a Miami Dolphins fan will ask former Dolphins linebacker A.J. Duhe about that AFC Championship Game on Jan. 23, 1983, the one in which he recorded three interceptions against the New York Jets and quarterback Richard Todd to lead Miami to Super Bowl 17.
Advertisement
“If it’s a true Dolphins fan,” Duhe said from his home in Weston, Fla. “But then again as I’m getting older all the fans that went to that game, there’s getting less and less of them.”
Duhe, a 1977 first-round pick out of LSU who earned Defensive Rookie of the Year honors and a Pro Bowl berth before his eight-year career was cut short due to injuries, laughs.
“But every once in while you run into a guy who might have been 14 or something at the time, who is younger than me,” he said. “They bring it up. It’s kind of funny how that’s been forever ago it seems like, and it’s good. It’s good to know people have that fond of a memory of that day in their life.”
You remember the circumstances. It was a muddy field at the Orange Bowl and there were allegations Miami coach Don Shula kept the field uncovered during the weeklong rains to slow down the Jets’ speedy offense.
The game was tied, 0-0, at halftime. Duhe’s interceptions, all three coming in the second half including a 35-yard touchdown return in the fourth quarter, were the deciding factors in the Dolphins’ 14-0 victory.
On this day, Duhe, 64, finds the inquiry from a reporter a welcome relief. He, like everyone else, is trying to find ways to pass the time during these safer-at-home days of COVID-19.
“I hope I don’t get too politically incorrect,” he said. “I have a tendency to do that, but that’s OK. If people call me out, they call me out. I’ve got thick skin.”
Duhe works in the marketing department for Caesar’s Entertainment, which owns and operates Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas among other properties. It’s a job he has held since 1987, three years after he retired.
As with many other industries, casinos are shut down right now, so Duhe is on the sideline, so to speak. He wishes that wasn’t the case.
Whether Duhe is politically incorrect is more of an individual decision.
Advertisement
He has a sound mind. He’s had the tests to prove that’s the case.
Duhe is also in relatively good shape physically despite having five surgeries in his last two seasons. He had one knee replaced three years ago. It still gives him problems. He was supposed to have the other knee replaced last week, but that surgery was postponed. He’s got some back problems, and “I do have a mild slight variation in my hypertension blood pressure situation. It’s mild.”
But overall he considers himself blessed. Duhe and his wife, Frances, will celebrate their 40th anniversary in May. They have three adult children and two grandchildren.
“Life’s good,” he said. “There’s a lot of things worse in this world, as we see right now. I would probably be bitching more if we weren’t in COVID-19. I look at the situation as, ‘There are worse things going on. Don’t feel sorry for yourself, A.J.’ ”
And in that spirit, Duhe, a Louisiana native who has lived in South Florida since his NFL days, wishes the nation would somewhat get back to business.
However, he’s unsure whether that’s possible. He’s unsure what to believe about COVID-19.
“I just don’t know how honest and truthful the information is,” he said. “I don’t know if I’m caught up in the political things. One side plays against the other. I can’t kind of wrap my head around it. What is the truth?
“I need the truth and it seems like nobody can provide the truth because you’ve got two sides giving two different opinions on it, and what do you do? What do you do when both people have a solid position and they both sound like they could be accurate. Kind of a shitty spot to be in, right?”
Duhe still misses the game. He still loves the game.
“I guess I love my teammates,” he said. “There’s nothing better than having a family, I guess.”
The Dolphins family of alums, led by former wide receiver and team executive Nat Moore, stays in touch. They had a Zoom call last week to discuss changes to the CBA (Collective Bargaining Agreement) and how it might affect ex-players, and they’re scheduled to have another call this weekend to stay in touch with each other and make sure everyone is healthy, which they are right now.
Advertisement
Duhe tells anyone who will listen, the changes to the CBA, specifically the part that gives more pension money to ex-players, are a motivating factor for his good health.
“I say, ‘You know what? I want to live ’til I’m 90 or 100 because I want to get all my damn money from my damn pension plan to make up for all the money they didn’t pay me,’” he said.
“It’s funny, but it’s kinda like, ‘Damn it, I’m gonna get them back. I’m gonna get ’em on the back end.’”
Duhe laughs.
Life is still good.
People still remember the AFC Championship Game.
“It obviously makes me feel good people are that aware of what I did,” Duhe said.
“I don’t live for that to happen. I just find it fascinating that it‘s still kind of talked about. It’s a moment in time that people still have a fond memory of and that’s good. It’s pleasing.”
(Photo: Associated Press)
ncG1vNJzZmismJqutbTLnquim16YvK57kHBrbnFiaXxzfJFpZmlsX2aBcK%2FArZqhoZ6cera8jLCgraBdoraiuchmm6ikoJ22r7%2BMpaCnnZKWsKyx0WaYZqJdmcKpsY4%3D