From 1970 to 1995, Don Shula was the head coach of the Miami Dolphins. His jutting jaw and icy glare from the sideline are still etched in every Dolphins fan's mind decades after he left the sideline.
Shula may have built the Dolphins' legacy and carried it on his shoulders for his entire career. With the Dolphins, he took the team to five Super Bowls, including three consecutive Super Bowls. The Dolphins have a laundry list of great and beloved players, but during Shula's era, there were some amazing moments.
One of the most influential coaches in NFL history, Shula's mark on the game and his lasting impression on every person who met him will never be forgotten. We looked back at his time with Miami and ranked the best moments of the Don Shula era.
1: Joe Robbie Hires Don Shula
We are going to do this list a little differently. We are going to start with number one and end with number two. Why? Simple: the best moment of the Shula era was when the Dolphins' owner convinced him to leave the Baltimore Colts. Without this one move, none of the other moments on this list would have happened.
The Colts were coming off a loss to the Jets in Super Bowl III. Joe Robbie gave Shula complete control of the team. The AFL and the NFL were still separate. The Colts were in the NFL, and when Shula agreed to the deal, the NFL fined the Dolphins a first-round draft pick for tampering.
It almost didn't happen. The NFL and AFL were negotiating a merger, and because the contract wasn't signed before the merger's effective date, it technically took effect when the leagues became one. That allowed the NFL to charge Miami with tampering. The Dolphins lost their first pick in 1971. The Colts took running back Don McCauley, who spent 11 years with the Colts. Shula, on the other hand, changed, shaped, and built an NFL franchise.
25. The Hook and Lateral Game
There are only a handful of games or events on this list that come with a loss, but it's hard to pass on leaving one of the NFL's most celebrated games off this list. We set the stage at the Orange Bowl in 1981. The Dolphins and Chargers are going head-to-head in the divisional round of the playoffs.
The Game did not start out well for the Dolphins. San Diego opened the scoring with four consecutive scoring drives in the first quarter, taking a 24-0 lead. In the 2nd quarter, the Dolphins stormed back; the "Epic in Miami" was underway.
With the half coming to an end, Don Strock, subbing for David Woodley, found Duriel Harris on a curl route downfield. Harris quickly pitched the ball back to Tony Nathan, who was streaking behind him. The 40-yard touchdown brought the Dolphins to within seven points at the half.
The two teams would exchange second-half points before the Dolphins took their first lead in the 4th quarter, but the Chargers responded, and the game would go into overtime. The Chargers would miss an early FG in the extra period before the two teams exchanged drives. Uwe Von Schamann would see his 34-yard attempt blocked late in OT. On the ensuing drive, the Chargers were able to finally get the ball through for the win.
The game has been highlighted as one of the NFL's best and hardest-fought. It's one of the Dolphins' greatest games that didn't end in a victory.
24. Dan Marino's First Start
We could probably move this way up on the list, but we are going to keep some of these losses at the bottom despite the incredible meaning behind them. The 1983 regular season kicked off with David Woodley behind center, but Don Shula's first pick in the 1983 draft wouldn't sit on the bench long. In week three against the Raiders, he completed 11 passes for 90 yards and 2 touchdowns. In week 5 against the Saints, he completed 12 for 150 yards, a TD, and an INT.
By week six, Shula had seen enough, and Marino would make his first NFL start. Ironically, his first start would come against the one team that would keep him out of the Super Bowl more than any other. The Bills.
The Dolphins would take the Bills into overtime with Marino throwing three touchdowns and leading five scoring drives, but would lose 38-35 on a field goal in OT. The game was the start of something special for the Dolphins and Don Shula. Marino would start the next 144 games of his career.
"It was the only time I ever saw Don Shula smile after a game"Former Dolphins FO staff member S. Stone
23. Don Shula's 100th Regular Season Win
For seven years, Shula coached the Baltimore Colts. In 1972, he punctuated his career with his 100th regular-season win against the Patriots in the Orange Bowl. Miami opened the game with a 17 point lead at the end of the first quarter and never looked back.
