Former Dolphins LB Channing Crowder recalls his greatest memories

We return to our 50th Anniversary coverage of the Miami Dolphins by bringing you an exclusive interview with former Dolphins linebacker Channing Crowder. Crowder was a six-year veteran who spent his entire career in a Miami Dolphins uniform, and after being released in 2011, Crowder abruptly announced his retirement.

Although Crowder's career ended on a very sudden note, he did manage to put together a rather impressive string of seasons while he was in a Dolphins uniform. In 2005 - his rookie year - Crowder started 13 of the 16 games he played in, with 11 of them being as a WLB and 2 of them at MLB.  Crowder also ranked second on the team that year with 84 tackles, which was the highest total by a Dolphins rookie since Zach Thomas tallied 164 in 1996.

Crowder racked up a grand total of 469 tackles during his NFL tenure, and had 3 forced fumbles and an interception. He never set the world on fore with his numbers, but he was a key player on the Dolphins defense with his tenacity and attitude.

Up until very recently, Crowder was the co-host of the Kup and Crowder Show on 560 WQAM with Adam Kuperstein, before the show was cancelled in order to make room for more conventional four hour shows, as their show was only two hours long. Their show will be sorely missed, and hopefully either a change of heart will be made soon, or Crowder will soon find himself a new radio home.

Luis Sung: What is your greatest memory from your career as a Miami Dolphin?

CC: My greatest memory, personally; being drafted. The Dolphins giving me an opportunity to play in the NFL, and on the field would probably be when I had the interception - the Tom Brady interception to win the game (in 2009), so personally, on the field it would be the Tom Brady interception, and then just being drafted, just the Dolphins giving me an opportunity, Nick Saban drafting me in 2005 in the third round of that 2005 draft. So both of those would probably stick out the most to me.

LS: What's an off-the-field story that you have that really touched you during your time as a Dolphin?

CC: Actually, the first time I worked with the Boys and Girls club was with the Dolphins. Seeing the way the Boys and Girls club did things and seeing the structure, how they had the kids and how many kids they helped, and now I actually I've been retired four years and I actually do four events with the Boys and Girls Club, I'm in good with the CEOs and all those guys at Broward County Boys and Girls Club. 

So, the initial meeting between me and the Boys and Girls club was through the Dolphins and now we have four events a year, we raise a bunch of money for them. So, almost back to where we're at now, just the off-the-field, the bigger picture, You know you have the South Florida where you have the parties and you have all the stuff of South Florida they show on TV, but there's so many great people in South Florida and the opportunity to meet them through the Dolphins was big for me and that's why - being from Atlanta - I stayed in South Florida after I did retire.

LS: The first fifty years have been great for the organization. What are you hoping fans will see about the organization going forward into the next fifty years?

CC: It started out so strong, you still hear about 1972 and you know undefeated, and just to get back there. I’m hoping that this regime, hoping that Tannehill comes around and he continues to grow and just this team can turn it back to where people talk about in those 70’s, and the Jimmy Johnson's and Shula’s and stuff like that, let's get back to those times when the Dolphins are dominating and going to the playoffs every year and making a run.