Sunday night, the Miami Dolphins will culminate a week-long celebration of the 50th anniversary of what hadn’t happened before and has not taken place since: a National Football League team going undefeated for an entire season.
The 1972 Dolphins will be honored during the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers after the 17-0 season that culminated in a Super Bowl VII victory for the first championship in franchise history. But, the story of the perfect season started one year before.
A 24-3 loss one season before in Super Bowl VI set the stage of what head coach Don Shula would do the following season. 1972 marked his third season with Miami and his roster was stacked with players that included future Pro Football Hall of Famers quarterback Bob Griese, center Jim Langer, running back Larry Csonka, offensive lineman Nick Buoniconti, wide receiver Paul Warfield all led by a Hall of Famer in Shula.
After winning their first four games, a potentially major speed bump was put in place when Griese was sidelined with a broken ankle in a Game 5 win over the then-San Diego Chargers. Griese would be replaced by Earl Morrall, who had previously played for Shula with the then-Baltimore Colts.
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After a one-point win over the divisional rival Buffalo Bills, the Dolphins cruised to three straight wins by a combined score of 105-16 that included two shutouts.
Miami would finish the regular season with a 14-0 record and hosted the AFC Divisional Round playoff game, beating the Cleveland Browns before an AFC Championship Game showdown with the Steelers.
On an unusually comfortable New Year’s Eve weather wise in the Steel City, Griese would return in the second half with the Dolphins trailing and lead a comeback to a 21-17 victory and back-to-back AFC titles. Next up was a return to the league’s title game against the then-Washington Redskins.
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Amazingly, Miami entered the game a three-point underdog but quickly jumped out to a 14-0 lead. The lead was just enough to overcome a turnover in the fourth quarter when kicker Garo Yepermian tried to throw the ball on a botched field goal attempt - which was picked off for a touchdown. Safety Jake Scott would win the game’s MVP honors with two interceptions.
The victory sealed the 17-0 season and gave South Florida its first championship in any sport. The Dolphins would follow that with a title in Super Bowl VIII, but have been back to the title game just twice and haven't been back since the 1984 season.
Over 40 years later, the Dolphins were honored for their accomplishment with a visit to the White House and a ceremony with former President Barack Obama. Shula used the occasion to remind Obama that in the 1985 season, the Dolphins kept his beloved Chicago Bears from an undefeated season with a loss in Miami.
Sunday’s event with be the first without the famed coach Shula, who died in 2020. Four assistant coaches and and over a dozen players from the team have also passed away, making this year’s edition even more memorable for those still around to remind the football world which team was truly perfect.