When it was all over, the Dolphins had put up 52 points against the Patriots, who didn't score a single point. Shula's first victory as an NFL head coach came against the 49ers in 1963. It would take only nine seasons to reach 100. Making it more impressive, the NFL only played 14-game schedules then.
Four years after taking over the Colts, Shula notched his 50th career win in 1967, but the wins began to pile up quickly when he took over as the Dolphins' head coach. Shula's first win with the Dolphins was on September 27, 1970. Three seasons later, he notched his career 100th win. In that same game, Bob Griese broke his ankle, and the legend of Earl Morrall was born.
22. Charlie Babb's Blocked Punt
In the first playoff game of their undefeated season, the Dolphins faced the Cleveland Browns on the road. The Browns' defense sacked Earl Morrall four times in the game, but in the first quarter, the Dolphins got a major boost of adrenaline when Charlie Babb broke through the line to block a punt.
Babb's punt return for a TD gave the Dolphins a 7-point lead they would carry until the 4th quarter, when QB Mike Phipps hit his Fair Hooker for a 27-yard TD, giving the Browns their first lead of the game.
Miami would score their only offensive touchdown on the next series when Jim Kiick scored from 8 yards out.
It may not seem like much, but the play from Babb set up the momentum Miami needed on the road. It took some of the pressure off the offense and gave the defense a boost they needed early. Despite the Dolphins needing to come back late to win, Babb's early score became the difference-maker. Had that not happened, no one can be certain if the game would have landed in Miami's favor.
21. The WoodStrock Era
Shula had a knack for finding great backup quarterbacks. In the early '70s, he had Earl Morrall backing up Bob Griese. Morrall was eventually replaced by Don Strock, who joined the Dolphins in 1974. Strock would spend 15 years with the Dolphins.
David Woodley would join the Dolphins as an 8th-round draft pick in 1980 and would eventually take over the starting role from a retiring Bob Griese. He spent just four years with the Dolphins and led them to the Super Bowl in 1982.
Those four years were known as the Woodstock years. Woodley often started, but it was Strock who would come in later in the game and change the momentum and pacing. In Super Bowl XVII, Woodley got the Dolphins off to a quick score, but it would be Strock who finish the game.
Across those four seasons, the Woodley-Strock lineup was one of the better QB combinations in the league, but it was used strategically by Shula. Woodley was the conservative QB, but when Miami fell behind, Strock was the go-to to bring them back. Nothing highlighted that more than the 1981 "Epic In Miami." Woodley left the Dolphins after the 1983 season and finished his career with the Steelers. Strock became one of the most dependable backups and mentors for Dan Marino.
20: Shula Bowl I and II
On October 2nd 1994, the Dolphins traveled to Cincinnati to face the Bengals in what would become one of the most talked-about games in NFL history. It wasn't a QB vs. QB showdown, or two legendary coaches going at it. It was the first time an NFL head coach was squaring off against his son, who was the head coach of the other team.
David Shula was hired to coach the Bengals in 1992, but in his third season with the team, he was facing off against the man who gave him his first NFL coaching job. Shula hired his son as an assistant WR coach in 1982. His brother Mike would join the Dolphins as an assistant in 1991.
The younger Shula drew first blood, taking a 7-0 lead over his father in the first quarter, but that was all he would be given. Don led the Dolphins on a 23-point run over the next three quarters, keeping his son scoreless over that same period.
David coached the Bengals for five seasons but never got them above .500. On October 1, 1995, the father-son duo met for a rematch. The Bengals would once again fall to the Dolphins, but this time the game was much closer, with David Shula losing 26-23.
19. Don Shula sets regular season win record
On December 25th, 1994, the Shula-led Dolphins held off the Detroit Lions on the final weekend of the NFL season. The 27-20 victory would give Shula his 319th career regular-season win, moving ahead of Halas.
With the victory, Miami would lock up the AFC East division title and advance to the playoffs, where they would beat the Chiefs in the Wild Card round. Miami would lose the following weekend to the Chargers when Pete Stoyanovich missed a 48-yard field goal with 1 second left on the clock.
