Tommy Vigorito
| No. 32 | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position: | Running back, punt returner | ||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||
| Born: | October 23, 1959 Passaic, New Jersey, U.S. | ||||||||||||
| Died: | May 13, 2025 (aged 65) | ||||||||||||
| Height: | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) | ||||||||||||
| Weight: | 193 lb (88 kg) | ||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||
| High school: | DePaul Catholic (Wayne, New Jersey) | ||||||||||||
| College: | Virginia | ||||||||||||
| NFL draft: | 1981: 5th round, 138th pick | ||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||
Thomas J. Vigorito[1] (October 23, 1959[1] – May 13, 2025) was an American professional football player. He was a running back and punt returner in the National Football League (NFL) for the Miami Dolphins (1981–1983, 1985). He played college football for the Virginia Cavaliers from 1977 to 1980.
Early life
[edit]Vigorito was born in Passaic, New Jersey.[2][3] He attended DePaul Catholic High School in Wayne, New Jersey,[3] where he lettered in football, track, and baseball. Vigorito helped the football team win the 1975 state championship.[4] He was a Parade high school All-American,[5] receiving scholarship offers from Notre Dame, Boston College, Duke, Purdue, Penn State, and Virginia.[6]
College career
[edit]Vigorito attended the University of Virginia, playing college football for the Cavaliers from 1977 to 1980.[3] He was an offensive force, leading the team in all-purpose yards in 1977, 1978, and 1980; rushing in 1978, 1979, and 1980 (including 1,045 yards in 1979); kickoff returns in 1977; and receptions in 1980. His 81-yard run against North Carolina State in 1979 is, as of 2024[update], the third-longest run in Virginia football history. That season, Vigorito was named to the All-ACC first team. He finished his career as Virginia's No. 2 rusher with 2,912 rushing yards (as of the end of the 2024 season he ranks 7th overall).[7][8][9] Vigorito was chosen to play in the 1981 East-West Shrine Football Classic.[9]
Professional football
[edit]Vigorito was selected by the Miami Dolphins in the fifth round of the 1981 NFL draft with the 138th overall pick.[3] He nearly signed with the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League, who offered him more money, but he opted to play for Miami's legendary coach Don Shula.[7]
As a rookie in 1981, he was the Dolphins' No. 3 halfback behind Tony Nathan and Eddie Hill. He won the Tommy Fitzgerald Award as the Dolphins' outstanding rookie in training camp.[7] He appeared in 16 games as a rookie, tallying 33 receptions for 237 yards and 116 rushing yads on 35 carries for a 3.3 yard average. He also gained 379 yards on 36 punt returns, an average of 10.5 yards per return, and set a then-Dolphins record with an 87-yard return on a nationally-televised Thursday night game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.[3][7] Vigorito was named the Dolphins Outstanding Special Teams Player for the 1981 season.[10]
In the strike-shortened 1982 season, Vigorito appeared in all nine Miami games, including one as a starter, tallying 24 receptions for 186 yards and 99 rushing yards on 19 carries. He also gained 192 yards on 20 punt returns,[3] including a 59-yard touchdown return in the season opener against the rival New York Jets.[11]
Vigorito tore his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his right knee on a 62-yard punt return in the 1983 season opener and missed the rest of the season and the entire 1984 season.[3][12][13][14] In that era, recovery from ACL injuries was not always successful.[15] He returned to the Dolphins in 1985 and was used primarily as a punt returner, tallying 197 yards on 22 returns.[3]
Death
[edit]Vigorito died on May 13, 2025, at the age of 65.[2][16]
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Tommy Vigorito Stats". Pro Football Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved February 13, 2025.
- ^ a b "Thomas 'Tommy' Vigorito". Vander May. Retrieved May 17, 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Tommy Vigorito". Pro Football Archives. Retrieved February 13, 2025.
- ^ Namias, Chip (1985). 1985 Miami Dolphins Media Guide. Miami Dolphins. p. 95. Retrieved May 17, 2025 – via Internet Archive.
- ^ Travers, Bill (December 13, 1976). "News Football Stars Feted at Jet Game". Daily News. p. 64. Retrieved May 19, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Doug Doughty (September 25, 1979). "Tommy Vigorito doesn't regret picking Virginia". The Roanoke Times & World News. p. B3 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c d Jack Bogaczyk (November 21, 1981). "Tom Vigorito likes his role with the Dophins". The Roanoke Times & World-News. p. B4 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Douh Doughty (November 20, 1980). "Reluctant star: Vigorito 'has always liked crowds because he can get lost in them'". The Roanoke Times & World-News. p. 1D – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b Virginia 2024 Football Record Book (PDF). 2024. pp. Various. Retrieved May 19, 2025.
- ^ White, Eddie, ed. (1986). Miami Dolphins 1986 Media Guide. Miami Dolphins. p. 223. Retrieved May 17, 2025 – via Internet Archive.
- ^ Dolphins 83 Media Guide. Miami Dolphins. 1983. p. 63. Retrieved May 17, 2025 – via Internet Archive.
- ^ Andy Cohen. "Vigorito faces life with injured knee, crumpled dreams". Fort Lauderdale News. p. 8C – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Larry Dorman (May 11, 1984). "Vigorito's future still in doubt". The Miami Herald – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Cynthia Thums (June 22, 1984). "The longest road back". Boca Raton News. p. 1C – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Kelly, Omar (May 15, 2025). "Former Miami Dolphins fan favorite passes at 65". Miami Herald. Retrieved May 19, 2025.
- ^ Habib, Hal (May 14, 2025). "Ex-Miami Dolphins punt returner Tommy Vigorito dies at 65". Palm Beach Post. Retrieved May 17, 2025.