The Miami Dolphins in the 1970s: A Trip Down Memory Lane

With their new Head Coach, Don Shula leading the way, the 1970 Dolphins got off to a good start, winning four of their first five games, but they then lost three in a row, getting outscored in those three games 87–17. They won their next six games to finish the season 10–4.

They traveled to Oakland to face the Raiders, whom they had beaten earlier in the season. But the Raiders won the playoff game 21–14. Quarterback Bob Griese, fullback Larry Csonka, and receiver Paul Warfield made the Pro Bowl.

Going into week twelve of the 1971 season, the Miami Dolphins had the best record in the NFL, losing only one game. Although they stumbled a bit at the end, losing two of their last three, they won their division with a 10–3–1 record. On Christmas Day in Kansas City, Miami beat the KC Chiefs 27–24 in what many still consider the greatest playoff game ever played. Next, they would play the defending Superbowl Champion Baltimore Colts.

Some thought the double-overtime game against the Chiefs might have taken too much out of Miami, but they proved everyone wrong by whipping the Colts 21–0. In only their sixth season as a professional football team, Miami was on their way to the Superbowl. But their inexperience showed in this game, and they were no match for the Dallas Cowboys, who beat them 24–3.

Bob Griese, Larry Csonka, return man Mercury Morris, Paul Warfield, free safety Jake Scott, defensive end Bill Stanfill, kicker Garo Yepremian, and guard Larry Little made the Pro Bowl. Griese, Csonka, Warfield, and Larry Little made All-Pro.

Chasing Perfection

The 1972 season started with a rematch of the playoff game against the Chiefs. Miami won 20–10 and kept on rolling from there. In week nine, they beat the Patriots 52–0. They finished the regular season with fourteen wins and zero losses.

Although the Browns and Steelers gave the Dolphins all they could handle in the post-season, Miami was on their way to LA to play in their second Superbowl in a row. The Dolphins beat the Redskins 14–7 to complete the only perfect season in NFL history.

Quarterback Earl Morral, who took over for an injured Bob Griese, made the Pro Bowl, along with Csonka, Morris, Warfield, Bill Stanfill, Middle linebacker Nick Buoniconti, Larry Little, tackle Norm Evans, and safeties Dick Anderson and Jake Scott. Morral, Larry Little, Bill Stanfill, and Dick Anderson made All-Pro.

Continuing The Streak?

The Dolphins ‘ eighteen-game-win streak ended in week two of the 1973 season. But they won 11 of their next 12 games to finish the season at 12–2. Some felt this team was even better than the 1972 undefeated team, and with good reason.

During one three-game stretch, they outscored their opponents 75–18; during another three-game stretch, they outscored their opponents 75–7. They easily defeated the 10–4 Bengals in the playoffs 34–16. Next, they destroyed the Raiders in the AFC Championship game.

Not only did this win put them in their third Superbowl in a row, but it was sweet revenge since the Raiders had snapped the Dolphins ‘ eighteen-game-winning streak earlier in the season. Next up were the Minnesota Vikings in the Superbowl, and it was no contest. Miami won 24–7 to win their second Superbowl in a row.

Bob Griese, Larry Csonka, Mercury Morris, Paul Warfield, Jake Scott, Dick Anderson, Gary Yepremiun, Bill Stanfill, Nick Buoniconti, Larry Little, and center Jim Langer made the Pro Bowl. Csonka, Little, Warfield, Scott, and Anderson made All-Pro. Anderson also won the defensive player of the year award.

The 1974 Dolphins got off to a rocky start, getting upset in their opening game by the Patriots. They were 3–2 after five games but then outscored their next four opponents 89–17. They finished the regular season with an 11–3 record and traveled to Oakland for the playoffs.

In what many consider to be an even better game than the Dolphins vs. Chiefs playoff classic from three years earlier, the Raiders beat the Dolphins 28–26. Bob Griese, Larry Csonka, Paul Warfield, Jake Scott, Dick Anderson, Bill Stanfill, Jim Langer, Larry Little, Norm Evans, and guard Bob Keuchenberg made the Pro Bowl. Jake Scott, Larry Little, and Jim Langer made All-Pro.

2nd Half of the Decade

The 1975 Dolphins would be without the services of Larry Csonka, Paul Warfield, and Jim Kiick, who joined the World Football League. Miami lost its opening game to the Raiders and then barely beat a bad NE Patriots team.

But then the team got hot, as they always seemed to do, winning their next three games by a combined score of 98–23. After eight games, the Dolphins were 7–1, and it didn’t seem to make any difference that they were without two All-Pro players. But they lost three of their next six games, so perhaps losing Csonka and Warfield did make a difference after all.

The Dolphins still finished the season with an impressive 10–4 record, but it wasn’t good enough for a playoff spot. They lost both of the games they played against the Colts; therefore, the 10–4 Colts won the tiebreaker for the division title. Normally a 10–4 record would get you at least a Wild Card spot in the playoffs, but not this year, as the Bengals were the Wild Card team with an 11–3 record. Larry Little, Jake Scott, Jim Langer, and Bob Keuchenberg made the Pro Bowl. Little and Langer also made All-Pro.

1976 was a bit of a shocker for Dolphins fans as the team had its first losing season since 1969, finishing 6–8. Along with Csonka and Kiick, Mercury Morris was no longer with the team either, and their once dominant running game suffered greatly. In the past, it seemed that half of the AFC Pro Bowl team was from the Miami Dolphins team. Only one player, Jim Langer, made the Pro Bowl this year.

Miami bounced back strong in 1977 with a 10–4 record. The highlight of the season was a 55–14 beatdown of the Cardinals on Thanksgiving day. But once again, their 10–4 record was not good enough for a playoff spot, losing the tiebreaker again to the Colts.

The Raiders took the Wild Card spot with an 11–3 record. Bob Griese, Jim Langer, Bob Kuechenberg, and receiver Nat Moore made the Pro Bowl. Griese, Moore, and Langer also Made All-Pro. Defensive end AJ Duhe won the Rookie of the Year award.

With an 8–5 record after thirteen weeks of the 1978 season, it looked questionable for the Dolphins to make the playoffs, but they won their final three games and would play the Houston Oilers in the playoffs at home. But the Miami offense never got in gear and lost 17–9. Bob Griese, Garo Yepremiun, Bob Keuchenberg, Jim Langer, and running back Delvin Williams made the Pro Bowl. Keuchenberger and Williams also made All-Pro.

Miami got off to a 4–0 start in 1979, but from that point on, they were a .500 team. They finished the regular season with a 10–6 record which was good enough for first place in their division. But they were no match for the Steelers in the playoffs, losing 34–14. Return man Tony Nathan, strong safety Tim Foley, linebacker Kim Bokamper, and nose tackle Bob Baumhower made the Pro Bowl. Larry Csonka, who spent the last three seasons with the NY Giants, rejoined the Dolphins in 79 and won the Comeback Player of the Year Award.

The bottom line. Regular season record — 104–39–1. Post-season record — 8–5. Division titles — five. AFC titles — three. Superbowl titles — two.

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Mark Morthier is the host of Yesterday’s Sports, a podcast dedicated to reliving memorable sports moments from his childhood days and beyond. He grew up in New Jersey just across from New York City, so many of his episodes revolve around the great sport’s teams of the 70s for the New York area.

He is also an author of No Nonsense, Old School Weight Training (Second Edition): A Guide for People with Limited Time and Running Wild: (Growing Up in the 1970s)