The 1972 Miami Dolphins are the first NFL team to win the Super Bowl after completing a flawless season. The squad is still the only one in NFL history to go undefeated and untied from the first game through the Super Bowl (or championship game). However, since then, two other teams have achieved this feat: the 1999 New York Giants and the 2000 Tennessee Titans.
In fact, there have been nine other teams who have gone 16-0 during the regular season. Only the Dolphins, Giants, and Texans have done so more than once. The others are: the 1947 Chicago Bears, the 1948 Detroit Lions, the 1969 Kansas City Chiefs, the 1970 Pittsburgh Steelers, the 1991 San Francisco 49ers, and the 1992 Houston Oilers.
The best regular season of all time was the 1972 Miami Dolphins. In that year's playoffs, they defeated Buffalo 20-17 in overtime at home for their first playoff victory. They went on to beat Oakland 43-22 in the Super Bowl III. That same year, the Kansas City Chiefs finished with a 12-2 record but lost to Miami in the conference title game.
Here are the other teams that have gone undefeated/untied during the regular season: the 1997 Denver Broncos, the 1998 Minnesota Vikings, the 1999 New York Giants, and the 2000 Tennessee Titans. All four of these teams were able to make it to the Super Bowl where they all lost.
The Dolphins are the first team in NFL history to finish a full season unbeaten; their 1972 season concluded without a loss and culminated in a triumph in Super Bowl VII. They have a rich history that includes two Super Bowl championships (1973–74) and five conference crowns. In addition, the Dolphins have the distinction of being one of only three teams to beat all four current Super Bowl champions (Steelers, Patriots, Ravens).
Miami's home field, Sun Life Stadium, is one of the most innovative stadiums in sports architecture, with a canopy-covered upper deck and an artificial turf field. The stadium was built at a cost of $250 million and opened in 2010. It is located in South Florida near the city of Fort Lauderdale on the Atlantic Ocean.
Sun Life Stadium has been the site of many high-profile events including the 1993 World Music Awards, the 1995 FC Gold Cup Final, and the 1997 Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. The stadium can seat up to 70,000 people and has been considered among the best venues in football.
Its record attendance of 57,088 came during Super Bowl XLII when the New York Giants defeated the New England Patriots 21-17. The game was played before a crowd that included former Miami Dolphin greats Jimmy Smith and Wayne Fontes who were present for the coin toss.
With their victory in Super Bowl VII, the 1972 Miami Dolphins completed the only flawless season in NFL history. The Baltimore Ravens and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are the only teams with numerous Super Bowl appearances and no losses, both with a (2-0) Super Bowl record. The Buffalo Bills are the only other team to have never lost a Super Bowl game when they played in it.
The New York Giants are the most successful team in Super Bowl history with five victories. The Pittsburgh Steelers are second with four wins. There have been nine different winners across all seven post-season games.
In World War II, the United States Navy entered into a contract with Alcoa Aluminum Company to produce 500 aluminum medals for distribution to naval personnel who served in that conflict. Each medal consisted of an aluminum disc attached to a 1-inch diameter titanium rod which was hollow down the center. Inside the hollow was contained a solid gold star marked with 24 karat gold wire which was secured to the inside of the metal casing so as not to affect its appearance. The inscription "WAR MEDAL" was placed on one side and the date the medal was awarded on the other.
These medals were given to sailors who had performed some act of bravery at sea. They could be worn on the uniform lapel or around the neck.
The 1972 Miami Dolphins are the first NFL team to win the Super Bowl after completing a flawless season. Coach Don Shula and renowned players Bob Griese, Earl Morrall, and Larry Csonka led the team to an unbeaten season.
| 1972 Miami Dolphins season | |
|---|---|
| Owner | Joe Robbie |
| Head coach | Don Shula |
| Home field | Miami Orange Bowl |
| Results |
Is this the first team in NFL history to go 16-0 and win the Lombardi Trophy? The 1972 Dolphins went undefeated on their route to their first Super Bowl victory in January 1973. However, detractors point out that this occurred over a 14-game season. In addition, several of the games were close finishes so it's possible that another team could have beaten them if they had been held back in any game. For example, the 2001 Ravens lost at Miami 24-17 in the final minute of regulation time on a touchdown pass with no time left on the clock.
However, because there are no perfect teams, we can't say for sure that no team has done this before or since.
In fact, there have been two other teams who finished 16-0. The 1948 Chicago Bears and the 1969 Baltimore Colts. Both of these teams won the NFL Championship during their undefeated seasons before going on to beat each other in the Super Bowl. The difference is that while the '48 Bears had Joe Paterno as their coach, the '69 Colts had the legendary Johnny Unitas at the helm. There have also been two other teams who finished 15-1. The 1985 Chicago Bears and the 2000 New York Giants. Like the '48 Bears and '69 Colts, both of these teams lost in the Super Bowl last minute decisions.
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