The 1972 Miami Dolphins, led by Hall of Fame Coach Don Shula, finished 17-0 and won Super Bowl VII over the Washington Redskins. [35], Later in the second quarter, Dolphins defensive back Lloyd Mumphord blocked Boris Shlapak's field goal attempt. The 1972 Miami Dolphins won the AFC Eastern division and AFC championships and then defeated the Washington Redskins 14-7 in Super Bowl VII to complete an unblemished 17-0-0 record. The Jaw by any name, Shula still the king Columnist", "Urban Legends Reference Pages: 1972 Miami Dolphins Toast First Losses by Undefeated Teams", "David Moulton: A final salute to the 1972 Dolphins " Naples Daily News", "40 yrs Later, Nixon Shunned '72 Dolphins Get White-House Respect", "1985 Chicago Bears Visit the White House | The White House", "At least three '72 Dolphins refuse White House invite", 1972 Miami Dolphins Season at Pro-Football Reference, Perfect Season Podcast a 50th anniversary podcast with an episode for each game of the 1972 season, starring several members of the team, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1972_Miami_Dolphins_season&oldid=1135686326, Kiick 6-yard pass from Griese (Yepremian kick), Anderson 35-yard defensive fumble return (Yepremian kick), Warfield 19-yard pass from Morrall (Garo Yepremian kick), Csonka 1-yard rush (Yepremian kick failed), Briscoe 16-yard pass from Morrall (Yepremian kick), Mandich 39-yard pass from Del Gaizo (Yepremian kick), Twilley 9-yard pass from Morrall (Yepremian kick), Mumphord 28-yard interception return (Yepremian kick), Stowe 27-yard pass from Morrall (Yepremian kick), Mandich 3-yard pass from Morrall (Yepremian kick), Briscoe 14-yard pass from Morrall (Yepremian kick), Warfield 34-yard pass from Morrall (Yepremian kick), Csonka 9-yard pass from Morrall (Yepremian kick), This page was last edited on 26 January 2023, at 05:41. He is best known for backing up Larry Csonka and returning kicks for the Miami Dolphins' back to back Super Bowl champions in the 1972 and 1973 seasons. Yepremian, who was born in Cyprus to Armenian parents, was a motivational speaker after retiring. 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. The Patriots scored two touchdowns in the fourth quarter, the first being an 8-yard pass from quarterback Brian Dowling to running back John Tarver and the second being a 1-yard rush by Dowling. [34] Miami scored in the first quarter on an 80-yard drive that included a 20-yard pass from quarterback Earl Morrall to wide receiver Howard Twilley, a 32-yard rush by running back Larry Csonka, a 19-yard rush by running back Mercury Morris, and finally a 1-yard rush by Csonka for a touchdown. Before settling into retirement, Langer worked in the truck accessory business and was a radio analyst for St. Briscoe told the team hed return home to become a teacher if he couldnt get a tryout at quarterback. Briscoe led the 1972 perfect Dolphinswith four touchdown receptions and the following season, when Miami defended its Super Bowl title, he was the leading receiver on the team,catching more passes than futurePro Football Hall of FamerPaul Warfield. An All-Pro that season, Briscoe ranked second in the league in catches (57) and yards (1,036). Kiicks daughter is pro tennis player Allie Kiick, who has advanced as far as the third round of the French Open. The Dolphins' only appearance was a 1997 preseason contest against the Denver Broncos in Mexico City at the fabled Estadio Azteca, which pitted two future Hall of Fame quarterbacks in Marino and John Elway. Now details are emerging about Buoniconti's teammates on that vaunted '72 Dolphins squad. He then became the senior vice president of a telecommunications company that is now known as TracFone Wireless. He said he made a mistake in starting tackle football at 9 years old and joined an initiative for tackle football to be banned for those under 14 years old. He was MVP in 1968. 1972 Dolphins champagne celebration: Do ex-Miami players toast the In Super Bowl VIII, against the Minnesota Vikings, Briscoe caught two passes for 19 yards. CLEAR LINK BETWEEN LOW-IMPACT INJURY AND ALZHEIMER'S. 50 years ago, the Miami Dolphins accomplished the only undefeated season in NFL history, as they went 17-0 and won the Super Bowl. You're a trailblazer.". The 2022 Philadephia Eagles lost their Week 10 matchup against the Washington Commanders, ending a run at a perfect season. Seven members of '72 Dolphins suffered brain injuries Cloud football. Buffalo now led Miami by a score of 63. Are any of the 1972 Dolphins still alive? However, in the game's final quarter, Anderson landed on the ball after Jets running back Cliff McClain fumbled it at New York's 27-yard line. Hall of Fame Miami Dolphins coach Don Shula through the years | PHOTOS In 2006, he said the current Dolphins "do not have a soul" after a sluggish start to the season and said then-coach Nick Saban should be impeached. 1:52 Bob Kuechenberg, a key member of the 1972 undefeated Miami Dolphins team, has died at age 71, the team announced Sunday morning. Dolphins Hall of Fame coach Don Shula dies at 90 - ESPN.com In the fourth quarter, Dolphins cornerback Curtis Johnson intercepted a pass from Snead, which eventually led to Yepremian kicking a 31-yard field goal. Dolphins' perfect 1972 team honored Sunday night; plus, notes on Tua's Forty five years later, key members of the legendary squad are now paying a dear price for their sacrifice. Those who do keep in contact with him says he splits his time between Key West, Florida, and Hawaii and works as an investor. [37], Following their win against the Buffalo Bills, the Dolphins hosted the New England Patriots at the Orange Bowl for Week 9. 1972 Perfect Season Roster - 72 Dolphins The Dolphins won all fourteen games of the regular season, won two playoff games, and defeated the Washington Redskins . That followed a successful business career of owning 30 The Athletes Foot sporting good stores throughout the country. Marlin Briscoe, who became the first Black starting quarterback in the American Football League more than 50 years ago and was a member of the Miami Dolphins' two Super Bowl championship teams, died Sunday. Who died from the 1972 Miami Dolphins? The NFL's rules at the time forced the undefeated Dolphins (140) to play the Steelers (113) in Pittsburgh for the AFC Championship Game. The team drafted quarterback Bob Griese in 1967, fullback Larry Csonka in 1968, and defensive end Bill Stanfill and running back Mercury Morris in 1969. and
