Bottom line: Howard Twilley took a backseat to Paul Warfield during most of the season, but he had the spotlight on him in the Super Bowl. 1972 was the seventh consecutive season that Warfield averaged at least 20 yards per reception, and he caught three of the teams seven completions in the Super Bowl. Coach Don Shula also died in that timeframe (May 4, 2020). Our goal was not to go to the Super Bowl but to win it. His illness means he can no longer tie his own shoelaces or dry himself after a shower. In the 1970 draft and ensuing free agency period, Shula added cornerback Tim Foley, safety Jake Scott, guard Bob Kuechenberg, and future Hall of Fame center Jim Langer. After Colts quarterback Marty Domres sprained his ankle, Baltimore briefly inserted Johnny Unitas at quarterback late in the second quarter for what would be his final game as a Colt. The 2022 Philadephia Eagles lost their Week 10 matchup against the Washington Commanders, ending a run at a perfect season. Also of note, running back Larry Csonka surpassed 1,000rushing yards on the season during this game. Later in the quarter, Dolphins cornerback Lloyd Mumphord intercepted Cardinals quarterback Jim Hart and returned the ball for a touchdown. The team compiled a postseason mark of 3-0. With the victory, the Dolphins also clinched the AFC East title. [41] Near the beginning of the first quarter, Dolphins safety Dick Anderson intercepted Jets quarterback Joe Namath's first pass of that game. One publication even named him as the most outstanding blocker in the entire league, and Don Shula praised Little for not only his play but his influence on younger teammates. [20], A nine-play, 76-yard drive to open the second half pushed Miami further ahead. . In Super Bowl VIII, against the Minnesota Vikings, Briscoe caught two passes for 19 yards. Miami then led New York by 2117. Bottom line: The only starter on the '72 Dolphins defense that was a first-round pick, Bill Stanfill also was one of two first-team All-Pros on the defense. He also got a chance to show off his arm a few times, completing three of his four attempts for 75 yards. Warfield, who was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1983, is one of the oldest living members from that '72 team and has been enjoying retirement in Southern California for the past few years. Because, for the first time in a long time, the 1972 Miami Dolphins can officially pop the champagne. Shula coached the only perfect season in NFL history and is the all-time winningest coach in league history. Miami led St. Louis 70 following the first quarter. [3], The Dolphins went 140 in the regular season and won all three postseason games to finish 170, the only undefeated and untied season in NFL history. Truth is, the 1973 Dolphins defense probably was just as good as the 1972 version, if not better. They also scanned seven control regions - regions that tend not to be affected. No ties. In those five seasons, the Dolphins reached the playoffs all five years, won three AFC Championships, two Super Bowls and went undefeated and untied while winning the Super Bowl in 1972.
Mike Kolen, a starting linebacker for both Dolphins' Super Bowl-winning teams, told the Herald that he was recently diagnosed with initial stages of Alzheimer's. This would be the final score of the first half, as Miami halted another scoring attempt by Buffalo when cornerback Tim Foley intercepted Shaw at Miami's 20-yard line. Just perfection. For the 50th anniversary celebration, the Dolphins wore throwback uniforms as well as patches bearing a classic Dolphins logo, the number 50, and the years 1972 and 2022. [32], Dolphins tackle Manny Fernandez strip-sacked Bills quarterback Dennis Shaw at the Buffalo 10-yard line on the first play of the third quarter. The game then continued to be a defensive battle between the two teams. In three seasons (28 games, 20 starts) with Miami, he caught 57 passes for 858 yards (15.1 average) and eight touchdowns. The former Miami back played in three Super Bowls and won two of them with the Dolphins in 1972 and 1973. He was diagnosed with dementia and when his family reached out to the NFL for help, they constantly got the runaround. [55], On the opening drive of the third quarter, the Redskins advanced as far as the