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It has been said the letters NFL stand for Not For Long. Rich Diana played only one season for the Miami Dolphins as a backup running back. But he was hardly a typical rookie. He was a Division IAA All American at Yale University, where he rushed for 1,400 yards and scored 14 touchdowns as a senior, finishing 10th in the 1981 Heisman Trophy voting and even received three first place votes. While most employers would covet hiring an Ivy League graduate, Diana discovered the NFL was a dangerous and cutthroat profession with a very short life span. After getting drafted in the 5th round by Miami in 1982, Diana made the team. He carried the ball only 8 times for 31 yards. But he got the opportunity to play for a Miami team that reached Super Bowl XVII, losing to the Washington Redskins. It appeared Diana had a future in pro football. But a neck injury in the second preseason game in 1983 was a wake-up call. Just one day after the injury, he called it quits.
Diana knew he was never going to be a great NFL player. But he always knew he had the talent to be a great surgeon. He graduated from Yale Medical School. For the past 35 years, Dr. Diana has been the team orthopedic surgeon for the Boston Red Sox and a motivational speaker. He also authored the book “Healthy Joints for Life”. To read more stories about the Orange Bowl, visit us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/
