Roanoke Times Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc. DATE: WEDNESDAY, September 7, 1994 TAG: 9409070141 SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B2 EDITION: METRO SOURCE: FROM ASSOCIATED PRESS REPORTS DATELINE: LENGTH: Short
Matheson died Monday at Duke University Hospital.
A first-team All-American for Duke in 1966, Matheson was a first-round draft pick of the Cleveland Browns.
He joined the Dolphins in 1971 and was a key member of the ``53 Defense,'' named for his uniform number, which helped Miami get to three straight Super Bowls, the Dolphins winning against Washington in 1973 and Minnesota in 1974.
Matheson stayed with Miami through the 1979 season, then returned to Duke as an assistant coach under Red Wilson.
He continued coaching even after he was diagnosed with cancer, working for John Gutekunst at Minnesota from 1988 to 1990, but then returned to Durham to work for the cancer research center there.
He is survived by his wife, Pam, and three children - Todd, 23, Drew, 20 and Jill, 17.
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by CNB