Dolphins 17-yard line, before Manny Fernandez sacked Kilmer on third down for a loss of 8-yards. Details of death: Died after a fall at the age of 75. [40] Miami totaled 482yards, far higher than New England's 169yards. [53] Although this narrowed the Dolphins lead to 2117, the Steelers did not score again as the Dolphins intercepted Bradshaw twice in the final minutes of the game. Bottom line: The origin of the greatest season in NFL history started with the Dolphins only loss during the calendar year of 1972. You're a trailblazer.". He had been hospitalized with circulation issues in his legs. State officials hope to track brain injuries among high school sports to discover whether more needs to be done to improve player safety and protect athletes. Many players and coaches helped the Dolphins achieve glory, and in football retirement, some of them even exceeded their success on the gridiron. [24][25], The Jets received the opening kickoff and quickly marched 65 yards downfield, taking a 70 lead when a Cliff McClain fumble was recovered by guard Randy Rasmussen in the end zone. Meanwhile, the state of Texas has embarked on the largest ever study into concussions. Paul Warfield led the team in receptions and receiving yards. However, with only about one minute remaining by then, the Dolphins won the game by a score of 2423. The 76-year-old former middle linebacker for the Dolphins and Patriots was diagnosed with dementia in October 2016. Sign up for our newsletter and get every update delivered to your inbox! That player then returned the fumble for Washington's only score of the game. The 1972 Miami Dolphins. 50 years ago, the Miami Dolphins accomplished the only undefeated season in NFL history, as they went 17-0 and won the Super Bowl. Now, he is voicing his upset, accusing the league of not doing enough to protect former players and seemingly sweeping the issue under the rug, 'waiting for us to die'. Over time, these hard impacts result in confusion, depression and eventually dementia. Miami fullback Larry Csonka then ran 10yards into the end zone, allowing the Dolphins to take a 1413 lead. Morrall, a thirty-eight-year-old who spent much of his career backing up stars including Griese, Johnny Unitas, and Bobby Layne, was named MVP in 1968 under Shula when the pair led the Baltimore Colts to the NFL championship. He started working for Amway and worked his way up to owning a distributorship in the Orlando area. He then became the senior vice president of a telecommunications company that is now known as TracFone Wireless. Fred McNeill, to confirm the diagnosis after his death. With neither team able to accumulate more points after that drive, the game ended as a 30-16win for the Dolphins. 1972 Dolphins ranked as second-best team of Super Bowl era by CBS Schedule Teams AFC East Bills Jets Patriots AFC North Bengals Browns Ravens Steelers AFC South Colts Jaguars Texans Titans AFC. Research published last week confirmed the strongest ever link between sports concussions and Alzheimer's disease. With 9:18 remaining in the final period, the Dolphins scored again with a 15-yard run by Morris, amassing 106 rushing yards in the game. He went to Buffalo where, in 1970, he turned into one of the best receivers in the newly merged NFL. 1 : Yepremian, Garo: 57 : Kolen, Mike: 11 : Del Gaizo, James: 58 : Jenkins, Alfred: 12 : Griese, Bob: 59 : Swift, Doug: 13 : Scott, Jake: 62 : Langer, Jim: 15 In Miami, he recorded 133 receptions for 2,171 yards and 18 touchdowns. At training camp in 1972, he made his team watch the entire Super Bowl twice and years later said, "What I stressed in the locker room was that we wanted to make sure this wouldnt happen again. Kuechenberg died in January 2019 at the age of 71. league's $1 billion concussion settlement. Scott was Super Bowl MVP when the Dolphins went undefeated during the 1972 season and beat Washington, 14-7. Miami returned to the playoffs in 1971 and defeated the Kansas City Chiefs in the longest game in NFL history to secure the franchise's first playoff victory. 