However, the Dolphins blocked Pete Gogolak's extra point attempt. Outside of that, he says he plays golf about three times a week and does word puzzles to keep his mind sharp. Running back Jim Kiick of perfect 1972 Miami Dolphins team dies at age Subsequently, Miami's next drive stalled at Washington's 34-yard line. Still an athlete, the 76-year-old is trying his hand at masters golf as the competitive bug never escaped him. At least seven players from that team either have suffered or are currently suffering from cognitive disease that experts believe were caused by repeated head trauma suffered during their days on the gridiron, according to the Miami Herald. In 2016, Stanfill had a bad fall, and complications arose, which led to his death at 69. The Giants were unable to score after the second quarter, and thus, the game ended with a 2313 victory for the Dolphins. Don Shula, all-time NFL wins leader, dies at age 90 Don Shula, NFL's all-time winningest head coach and leader of undefeated 1972 Dolphins, dies at age 90 Frank Schwab May 4, 2020, 10:20 AM. [41] Near the beginning of the first quarter, Dolphins safety Dick Anderson intercepted Jets quarterback Joe Namath's first pass of that game. Obama, a Chicago resident and Bears fan,[67] had called the 1985 Bears the greatest team ever, but during the Dolphins' visit, he called his own words into question, also noting that the 1985 Bears' only defeat came at the hands of the Dolphins. The Miami Dolphins of the National Football League ended the 1972 season with a record of 14 wins and 0 losses, finishing first in the NFL's East Division of the American Football Conference. A study at Wake Forest School of Medicine has been examining the brains of high school football players. [55], Super Bowl VII quickly became a defensive battle between both teams, with the Dolphins and Redskins each starting with two drives that ended with punts. 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. 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. The Steelers responded with a touchdown drive of their own, ending with a 12-yard pass from Bradshaw to Al Young. [44], In Week 12, the Dolphins traveled to Schaefer Stadium for their second matchup of the season against the Patriots. [23] A short Vikings punt was followed by a six-play Miami drive and a three-yard touchdown pass from Griese to Mandich to give the Dolphins a 1614 win. Marlin Briscoe, who became the first Black starting quarterback in the American Football League more than 50 years ago and was a member of the Miami Dolphins' two Super Bowl championship teams,. The 76-year-old former middle linebacker for the Dolphins and Patriots was diagnosed with dementia in October 2016. To view the team's home games, Dolphins fans in the Miami-Dade area would have to attend home games in person or travel to outside markets such as Orlando, Tampa and Jacksonville to watch the games on television. The Dolphins scored first, with a 40-yard field goal by Garo Yepremian in the first quarter. He became a touchdown vulture by the time the playoffs rolled around and scored four of the Dolphins seven touchdowns in the postseason. Four decades later, on August 20, 2013, the team was invited by President Barack Obama to visit the White House. They were able to defeat the Steelers 21-17 by taking advantage of the defense's mistakes, and Bob Griese returned. The legendary coaches died on May 4, 2020, at the age of 90, but he was just as successful in retirement as he was in football. Kuechenberg died in January 2019 at the age of 71. However, with only about one minute remaining by then, the Dolphins won the game by a score of 2423. He also played for the Cleveland Browns and . He died in 1972. Against the Redskins in the Super Bowl, Csonka led all players with 112 rushing yards and was in the running to be named MVP until safety Jake Scott picked off his second pass of the game in the fourth quarter. What the 2022 49ers Have in Common with the Undefeated 1972 Miami Dolphins No losses. He was more of a blocker than a receiver and ranked just seventh on the team in receiving yards despite starting all 14 games. Truth is, the 1973 Dolphins defense probably was just as good as the 1972 version, if not better. Miami won the game with a score of 23-0 and improved to 70 at the halfway point of the regular season. Another member of 1972 Miami Dolphins has died - Yahoo! However, four failed attempts at reaching the end zone gave the Bills possession again. 1972 Miami Dolphins football Roster on StatsCrew.com Tackles were not officially tracked back then, but Buoniconti unofficially had 162 tackles, a then-team record. He died at age 73 in 2016. [46], Early in the third quarter, Miami defensive Vern Den Herder intercepted a pass by Plunkett and reached New England's 11-yard line before the play ended. Miami Dolphins 1972 Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images Dallas Cowboys' running back Duane Thomas takes the hand off and runs with the ball against the Miami Dolphins during Super Bowl VI at Tulane Stadium. Three more '72 Dolphins suffered from severe brain disease linked to The franchise began from scratch and the first metaphorical building block was selecting Christian Wilkins with the No. Since 1978, the NFL has staged 12 games in Mexico, including five regular-season matchups. Miami increased their lead further early in the second quarter with a pair of Yepremian field goals from 17yards and 16yards. Their Hall of Fame quarterback missed eight weeks in the middle of the season, yet they still remained perfect. With the victory, the Dolphins improved to 90. [46], The Dolphins traveled to Yankee Stadium in New York to face the New York Giants in Week 13. Those are seven individuals who are known to have been diagnosed with football-related illnesses. The 1972 Miami Dolphins were the first team to execute a perfect regular season in the post-merger NFL.