Only three NFL coaches have won more than 300 regular-season games. George Halas is number two with 318, and Bill Belichick is third with 302. Currently, only Andy Reid (283) is close. Reid is likely to become the 4th when his career is over. He is the only coach who challenges Shula for his combined wins of 347. Reid needs 36 more wins to tie him.
Shula's march to the NFL record has always been one of the greatest team accomplishments in Dolphins history, with each passing plateau a credit to how his teams responded to his style and dedication to the game.
18. Shula's Final Victory
Throughout this list of 25 games, we have highlighted key accomplishments from the head coach specifically, but no list would be complete without the final bow.
On December 25th, 1995, the Dolphins took the field against the Rams in St. Louis. Miami entered the game 8-7 and in need of a win to advance to the playoffs. Finishing 3rd in the division, Shula's Dolphins needed to pull out a miracle, and they did.
Miami won convincingly 41 to 22. They would advance to the postseason, where they would lose to the Buffalo Bills, Shula's final game as an NFL head coach. The game against the Rams was Shula's 347th career win, but also signaled the end of a Dolphins' legend.
Under pressure from within the organization, Shula announced his retirement shortly after the season concluded. Then, owner Wayne Huizenga hired Jimmy Johnson to replace him.
When the game was over, there was no pomp and circumstance, just a coach who was heading to his office to get ready for his next game. It's a lost tidbit in Dolphins' history, but it remains one of the most notable achievements in NFL history.
17. Don Shula's 200th win
Shula was ticking off wins to start the 1981 season. The Dolphins were 4-0 before a Week 4 tie against the Jets. Miami would alternate wins over the next few weeks before beating the Colts in Week 9 to give Shula win number 199.
A week later, the Dolphins would play at New England. The 30-27 victory gave the head coach his 200th win. As of 2026, only seven other coaches have reached the 200-win mark. At the time Shula joined the group, only Halas, Tom Landry, Curly Lambeau, and Paul Brown had crossed that threshold.
Currently, only three active head coaches are in a position to join that elite company. Sean Payton (186), John Harbaugh (183), and Mike McCarthy (176). The fact that so few coaches ever go to 200 is amazing; Shula shattered the all-time list with 347.
Shula's record is incredible when you think about the NFL having only 14 games for much of his early coaching career. He accomplished it despite NFL lockouts, strikes, and even games with replacement players.
16. A.J. Duhe vs. the Jets in the Mud Bowl
In 1982, the Dolphins were faced with a player strike that limited the season to just nine games. Miami finished the year 7-2. They would face the Jets in the AFC Championship Game. The third time that season, they would face their division rivals.
As is often the case in South Florida, the game was played in a complete deluge of rain. The field at the Orange Bowl had become a mud pit, and both teams struggled to move the ball in the first half because of the conditions.
The second half started with a Jets drive that would put A.J. Duhe's Dolphins legacy on the map. On the 4th play from scrimmage, the Dolphins linebacker intercepted Richard Todd. The pick would lead to a seven-play drive culminating in a Woody Bennet TD run to give the Dolphins a 7-point lead.
Duhe wasn't done. Two series after picking off Todd, he did it again, stopping a potential Jets scoring opportunity. In the 4th quarter, Duhe blitzed Todd; the ball bounced into the air, and Duhe registered his 3rd interception of the game. This time, he ran 35 yards for the Dolphins' second and final touchdown. In all, Todd was intercepted 5 times, sacked 4, and completed less than 50% of his passes.
15. Marino's Return
In 1993 Dan Marino ruptured his Achilles against the Cleveland Browns, missing the rest of the season. An Achilles injury in the mid-90s was a death sentence for football players. The advancements in medical and surgical techniques was far from advanced like in today's NFL.
Marino returned in time for the 1994 season, taking the field on September 4th against the New England Patriots. It would become one of the most epic battles in Dolphins history. The Dolphins and Patriots traded scores throughout the game, but Miami wouldn't hold a lead until the 4th quarter.
