Hall of Fame Center Jim Langer Dies at 71

COON RAPIDS (AP) -- Pro Football Hall of Fame center Jim Langer, who was literally in the middle of the Miami Dolphins' 1972 perfect season, has died at the age of 71.

Langer died Thursday at a Coon Rapids hospital near his home of a sudden heart-related problem, said his wife, Linda.

Langer was a first-year starter and played every offensive down for the NFL's only unbeaten, untied team that went 17-0. The following year he helped the Dolphins repeat as Super Bowl champions and began a stretch of six consecutive Pro Bowl seasons for Miami while playing in 128 games in a row.

A Royalton, Minnesota native, Langer played at South Dakota State and went undrafted. He signed with Cleveland as a rookie in 1970 but was cut and joined the Dolphins.

Langer finished his NFL career with the Minnesota Vikings in 1981.

In the mid-1980s, Langer worked as a broadcaster for WJON AM 1240 handling color commentator duties for the St. Cloud State University Huskies football broadcasts.

WJON News contributed to this story