Kim Bokamper was a 6'6" linebacker out of San Jose State. Miami chose him with their first round selection of the 1976 NFL Entry Draft with the 19th overall pick. He would wear number 58 throughout his Dolphins career.
As a rookie in 1977, Bokamper accrued around 70 tackles along with three sacks and two fumble recoveries in 14 starts at left outside linebacker. Miami posted a 10-4 record on the season, missing the playoffs allowing an AFC second best 197 points on the season.
In 1978, Bokamper started each of Miami's 16 games, making around 105 tackles and approximately nine sacks, intercepting a pass, and blocking both a punt and a field goal. Miami returned to the playoffs with an 11-5 record and a wildcard spot, leading the NFL with 32 interceptions. Bokamper collected two sacks in the Dolphins 17-9 loss to the Houston Oilers in the Wildcard game.
Bokamper would be limited by injury in 1979, starting 13 of the 14 games in which he appeared. He still managed around 65 tackles and five sacks, making his only career Pro Bowl in the process. Miami finished the season 10-6, winning the AFC East. Miami ranked number four in the NFL in yardage allowed and in points scored, with 257 and 4,439, respectively. They also led the NFL by allowing only 238 first downs in total.
In 1980, Bokamper started all 16 games for the Dolphins, as the team finished the season 8-8, out of the playoff hunt. He made around 80 tackles along with a blocked punt, an interception, and around five sacks. Statistically, Miami's defense was around the middle to the bottom of the NFL in every significant category.
1981 would see the Dolphins finish the season 11-4-1, winning the AFC East title. Bokamper appeared in every game, but only started one, at defensive end. He only made 20 tackles on the season, but still managed to collect around six sacks. Miami's defense led the AFC by allowing 275 points on the season. Bokamper sacked San Diego quarterback Dan Fouts twice in the AFC Divisional round of the playoffs, as Miami lost, 41-38 in overtime.
In the strike-shortened 1982 season, Bokamper was moved full time to the right defensive end position, and would start six of nine games there. He made 42 tackles and 3.5 sacks along with one interception during the regular season as Miami finished at 7-2. Miami's defense was the best in the NFL, allowing a league low 1,027 passing yards and intercepting an NFL high 19 passes. Bokamper sacked Patriots quarterback Steve Grogan in the first round of the playoffs, a 28-13 win, and another on Dan Fouts the following week in a 34-13 victory over the Chargers. In the AFC Title game, he intercepted New York Jets quarterback Richard Todd twice in the pouring rain in Miami, as the Dolphins posted a 14-0 victory for a spot in Super Bowl XVII.
Bokamper started 15 games for the Dolphins as Miami aimed to repeat as Super Bowl contenders in 1983, easily winning the AFC East with a 12-4 record. He collected 48 tackles and one sack on the season, and scored his only career touchdown in a week seven victory over the New York Jets. He scored by returning an interception 24 yards for a score as Miami won, 32-14. Miami's defense led the NFL by a wide margin in points allowed, with 250.
In 1984, the Dolphins offense set a lot of records as the team finished with a 14-2 record. On the defensive side, Bokamper started 10 of 11 games at right defensive end, making around 30 tackles and three sacks. The "Killer B's" were in full force, as nine of the 11 starters (Bokamper, Doug Betters, Bob Baumhower, Bob Brudzinski, Jay Brophy, Mark Brown, Charles Bowser, Glenn and Lyle Blackwood) had last names beginning with the letter B. Miami made it all the way to Super Bowl XIX before bowing out to Joe Montana and the San Francisco 49ers by a score of 38-16.
Bokamper would appear in every game in 1985, starting 12 as Miami again claimed the AFC East title, with a 12-4 record. He finished with around 20 tackles and one sack, retiring after the season. He opened a sports bar, "Bokamper's Bar and Grill," and can be heard on WBGG-Miami, where he hosts a radio show.
In nine Miami seasons, Bokamper collected in the neighborhood of 480 tackles and 36.5 sacks (unofficially).