1972 AFC East Division Title

Lore & Background

Starting quarterback Bob Griese broke his ankle in week 5, leaving backup Earl Morrall to start the remainder of the regular season, though Griese relieved Morrall in the second half of the AFC Championship Game and started Super Bowl VII. Morrall, a 38-year-old who spent much of his career backing up stars including Johnny Unitas, was named MVP in 1968 under Shula when the pair led the Baltimore Colts to the NFL championship. The Dolphins clinched the AFC East title in week 10 with Morrall at quarterback.

None of their regular season opponents advanced to the eight-team postseason; three had made the previous postseason (Kansas City, Minnesota, Baltimore). Running backs Larry Csonka and Mercury Morris became the first teammates to each rush for 1,000 yards in a season. Paul Warfield led the team in receptions and receiving yards, and Marlin Briscoe led the team in receiving touchdowns. The offensive line included future Hall of Famers Jim Langer and Larry Little.

The Dolphins' early-1970s defensive unit was termed the 'No-Name Defense' by Dallas Cowboys head 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 Boston Patriots in the 1960s and was not inducted until 2001). The defense was led by Buoniconti, end Bill Stanfill, tackle Manny Fernandez, and safeties Dick Anderson and Jake Scott. In all, nine Dolphins—Csonka, Morris, Warfield, Little, Norm Evans, Buoniconti, Stanfill, Anderson, and Scott—were selected to the Pro Bowl, and Little, Morrall, Stanfill, and Anderson were named first-team All-Pro.

The Dolphins went 14–0 in the regular season and won all three postseason games to finish 17–0. Three other teams, the Chicago Bears in 1934 and 1942 and the New England Patriots in 2007, reached the NFL's title game undefeated and untied, but all three lost the championship. Four other teams, the Akron Pros in 1920, the Canton Bulldogs in 1922 and 1923, and the Green Bay Packers in 1929, won the NFL championship with an undefeated record, but all recorded at least one tie.

The 1985 Chicago Bears' bid for an undefeated season was snapped by the Dolphins in their game 13 Monday Night Football meeting. Miami led the league in total offense, total defense, scoring offense, and scoring defense, the only team ever to do so.

Reader's Guide

The 1972 Miami Dolphins achieved the only perfect season in NFL history, finishing 17–0. They led the league in total offense, total defense, scoring offense, and scoring defense. Key players included Bob Griese, Earl Morrall, Larry Csonka, Mercury Morris, Paul Warfield, and the 'No-Name Defense' led by Nick Buoniconti.

Did You Know?

• The 1972 Dolphins are the only NFL team to finish a season undefeated and untied, though three other teams reached the title game undefeated and untied but lost.
• President Barack Obama hosted the surviving members of the 1972 Dolphins in 2013, noting they never got a White House visit.