Series after series, the two teams continued to put points on the board in electrifying fashion, but the Patriots continued to expose the Dolphins' defense, taking a 21-10 lead early in the 3rd quarter.
Marino hit former Patriots standout receiver Irving Fryar for a 54-yard touchdown to end the third-quarter scoring and bring the Dolphins to within three, 28-25. On their opening series of the 4th quarter, Marino found Fryar again for a 50-yard touchdown to give Miami a 32-28 lead.
The Patriots would score again to take a late 4th-quarter lead, 35-32. With just over 3:00 minutes left in the game, Marino would find Fryar for another touchdown. The 35-yard strike put Miami up 39-35. The Patriots got the ball back twice in those 3 minutes, but couldn't move the ball into Dolphins' terriotry.
The game was a statement for Marino's return. The game was featured on The Fish Tank Podcast's documentary "The Comeback."
14. Don Shula Hires Bill Arnsparger
In 1970 the Dolphins stole Shula from the Baltimore Ravens, then Shula stole Arnsparger from the Colts as well. The Dolphins HC would make his former assistant in Baltimore the new DC for his Dolphins team.
Arnsparger's vaunted 53 defense was the catalyst for what would become the No-Name defense. He would oversee the team reach three Super Bowls, including both the undefeated win over the Redskins and the Vikings in Super Bowl VIII. Following that game, Arnsparger left Miami to become the head coach of the New York Giants, but his Dolphins story wasn't over just yet.
The Giants would fire Arnsparger seven games into the 1976 season. Two days after he was released, Don Shula signed him to his coaching staff and gave him back his DC title. Over the next several years, the coach revamped and rebuilt the Dolphins' defense.
In the early 1980s, Arnsparger had once again built one of the best defensive units in the NFL, nicknamed "The Killer-B's," due to the number of defensive players whose last names began with the letter B. In 1983, Arnsparger left the Dolphins for good, took the LSU head coaching job, and later became the University of Florida AD.
In 1992, the coach returned to the NFL as a DC, this time with the San Diego Chargers. He would meet Don Shula across the field in the first round of the playoffs. Shula beat his defense 31-0. On January 8th, 1995, Arnsparger's much-improved defense would lead the Chargers to a nail-biting playoff victory that included a missed 48-yard field goal by Pete Stoyanovich. The Chargers would advance to the Super Bowl, and days after its conclusion, Arnsparger retired for good.
He is considered the greatest defensive coordinator in Dolphins history.
13. Dolphins beat KC in double OT
On December 25th, 1971, the Dolphins and Chiefs faced off in the division round of the playoffs. A game that lasted for what seemed like forever. 55 years later, it remains the longest game ever played and is widely considered one of the best in NFL history.
The Chiefs got off to a 10-0 lead before the Dolphins came back to tie it before the half. Fitting, considering what was in store for the fans around the league in the second half. Miami and KC battled back and forth, trading touchdowns, with the Chiefs always taking another lead.
Late in the 4th quarter, the Dolphins tied it again when Bob Griese hit Marv Fleming to put the game at 24-24. They went into overtime, and when that OT period concluded, the clock started again for a second period of sudden death.
The game represented more than just an advancement in the playoffs. It was the first playoff victory in Dolphins history.
Missed field goals on both sides could have sealed a victory, but after 82 minutes and 40 seconds of gameplay, Garo Yepremian split the uprights, sending the Dolphins to the AFC Championship Game to face the Colts. The game was voted the 18th best game in the NFL's Top 100 Games.
12. The Fake Spike
Dolphins fans know this play all too well. It is replayed at some point during every single Dolphins vs. Jets game. Making this moment more memorable is the fact that at the time of this writing, Aaron Glenn is the head coach of the Jets.
It was November 27th, 1994. Miami trailed by 24 to 21 with 2:34 seconds left when the Dolphins forced the Jets to punt. Miami began their game-winning drive on their 17-yard line. Marino hit two quick completions, moving the ball to their own 40-yard line. After an incomplete pass, he hit his next four in a row, setting up Miami with a first-and-goal from the Jets' 8-yard line. With 22 seconds on the clock, Marino motioned to his offense that he was going to spike the ball and kill the running clock.
