Forty five years later, key members of the legendary squad are now paying a dear price for their sacrifice. Langer, a native of Minnesota, returned to his home state at the end of his career to play for the Vikings, and he still resides just outside of Minneapolis. [51], Because home teams in the playoffs were decided based on a yearly rotation prior to the 1975 postseason, the Dolphins traveled to Pittsburgh for the AFC Championship Game on December31 despite being undefeated. But the attempt was blocked, and Yepremian picked the ball up and tried to throw a pass instead of just falling to the ground. Miami annihilated New England both offensively and defensively. Cloud football. Curt Knight's subsequent field goal attempt of 32yards missed. Buffalo now led Miami by a score of 63. MIAMI Jim Kiick, the versatile running back who helped the Miami Dolphins achieve the NFL's only perfect season in 1972, died Saturday at age 73 following a battle with Alzheimer's. The comments below have not been moderated, By
[41] Near the beginning of the first quarter, Dolphins safety Dick Anderson intercepted Jets quarterback Joe Namath's first pass of that game. 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. 3. He then became involved in Boys & Girls Clubs in California, eventually becomingdirector of a club in Watts and then Long Beach. With Baltimore unable to score throughout the game, Miami won 160. The game's final score occurred in the third quarter. 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. The Dolphins shut out the Baltimore Colts, Shula's former team, to reach Super Bowl VI, where they lost 243 to Dallas. Subsequent rule changes have since changed the playoff structure so that this would never happen again. The team will be honored Sunday night at . 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. Dolphins cornerback Curtis Johnson blocked a punt by David Lee of the Colts and recovered the football at Baltimore's 22-yard line. [2], The Dolphins' early-1970s defensive unit was termed the "No-Name Defense" by Dallas Cowboys coach Tom Landry given its lack of high-profile players (the unit's only Hall of Famer, linebacker Nick Buoniconti, achieved much of his success with the New England Patriots and was not inducted until 2001). Bottom line: Doug Swift was the Dolphins' biggest playmaker among their linebacker group, and he finished tied for second on the team with three interceptions. 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. [37], Following their win against the Buffalo Bills, the Dolphins hosted the New England Patriots at the Orange Bowl for Week 9. Shula won an NFL-record 347 games, including playoff games. The story of the '72 Dolphins is consistent with that of many other players who have suffered through agonizing physical and cognitive disabilities during their retirements. "[64] Asked why the team had not been invited by President Richard Nixon in 1973, Larry Csonka stated that he did not feel neglected as it had not been a regular occurrence at the time. The Dolphins defense limited the Patriots to just 77net passing yards and 92rushing yards, including four sacks against Plunkett for a loss of 40yards. W. 14-7. Dolphins player countdown: Top 25 Miami Dolphins players countdown: No. Scott was Super Bowl MVP when the Dolphins went undefeated during the 1972 season and beat Washington, 14-7. The offensive line included future Hall of Famers Jim Langer and Larry Little. An All-Pro that season, Briscoe ranked second in the league in catches (57) and yards (1,036). Heinz grew up in the Bay Area and returned there after retiring. Miami added another touchdown early in the fourth quarter via an 8-yard rush by running back Hubert Ginn. [24] Later, the Bills capped off a touchdown-scoring drive with a 6-yard pass from quarterback Mike Taliaferro to fullback Jim Braxton. He owned a chain of steakhouses called Shulas Restaurants that started in South Florida but were expanded into several other states. Their Hall of Fame quarterback missed eight weeks in the middle of the season, yet they still remained perfect. 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. Still an athlete, the 76-year-old is trying his hand at masters golf as the competitive bug never escaped him. He had a career high in rushing yards in 1972 as the Dolphins, as a team, set the leagues single-season rushing mark. Research published last week confirmed the strongest ever link between sports concussions and Alzheimer's disease. Bill Stanfill, a defensive star for the team, died last fall at age 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 He started just eight games during the regular season but was a constant presence in the playoffs, starting all three postseason games. He died from the disease in 2015 at the age of 70. In fact, ever since the incorporation of the playoff . Miami fumbled a punt deep in its own territory in the fourth quarter and allowed New York cut the lead to 2417, but a late field goal put the game out of reach as the Dolphins won 2717. With neither team able to accumulate more points after that drive, the game ended as a 30-16win for the Dolphins. Sign up for our newsletter and get every update delivered to your inbox! 1. [20], A nine-play, 76-yard drive to open the second half pushed Miami further ahead. 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,. First, Miami scored on a 37-yard pass from quarterback Earl Morrall to wide receiver Otto Stowe. He became a multi-millionaire from his post-football career, and his earnings dwarfed what he earned during his 11-year playing career. The CDC has estimated that up to 3.8 million concussions occur in sports and recreational activities each year. Kuechenberg also was one of the few players from the 72 team who refused an invitation from Barack Obama to visit the White House, and he acknowledged it was due to political reasons. (Ursula Seemann / Sun Sentinel) These 1972 Miami Dolphins who passed away will always be remembered for being part of the only. More than 90 percent of NFL players have brain disease, claims Bennet Omalu, a neuropathologist who had his story about discovering brain trauma and the NFL portrayed by Will Smith in the Concussion. NFL experience: 14 years (1966-67, 1970-81), 1972 postseason stats: 7 FGM, 7 FGA, 100 FG%. Outside of academic and athletic recognition, Little is involved with his foundation, which raises funds to help children learn to swim. The center has posthumously examined the brains of six members of the 1972 Dolphins, who were 17-0. Since 1978, the NFL has staged 12 games in Mexico, including five regular-season matchups. The Dolphins scored first, after rookie safety Charlie Babb blocked Browns placekicker Don Cockroft's punt at the Cleveland 17-yard line and returned the ball for a touchdown. Kidwiler Collection / Diamond Images/Getty Images. That was evident in 2013 when President Obama invited the '72 Dolphins to the White House. They attempted the third-fewest passes in the league, but Paul Warfield was their clear No. Instead, he discusses the harrowing ordeal he went through after retiring. [58], The NFL capitalized on the legend during a commercial that aired during Super Bowl LIII commemorating the 100th year of the NFL. NFL experience: 8 years, all with Dolphins (1969-76). 