1. Denver agreed to an audition, and the 5-foot-10 dynamo nicknamed The Magician made the starting lineup on October 6. Deceased (1945-2020) . [35], Later in the second quarter, Dolphins defensive back Lloyd Mumphord blocked Boris Shlapak's field goal attempt. NFL experience: 13 years (1964-74, 1976-77), Career stats: 427 REC, 8,565 RYDS, 20.1 AVG, 85 TD, 1972 stats: 29 REC, 606 RYDS, 20.9 AVG, 3 TD, 1972 postseason stats: 7 REC, 149 RYDS, 21.3 AVG, 0 TD. 16 is Zach Sieler, Hill talks about death threats: Dolphins receiver Tyreek Hill says he received death threats after first podcast episode. Redskins defensive lineman Bill Brundige blocked Yepremian's 42-yard field goal attempt. The Dolphins held a 140 lead at halftime. Before settling into retirement, Langer worked in the truck accessory business and was a radio analyst for St. Thus, Dolphins won Super Bowl VII by a score of 147. A study at Wake Forest School of Medicine has been examining the brains of high school football players. . Nearly as big a part of Sunday night as the game itself between the Miami Dolphins and Pittsburgh Steelers was the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the 1972 Dolphins' perfect season. Bottom line: Marv Fleming already had three NFL championship rings to his name, courtesy of the Green Bay Packers, before he joined the Dolphins. The list is likely longer, since not all 50 men on the roster of that team have stayed in contact with the organization. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Marlin Briscoe first Black starting quarterback AFL, former Dolphins WR, iSelect Smart 360 Term | Cover Till 99 yrs of Age, Top 25 Miami Dolphins players countdown: No. In 2016, Stanfill had a bad fall, and complications arose, which led to his death at 69. 1972 Miami Dolphins Roster & Players | Pro-Football-Reference.com via Sports Logos.net About logos 1972 Miami Dolphins Roster & Players Previous Season Next Season Record: 14-0-0, 1st in AFC East Division ( Schedule and Results ) Coach: Don Shula (14-0-0) Points For: 385 (27.5/g) 1st of 26 Points Against: 171 (12.2/g) 1st of 26 At 32 years old, he was the oldest starter on defense and the only one who made the Hall of Fame. Swift made a career change a couple of years after that perfect season and walked away from the game at 27. Buoniconti died in July 2019 at the age of 78 in Bridgehampton, New York, after suffering from health problems, including dementia and CTE. Examinations on Earl Morrall, Bob Kuechenberg and Bill Stanfill also found advanced stages of. NFL, via Associated Press Earl Morrall, the backup quarterback and oldest member of the 1972. Will an NFL team ever go 19 0? The team will be honored Sunday night at . With the 50th anniversary of the perfect 1972 Miami Dolphins season upon us, there will be a lot of reflecting down throughout the year. He would go on to play nine seasons, including three with the Dolphins. In 1983 the Dolphins drafted quarterback Dan Marino, who would go on to set major career NFL passing records and be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.Teamed with the "Marks Brothers"wide receivers Mark Clayton and Mark Duperand working behind a line anchored by centre Dwight Stephenson, Marino ran an offense that often ranked at the top of the league. The Dolphins made the playoffs for the first time in 1970, and in 1971, Miami won its first playoff game after defeating Kansas City in the longest game in league history. Career stats: 804 ATT, 4,133 YDS, 5.1 AVG, 31 TD, 54 REC, 543 RYDS, 1 RTD, 1972 stats: 190 ATT, 1000 YDS, 5.3 AVG, 12 TD, 15 REC, 168 RYDS, 0 RTD, 1972 postseason stats: 41 ATT, 182 YDS, 4.4 AVG, 0 TD, 1 REC, -6 RYDS, 0 RTD. The University Interscholastic League, Texas' governing body for public high school sports, is partnering with the O'Donnell Brain Institute at UT Southwestern Medical Center for the project. [46], The Dolphins traveled to Yankee Stadium in New York to face the New York Giants in Week 13. The game's final score occurred in the third quarter. Miami Dolphins 50 years on, the 1972 Miami Dolphins' undefeated season remains undefeated Don Shula is carried off the field by his players after the 1972 Miami Dolphins completed. [28], Dolphins quarterback Bob Griese broke his ankle early in the first quarter on a sack by Ron East and Deacon Jones. Football and broadcasting run through the Griese blood as Bobs son, Brian, was also a longtime NFL quarterback and currently is a broadcaster for ESPN. However, this does not constitute any record; the 1975 Minnesota Vikings, who began 100 and finished 122, played 14 opponents with an average winning percentage of .332, and nine of their games were against teams 410 or worse.