Miami Dolphins At 50: Top 10 DBs

Mandatory Credit: Miami Dolphins.com

No. 2 – Sam Madison

Sam Madison may have played in the organization’s greatest cornerback tandem. He and Patrick Surtain were two of the best cornerbacks in the NFL in the late 90s and early 2000s. But he is clearly the team’s greatest individual cornerback as well.

Madison put together some fantastic numbers in his first two years as a starter. In 1998, Madison recorded eight interceptions with 114 return yards. The very next season, Madison led the league with seven interceptions and increased his return numbers to 164 yards while returning one pick for a touchdown. Madison also recorded a safety to top it all off.

Madison would earn trips to the Pro Bowl from 1999 to 2002 and given First Team All-Pro honors in 1999 and 2000. He played in 138 games while starting in 127. He forced nine fumbles and recovered four while recording about 357 tackles.

He is the longest tenured Dolphins defensive back in team history. His 138 games is four more than the next closest player, Tim Foley.

So Madison has the history, the numbers, and most certainly the skillset. Why isn’t he number one on this list? The playoffs were not kind to the Madison-era Miami Dolphins as the team was frequently blown out of the water in the divisional round. Meanwhile, the top DB in team history rose to the occasion during the postseason…