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. 1 team in NFL history. 'Football's important to us, but there are other things out there that are more important,' DeLong told Good Morning America. Later in the quarter, Dolphins cornerback Lloyd Mumphord intercepted Cardinals quarterback Jim Hart and returned the ball for a touchdown. He became an advertising executive in Palo Alto and had kept a relatively low profile until 2015, when Heinz became the first player from the '72 Dolphins to auction away his Super Bowl ring from that year. Super Bowl VII was the first game to be televised in the market of origin under new rules that would come into effect the following season requiring games to be sold out within 72 hours of kickoff time to be aired in the market of origin (these blackout rules were lifted in 2015). [19], The Orange Bowl's new Poly-Turf field and intermittent rains led to slippery conditions for Miami's Week 2 meeting with Houston. If those werent enough honors, Little recently received his honorary doctorate from Bethune-Cookman. Denver created a diversity coaching fellowship in his honor before the 2021 season. Miami increased their lead further early in the second quarter with a pair of Yepremian field goals from 17yards and 16yards. 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. 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. vs: DAL. [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. The antecedent drive included several long runs and an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty against the Bills. 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. [46], With the win, the Dolphins became only the third team in NFL history to win at least 12 consecutive games, after the 1934 Chicago Bears and 1969 Minnesota Vikings. You'll now receive the top Dolphins Wire stories each day directly in your inbox. Kiicks daughter is pro tennis player Allie Kiick, who has advanced as far as the third round of the French Open. Who died from the 1972 Miami Dolphins? After the Dolphins were penalized four times on that drive (a loss of 33 yards), Garo Yepremian kicked a 54-yard field goal,[32] the longest in franchise history until Pete Stoyanovich's 59-yard field goal in 1989. Career stats: 212 REC, 3,064 RYDS, 14.5 AVG, 23 TD, 1972 stats: 20 REC, 364 RYDS, 18.2 AVG, 3 TD, 1972 postseason stats: 4 REC, 61 YDS, 15.3 AVG, 1 TD. But he was hurt when the Super Bowl came around and didnt suit up. Later in the third quarter, Leypoldt kicked a 28-yard field goal, cutting their deficit to 2316 at the end of the period. Seven-time All-Pro linebacker Zach Thomas is on his way to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. 16 is Zach Sieler, Hill talks about death threats: Dolphins receiver Tyreek Hill says he received death threats after first podcast episode. New York responded with an 80-yard drive that included several short passes from Namath, before eventually ending with a 1-yard rushing touchdown by fullback John Riggins. One of the participants is the son of former Minnesota Vikings player Greg DeLong. Shortly thereafter, Don Shula replaced Morrall with Griese at quarterback. Miami then tied the game after Morrall threw a 9-yard pass to Csonka. [39], In the third quarter, Morrall threw a 16-yard pass to Marlin Briscoe, increasing the Dolphins lead to 380. Offensively, the Dolphins paced the league with 385 points. In all, nine DolphinsCsonka, Morris, Warfield, Little, Norm Evans, Buoniconti, Stanfill, Anderson, and Scottwere selected to the Pro Bowl, and Little, Morrall, Stanfill, and Anderson were named first-team All-Pro. A posthumous examination of his brain by researchers showed traces of advanced chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), the. Meanwhile, the state of Texas has embarked on the largest ever study into concussions. The Redskins came into the game as a three-point favorite, surprisingly. [53], The Steelers retook the lead, 107, early in the third quarter when Roy Gerela kicked a 14-yard field goal. However, Miami instead executed a fake punt in which Larry Seiple ran for 37yards. Cacophony breaks out, and three members of the 1972 Dolphins, Larry Little, Paul Warfield, Larry Csonka, are shown casually sitting at a table together uniquely dressed in aqua-colored formal coats, and all three are drinking champagne, laughing at the chaos happening around them.[59]. Neither team scored in the third quarter. The Dolphins won all fourteen games of the regular season, won two playoff games, and defeated the Washington Redskins . Denver didnt give him a chance to compete for the quarterback job in 1969, so he asked to be released. Before his death, Buoniconti pledged to donate his brain to Boston University for CTE research. He was arrested twice, in 1988 and '89, for possession of small amounts of cocaine. [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. and
NFL experience: 11 years, all with Dolphins (1970-80). [18] Late in the second quarter, the Dolphins scored twice in quick succession a 47-yard Garo Yepremian field goal and a two-yard Larry Csonka run following an interception by Jake Scott. On the Chiefs' first drive, Miami safety Dick Anderson recovered an Ed Podolak fumble, leading to a seven-play, 57-yard drive capped by a 14-yard touchdown from Bob Griese to Marlin Briscoe. [61] Prior to the implementation of position scheduling in 1978, opponents were set by the NFL on a rotating basis. Look back at his long-standing career, his passion for preparation and more. Our goal was not to go to the Super Bowl but to win it..