At the time, it was apparent that Miami was going to attempt a Pete Stoyanovich field goal to tie the game. Marino got to the line, took the snap, and every player just stood there. No pass rush, little trench contact at all, but on the outside boundary, Mark Ingram pushed Glenn off the line, and Marino fired a bullseye into his stomach. The Jets were left speechless, and Giants Stadium was in sudden shock as the noise dropped to silence.
The play ranks as one of the NFL's best all time and remains one of Don Shula's greatest decisions, buoyed by the insistence of backup QB Bernie Kosar, who brought the play with him to the Dolphins.
11. Larry Seiple's Fake Punt
It remains one of the most iconic plays in NFL history. The Dolphins entered the playoffs with the best record in the NFL. They were undefeated, but still had to travel on the road for both of their playoff games.
The Steelers opened to an early 7-0 lead, but in the second quarter, everything changed for the Dolphins when Punter Larry Seiple made the decision to run with the ball. Years later, the punter would say that he kept seeing the Steelers' defenders turn on the snap. Don Shula had once told him that if he saw the opportunity, then he should take it, but he better be sure he picked up the first down.
Seiple took the snap and started to go through the motions of punting, but instead, he watched the Steelers turn their backs. He tucked the ball and sprinted 37 yards downfield before the defense knew he didn't kick it. Seiple's gamble paid off for the Dolphins. A few plays later, Larry Csonka caught a pass from Earl Morrall for a game-tying touchdown.
The Dolphins still had to climb back from a 10-7 third-quarter deficit, but two Jim Kiick TDs put Miami up 21-10 in the 4th quarter. The Seiple fake punt gave the Dolphins momentum in the second quarter that carried over into the second half. The win sent Miami to their second Super Bowl in two years.
10. Dan Marino throws 48 TDs in 1984 and first to 5,000 yards
In 1984, Dan Marino entered his second season as the Dolphins' QB. He would set the league on fire in his sophomore year. Marino would lead the team to a 14-2 record and cruise through the playoffs on their way to the Super Bowl. Sadly it would be the only one he would play in.
Marino's second year in the league is noteworthy. He set records for single-season touchdowns and yardage. His 48 touchdown passes would remain the NFL record for 20 years before Peyton Manning broke it in 2004.
The 5,084 yards that he threw for in 1984 would last 27 years until Drew Brees threw for 5,476 yards in 2011, broken again by one yard in 2013 by Peyton Manning. Since Marino's 5K season, 10 quarterbacks have surpassed his mark. Brees did it four times.
Fans will argue that the NFL rule changes that protected both the QB and the WRs played a part in the record being broken. Far stricter defensive rule changes opened an era of unprecedented offensive output as the league looked to make offenses more exciting. Regardless of who benefited, Marino's 1984 season is still considered the best single season for an NFL quarterback 40 years later.
9. Don Shula's 300th win
On September 22nd, 1991, the Dolphins hosted the Green Bay Packers at Joe Robbie Stadium. The Dolphins' head coach was on the verge of making history. In Week 1, Miami lost to the Bills to open the season, but Shula got win number 299 the following week against the Colts.
His 300th win would not come against the Lions in week three delaying what was inevitable. In Week 4 Shula got the win. Miami's first quarter 6-0 lead evaporated in the second quarter when the Packers scored 13, a lead they held until the 4th.
Miami rode the leg of kicker Pete Stoyanovich, who kicked three field goals. The Dolphins did not score an offensive touchdown, however. In the 4th quarter, Miami tied the game on a Chuck Klinbeil fumble recovery in the Packers' end zone. It was one of the few games in which Marino didn't throw a touchdown pass.
The Dolphins kept the Packers from scoring again and put up 10 points in the final period to get Shula's 300th. The win was significant in that only one other head coach in NFL history had 300 victories: George Halas.
