This is part three of a ninety-nine part series, where I’ll dig into jersey numbers and notable players that wore each number for the Miami Dolphins. In this part, we’ll review The History of Jersey #3.
The number three jersey has only been worn by 10 different players in franchise history – none of which wore it for more than two seasons.
Today, we’ll focus on three of them: Joey Harrington, Andrew Franks, and Will Fuller V
Joey Harrington, Quarterback, 2006
Drafted 3rd overall out of Oregon in the 2002 draft by the Detroit Lions, Harrington was believed by many to be the franchises savior and the quarterback of the future.
Fast forwarding a few years: Harrington, sporting an 18-37 record as the starter, with a 54.7% completion percentage, 60 touchdowns, 62 interceptions and a quarterback rating of 68.1 in Detroit would be traded to the Miami Dolphins for a 5th round pick.
Harrington would kick start his career as a Miami Dolphins backing up Daunte Culpepper in what would be the first – and only season – under head coach Nick Saban. Did he ever go to Alabama?
During his time in Miami, Harrington would play just one season and start 11 games. The stat line? He finished with a 5-6 record with 2,236 yards passing, 12 touchdowns, 15 interceptions, a completion percentage of 57.5% and a QB rating of 68.2. Not great.
Harrington would not be resigned by the team as they continued their search for the heir to Dan Marinos throne.
Andrew Franks, Kicker, 2015-2016
An undrafted free agent out of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (where?), Andrew Franks was brought in during the 2015 offseason to compete with incumbent starter Caleb Sturgis. Franks would go on to win the offseason kicking competition and take over as the new starting kicker for the Miami Dolphins.
Andrew Franks would remain the teams starting kick for two seasons, finishing with a field goal percentage of 78.4%, extra point percentage of 94.9% and a career long of 55 yards. After the 2016 season, Franks would be released.
William Fuller V, Wide Receiver, 2021
Will Fuller V, an incredibly talented but oft-injured (and once suspended) wide receiver drafted in the first rounder of the 2016 draft by the Houston Texans would go on to have a solid start to his career. In five years with the Texans, Fuller would accumulate 3,110 yards receiving and 24 touchdowns across 53 games.
In 2021, as an unrestricted free agent, Fuller would sign a one year $10 million deal to line up across from Jaylen Waddle as another spreed threat for quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.
Will Fuller V would go on to play in two total games, catching four passes on eight targets for 26 yards, three of those receptions going for a first down with a long of 10 yards. After the season, one that was cut 15 games short by a hand injury, Fuller would retire from the NFL.
Honorable mentions: Jay Feely (2007), Josh Rosen (2019) and Myles Gaskin (2022)
