By the Dolphins’ unbeaten season in 1972, Shula’s players had found a way to ease the tension. About a week before the Super Bowl, defensive linemen Bill Stanfill and Manny Fernandez, both fun-loving characters, went fishing and caught and captured a three-foot alligator. After practice the next day, running back Larry Csonka distracted Shula’s secretary so that Fernandez could leave the alligator in Shula’s private shower. When the coach stepped in, he found the alligator, screamed and ran into the locker room to confront his players.

Source: New York Times May 04, 2020 14:47 UTC