Shula, of course, became the second and put himself only 46 wins away from tying the legendary coach.
8. 1971 AFC Championship win over the Colts
On Sunday, January 2nd, 1972, the Dolphins hosted the Baltimore Colts in the AFC Championship game. The winner would go to the Super Bowl against the NFL's best, the Dallas Cowboys. The Dolphins entered the game with a 12-3-1 record to the Colts' 11-5.
Miami was coming off one of the greatest games in NFL history, a double-overtime win over the Chiefs, but Miami's hopes of going to their first Super Bowl and second for Don Shula hinged on the Dolphins' HC beating his former team.
Despite the Colts putting up better statistics than the Dolphins, Miami's defense kept them off the scoreboard. Miami won 21-0, forcing three turnovers. Colts QB Johnny Unitas threw for 224 yards and threw three interceptions, including Dick Anderson's 62-yard pick-six.
Defensively, Miami held the Colts' rushing attack to just 83 yards, forcing Unitas to throw 36 times. Miami's offense did enough, with Paul Warfield scoring on a long Bob Griese pass and Larry Csonak punching it in from 5 yards out. The shutout victory would give the Dolphins their first trip to the Super Bowl just one season after Don Shula took over the team and just five years after Joe Robbie was awarded the franchise.
7. Earl Morrall
By the time Morrall arrived in Miami, he was considered an old man by football standards. A first-round draft pick by the 49ers in 1956, Morrall bounced around the league for 16 years. He played for the Steelers, Lions, and Giants before ever landing in Baltimore, where a young Don Shula was starting to make his own NFL waves.
Prior to the start of the 1972 season, the Dolphins claimed Morrall off waivers from Baltimore. At 38 years old, Morrall was already well into the twilight of his career. Yet his best season was ahead of him.
Morrall was an afterthought for Miami fans. A break in case of emergency backup quarterback for Bob Griese. In Week 5, Shula broke the glass. Bob Griese was out with a broken leg and a dislocated ankle. The entire season now rested on a journeyman QB.
By now, every Dolphins fan knows how Morrall embraced the task at hand, led the team to an undefeated season, and gave the job back to Griese in the playoffs when he was healthy. Morrall was a catalyst beyond that season, however. He took a young Don Strock under his wing and mentored him. Strock would later become a valuable asset in the Dan Marino era.
Without Morrall, the Dolphins may not have finished that season perfectly. He spent another four years with the Dolphins before retiring after the 1976 season, 21 years after being drafted by the 49ers. The signing of Morrall remains one of the greatest decisions of the Don Shula era.
6. Preserving Perfection in 1985
On December 2nd 1985, the unbeaten Chicago Bears steamrolled into South Florida with a chip on their shoulders, an aggressive attitude, and the players to back it all up. On the other side of the Orange Bowl was a quarterback in his third year with the Dolphins.
Standing behind the team on the sideline were members of the 1972 undefeated team. The stadium was electric, and fans were praying for a Monday night victory to keep their treasured accomplishment as their own.
Miami wasted no time taking control of the game and leaving the Bears confused. They jumped out to a quick 7-0 lead that the Bears responded to with 7 of their own, but it was the only time the Bears would come close on the scoreboard. By the end of the first half, Miami was up 31-10; by the end of the third quarter, the game would essentially be over, with Miami up 38-24.
The Bears were clearly beaten and frustrated. Everything the Dolphins did went right. A deep pass that was tipped by a defender landed in the arms of Mark Clayton for a touchdown. On that night, the football gods favored Miami.
5. Super Bowl VIII
The Dolphins were coming off an undefeated season, but their streak wouldn't last long. In week two of the 1973 season, the Dolphins lost to the Raiders 12-7. It was their first loss in more than a year. The Dolphins would run through their next 10 opponents before losing another in Week 13.
Miami cruised through the playoffs, beating the Bengals 34-16 and the Raiders 27-10 to advance to their third consecutive Super Bowl. Another first for the NFL. Miami dominated the Vikings and walked away with a 24-7 victory to give them back-to-back championships.
