Garo Yepremian wasn't just a kicker for the Miami Dolphins. He was also Miami's most famous necktie salesman. Long before multi-million dollar contracts, most NFL players had real fulltime jobs to support themselves and their families. Yepremian had been in the necktie business since arriving in the United States from Cyprus. When he was released by the Detroit Lions after 1967, he worked primarily on his necktie business for three years before he got an opportunity with the Dolphins in 1970. Yepremian's neckties became a popular item in South Florida. Many of them had unique patterns, including motifs of goal posts and football themed designs. In addition to his necktie business, Yepremian was a proud member of the U.S. National Guard. He was officially naturalized as an American citizen during a ceremony at the Orange Bowl on July 4, 1973. Yepremian wore his National Guard uniform during the ceremony. He called it his proudest moment at the stadium. "Some very special things have happened to me here in this stadium. And this is the most special of them all," he said.
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