The Miami Dolphins are a South Florida legend, but even the most devoted fans might be surprised by some lesser-known tidbits about their favorite team.
Let’s dive into some deep cuts of Dolphins history:
- Almost-Named: Did you know the Dolphins could have been the Miami Suns, Miami Bulls, or even the Miami Mariners? Glad they went with the iconic Dolphins!
- Perfect, For a While: The 1972 Dolphins’ perfect season stands alone in NFL history. But did you know their Super Bowl VII opponents, the Washington Redskins, almost spoiled the party by taking a brief lead near the end of the game?
- Coaching Legends: Don Shula is the NFL‘s all-time winningest coach, and most of those victories came while leading the Dolphins!
- Snowbirds: In 1985, a rare December snowstorm in Miami made the Dolphins’ home field more like a winter wonderland than a tropical paradise.
- Dan the Man’s the Man: Hall-of-Famer Dan Marino holds a ton of NFL passing records, many of them set during his time leading the Dolphins.
- The Original “Killer B’s” Defense: Before the Pittsburgh Steelers’ famous line, Miami had linebacker stars named Bob Brudzinski, Bill Barnett, and Kim Bokamper, earning the nickname the “Killer B’s” defense in the 1970s.
- Running Wild: The Dolphins had the NFL’s first-ever pair of 1000-yard rushers in a season, Larry Csonka and Mercury Morris in 1972.
- Longest Game Ever: Miami played in the longest game in NFL history, a 1982 playoff classic against the Chargers that lasted into double overtime.
- Fake Spike Fiasco: In 1994, Dan Marino fooled the Jets defense with his infamous fake spike but threw an interception instead of a winning touchdown. Yikes!
- More Than Football: The team’s founder, Joe Robbie, also built the stadium itself, now known as Hard Rock Stadium, which hosts major events beyond just football.
- Throwback Cool Miami occasionally rocks their awesome throwback uniforms as a nod to their history.
- A Different Kind of Mascot: Did you know the very first Miami Dolphins mascot was a real live dolphin named Flipper?
- Celebrity Fans: Pitbull, Jennifer Lopez, and Serena Williams are just a few of many superstars who are die-hard Dolphins fans.
- Coaching Tree: The Dolphins have spawned loads of successful coaches across the NFL, many of whom got their start under Don Shula.
- Playoffs?! The Dolphins have had some memorable playoff runs, but also hold one of the longest playoff droughts of any team.