[63]. [32], The Dolphins then traveled to Memorial Stadium in Baltimore for a match against the Colts on October29. [50], For the first round of the playoffs, the Dolphins remained in Miami to take on the wild card Browns on December24. Getty Images Jim Langer, a Hall of Fame center and member of the Miami Dolphins' undefeated team, has died, the . He started just eight games during the regular season but was a constant presence in the playoffs, starting all three postseason games. Csonka was born in Ohio and spent his entire college and pro career either in Miami or New York, but he had the itch to move to Alaska in retirement and lives there today. The winningest coach in NFL history, Don Shula died on Monday, May 4, 2020. The Miami Dolphins legend led the team to the Perfect Season of 1972, going 17-0 to become the only NFL team to complete Related:Don Shula's Legendary Career in Photos, NFL experience: 14 years, all with Dolphins (1967-80), Career stats: 1,926 CMP, 3,429 ATT, 25,092 YDS, 192 TD, 172 INT, 77.1 RAT, 1972 stats: 53 CMP, 97 ATT, 638 YDS, 4 TD, 4 INT, 71.6 RAT, 1972 postseason stats: 11 CMP, 16 ATT, 158 YDS, 1 TD, 1 INT, 95.3 RAT. Bottom line: Even though he was a great player and a six-time Pro Bowler, Bob Kuechenbergs legacy was sometimes overshadowed by his mouth and the controversial comments he made. With Baltimore unable to score throughout the game, Miami won 160. After Maulty Moore blocked another Gerela field goal attempt, the Dolphins increased their lead to 2110 following a 49-yard drive capped by another rush by Kiick, this time by 3yards. Morris is now a motivational speaker, but he doesnt talk that much about football. There might have been better, or even more memorable, teams than those Dolphins, but nobody can argue with 14-0 in the regular season and 3-0 in the postseason. First, Miami scored on a 37-yard pass from quarterback Earl Morrall to wide receiver Otto Stowe. Obama noted that the team "never got their White House visit. Early in the fourth quarter, Miami capitalized on a long pass interference penalty against Steve Tannen with a second Jim Kiick touchdown run. While we all celebrate the 50th anniversary of the perfect season, we remember Briscoe and his legacy. [31] Miami scored a touchdown on the opening drive, capped off by a 5-yard run by Mercury Morris. Kiicks daughter is pro tennis player Allie Kiick, who has advanced as far as the third round of the French Open. The Dolphins led 16-0 after the first half. Bottom line: Jake Scott led the '72 Dolphins in interceptions during the regular season and his penchant for picking off quarterbacks continued in the postseason. On Washington's subsequent drive, Jake Scott intercepted Billy Kilmer's pass. (Ursula Seemann / Sun Sentinel) These 1972 Miami Dolphins who passed away will always be remembered for being part of the only. Cloud football. [38] Don Shula became the 9th head coach in NFL history to win at least 100 regular season games, but the first to do so in only 10 seasons. L. 3-24. They . [11] Wilson was initially resentful of the Dolphins' success, believing his firing was premature and Shula had inherited a "ready-made team. He was in his second NFL season when the Dolphins struck perfection, and he was the youngest starter on the team at the age of 23. Buffalo now led Miami by a score of 63. Denver created a diversity coaching fellowship in his honor before the 2021 season. [27], A field goal early in the third quarter increased Miami's lead to ten points. Miami scored on every possession they had during the first half, leading the Patriots 310 at intermission. Almost 15 years later, Yepremian himself was diagnosed with multiple brain tumors and neuroendocrine cancer. On the fourth play after the fumble, Morris managed to run 14yards to the end zone. In all, roughly a quarter of the 1972 team's players are dead, and so far three of them have been found to have chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or C.T.E., the degenerative brain disease associated with repeated head trauma that can only be diagnosed after death.