Super Bowl VIII team is considered by many to be superior to the 1972 squad. They played at what seemed like a different level throughout the year. Miami dominated nearly every team they faced that season, including in the postseason.
Larry Csonka would win the Super Bowl MVP award after rushing 33 times for 145 yards and two touchdowns. Miami never trailed in the game, and the Vikings didn't score until the top of the 4th quarter. It was a total domination from start to finish.
4: Drafting Dan Marino
The Dolphins were coming off a Super Bowl loss to the Redskins. They had needs at other positions, and the story that was told at the time was that Shula had his eyes set on Darrell Green, who would put in a Hall of Fame career with Washington. What Shula didn't know was that Marino would have one of the biggest falls of any QB prospect in draft history.
Five quarterbacks were taken in the 1983 draft, with Marino becoming the final QB selected in the first round. Marino would come off the board at pick 27. That draft produced HOF QBs John Elway (1st) and Jim Kelly (14), but it would also see the Chiefs take Todd Blackledge, the Patriots take Tony Eason, and the Jets take Ken O'Brien, with Marino still on the board.
In all, seven first-round picks from the 1983 draft would make it to the Hall of Fame, but for Miami, their franchise would be transformed.
Marino would eventually retire holding nearly every NFL passing record. Marino would become more than just a Hall of Fame quarterback. He would become the face of the franchise and one of the most popular players in Dolphins history, if not the most popular and loved.
3: Breaking George Halas' record
On November 14, 1993, the Dolphins took the field at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia. They had no Dan Marino, who was out after tearing his Achilles earlier in the season. The Dolphins entered the game with Scott Mitchell at quarterback.
In the second half, Mitchell would go down with an injury, forcing Shula to put Doug Pederson in the game. Miami trailed at the half 14-13, but behind Peterson and a stout Dolphins defense, the Dolphins managed to keep the Eagles off the scoreboard in the second half while putting up three points of their own in each of the final two periods.
On the Eagles' second-to-last drive, DE Jeff Cross strip-sacked QB Ken O'Brien at the Dolphins' 22-yard line, giving the ball back to Miami. Despite a three-and-out on their next series, punter Dale Hatcher booted a 56-yard punt to flip the field with just 25 seconds left in the game. Two incomplete passes and Don Shula sat at the top of the NFL record books all alone.
Shula's 325th victory was met with applause from Eagles and Dolphins fans alike, and the team lifted him onto their shoulders to celebrate the victory. It would be the second time the coach was carried off the field. The first was after they concluded their perfect season with a win over the Redskins in Super Bowl VII.
Shula would finish with 347 wins. Only Bill Belichick (333) and Andy Reid (310) are close to matching it as of this writing, but Shula's regular-season win total of 328 may never be broken. Belichick is at 302, and Reid is at 282.
2: Undefeated season
Is there anything to really say about this that hasn't already been said? The greatest accomplishment in any league, any sport, is going undefeated. In the NFL's modern-era of the sport, no team but one has ever done it. Two came close, but close doesn't matter.
Fans and media will always debate which NFL team from which season is the greatest team of all time, but when the 1972 Miami Dolphins are mentioned, the mic drops. Maybe someday another team will take their position alongside them, maybe it will stand forever.
- 2007 New England Patriots - 18-0 regular season: Lost in the Super Bowl
- 2015 Carolina Panthers - 14-0: Finished the regular season 15-1
- 2009 Indianapolis Colts - 14-0: Lost final two
- 1998 Denver Broncos - 13-0: Finished 14-2
- 1985 Chicago Bears - Lost to the Dolphins on MNF: Finished 18-1 winning the SB
The Bears and Patriots have come the closest to taking up a seat next to the Dolphins. The media has made it a point to paint a picture of the alumni hoisting a glass of champagne after the final team loses each season. That was factually wrong for so many years until the team members embraced it.
As of the time of this list, only 23 members of the 47-man roster were still alive, but only in life. Their memories and the accomplishment of that season will never be forgotten.
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