The former Miami Dolphins clearance turnover and the ball carrier Tommy Vigorito died earlier Tuesday morning, his former high school published online.
Vigorito, a parade from the All-American high school in Depaul Catholic High School in Passaic, NJ, played for dolphins from 1981 to 1985. He was 65 years old.
It is with a heavy heart that we announce the death of @Depaulcatholic Legend Tommy Vigorito. The former deputy for Depaul and Kick Return died this morning. Vigorito won all American honors in Depaul. He continued to be a star who runs at the University of … pic.twitter.com/3yqSyppqhp
– DEPAUL FOOTBALL (@dpfootball) May 13, 2025
Especially known with dolphins as a small ball carrier who mainly manipulated the return tasks of the clearance covers, Vigorito was written during the fifth round of the 1981 draft of the University of Virginia, where he ended his career as the second rusher of all time of the school with 2,912 yards. He was also appointed First Team All-ECC in 1979.
In Miami, Vigorito’s best season was his first. He immediately resumed the return tasks of clearance booty, recording 36 returns for 379 yards, including a return of 87 yards for a touch against the Pittsburgh steelers in a victory on Thursday evening televised at the national level. (Yes, there was a time when “televised nationwide” was a big problem.)
He also returned a boot of clearance in his second season (1982) against the 59 yards jets for a touchdown who helped break a 7-7 draw in the first quarter and opened the valves for the Dolphins on the way to a possible 45-28 victory in Shea Stadium.
For his career, Vigorito posted 79 returns of cottage for 830 yards and two affected for dolphins. He also had 59 receptions for 439 yards (7.4) and two affected as well as 54 races for 215 yards and a pair of touchdown.
A favorite of fans largely because of its size and attitude without seizure on returns, Vigorito’s career was interrupted when it has torn its right anterior cross ligament when the 1983 was opened. It was a time when LCA surgeries were less commonly successful and far from being as refined as it is today.
Vigorito missed the whole of 1984 but returned in 1985. At that time, the Dolphins had added the new arrivals WR Mark Clayton and the RB Lorenzo Hampton, who played his roles in the time he had been released, but he was able to play this last season as the main man of the Dolphins.
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