The 1972 Miami Dolphins celebrate their place in history for one more year. This past Sunday the Green Bay Packers, fell victim to the upset bug losing to the Kansas City Chiefs 19-14. The loss ended the Packers quest for a perfect season dropping them to a record of 13-1.
The 1972 Miami Dolphins are the only NFL franchise ever to win every single contest of the year including regular season, playoffs and Super Bowl.
According to www.foxsportsflorida.com, several notable players from the 1972 Dolphins including Bob Kuechenberg, Mercury Morris, Nick Buoniconti, Dick Anderson, Larry Little, and Paul Warfield phoned each other to reminisce on yet another year as the only perfect team in NFL history.
For 40 years now, NFL teams have tried to duplicate the 72 Dolphins’ accomplishment but all have fallen short. The New England Patriots have come closest, going 18-0 until losing in Super Bowl XLII in 2007 to the New York Giants. In 2009 the Indianapolis Colts went 14-0 and the New Orleans Saints went 13-0 before losing.
Some have criticized the annual champagne toast performed by some former 72 Dolphins to celebrate the first loss of the NFL’s last undefeated team. To the players who lived the perfect season however, the toast represents more than a place in history. It represents the importance of team, and not individual accomplishment. It was the culmination of hard work and selflessness, before the age of big contracts and self branding.
Some argue that it is much more difficult to accomplish a perfect season in the NFL in today’s era than it was during the 1970’s. After all, in 1972 there were two fewer games played in the regular season along with six fewer teams to contend with.
Parity is the name of the game in today’s NFL where some teams turn over their roster by 50% from year over year. However, as the New England Patriots have proven, dynasties can be accomplished in the free agency era.
Despite the criticism the facts remain the same. The Miami Dolphins dominated 1972. They scored the most points out of any NFL team and gave up the fewest. They had a Hall of Fame coach along with a Hall of Fame quarterback, running back, wide receiver, and two offensive linemen.
Despite going through the regular season and playoffs undefeated, the Dolphins were an underdog going into Super Bowl VII. Perhaps remnants of an unjust prejudice against the AFC , formerly known as the NFL’s nemisis and rival American Football Leauge.
It took a dominating defensive effort to prove the naysayers wrong and earn the 1972 Miami Dolphins with their own unique place in the NFL history books. They did just that by defeating the Washington Redskins 14-7 and finishing the year to perfection at 17-0.
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