National Football League

Ex-Dolphin Rob Konrad Discusses 9-Mile Swim to Shore

The former Miami Dolphins player who survived a nine-mile swim to shore after falling off his boat in the waters off Palm Beach County last week said he endured a "boater's nightmare."

"I shouldn't be here," Rob Konrad told reporters at a news conference in Plantation Monday.

Konrad, 38, was aboard his 36-foot boat Thursday when he tripped and fell overboard as the boat was on autopilot at 5 mph, according to a Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office report.

Konrad said he'd hooked a fish when a bog wave hit his boat, knocking him off as the boat motored away.

"I quickly realized I was in a real bad situation and made the decision that I was going to start swimming toward shore," Konrad said.

A fishing boat passed within 50 yards of him as he swam, but he wasn't able to flag them down, he said. A Coast Guard helicopter also flew over him but didn't see him. He also said he was bitten by jellyfish and had a shark swim circles around him.

"I prayed to God to send a boat or the Coast Guard to come get me," Konrad said. "After some time I just said, 'Look, I'm not dying tonight. I'm going to make it to shore.'"

He swam the nine miles to shore and approached an officer wearing only his underwear, the report said. The report said he told the officer he had been swimming for 10 hours, but Konrad said he was in the water for about 16 hours.

Konrad was taken to a nearby hospital and treated for symptoms of hypothermia and dehydration. He was released after several days.

The Dolphins drafted Konrad in the second round of the 1999 NFL Draft. The fullback played parts of six seasons in Miami, recording seven touchdowns.

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