As players get bigger, stronger and faster coupled with rules of the game
being in constant change, conventional wisdom suggests that players from
different eras cannot be compared. However, I have decided to defy that
notion.
Considering that the Miami Dolphins were founded in 1965, the task
becomes quite challenging. Today, I have taken on the daunting task of
compiling an All-Time Dolphins team. The Golden Age of the Dolphins
franchise came from 1971-1973, reaching three Super Bowls and winning
two. Though the Dolphins have not reached the pro football summit since
that time, they were a frequent playoff participant until 2000 and reached
the Super Bowl two more times only to lose.
Since 2000, with the exception of the dynastic New England Patriots
winning six Super Bowls, the AFC East has been on hiatus. In that span,
the Dolphins have reached the postseason just three times with the last win
coming in 2000, 23-17 in overtime against the Colts.
There are some rigid criteria in making this team. The player needed to have
played at least four seasons as a Dolphin. Since the free agency era began 30
years ago, that standard needs to be in place. Two-year rentals don’t make
this list. Being in the Hall of Fame is the first consideration coupled with
impact on the franchise. The number of All-Pro seasons are a top
consideration with longevity also helping immensely. While I understand it
is hard to compare eras, I’m not going to convolute this discussion.
Generational reminders
All eras matter. Being on the Dolphins from 1971-1973 winning team does
not get you a hall pass on this team. Winning or losing eras, all high-level
performers get considered.
To further the challenge, we are constructing the roster in two-deep format,
which means some worthy players get left off the list. So, before you make
a case to put someone on the list, ask yourself, “Who do I take off the list at
that position?”
OFFENSE
QB -- First team: Dan Marino. Honorable mention: Bob Griese.
Regardless of not possessing a Super Bowl ring, Marino is one of the best
to ever play the game. Marino retired with a boatload of records and became
the first quarterback to pass for over 5,000 yards, which is commonplace in
today’s game. Marino is a Hall of Famer, nine-time Pro Bowler, seven-time
All Pro, NFL MVP in 1984 and NFL Comeback Player of the Year in 1994.
Griese does not have Marino’s gaudy numbers in large part because he
was surrounded by a more complete team. Griese quarterbacked the
Dolphins to consecutive Super Bowl titles (1972-1973) and is a Hall of
Fame inductee. He was a six-time Pro Bowler, two-time All Pro, two-time
AFL All Star and NFL MVP in 1971.
RB -- First team: Ricky Williams, Tony Nathan. Honorable mention:
Mercury Morris, Jim Kiick.
Williams had a mercurial personality but was an incredible running back. He
came to Miami via trade from New Orleans in 2002. He abruptly retired
before the 2004 season before returning from 2005-2010. Williams is second
in franchise history in career rushing yardage behind Larry Csonka. He also
caught 342 passes in his career. Nathan was All Pro as a returner in his rookie
year, 1979, but his role later expanded into becoming an all-purpose running
back. Nathan had four seasons of at least 1,100 yards from scrimmage and
likely would have had a fifth if not for the strike-shortened 1982 season.
Morris and Kiick and No. 4 and 5 in career rushing yardage in franchise
history. They were the perfect thunder and lightning compliment for Csonka.
Morris was a Pro Bowler three straight years from 1971-1973. Kiick played
just seven years with the Dolphins but was part of the multi-pronged rushing
attack along with Morris and Csonka that helped win two Super Bowls.
Kiick made the Pro Bowl twice.
FB -- First team: Larry Csonka. Honorable mention: Keith Byars.
Csonka was a rhinoceros in pads and played on some of the best teams in
NFL history. Csonka remains the franchise’s all-time leading rusher. Csonka
is a Hall of Famer, five-time Pro Bowler, three-time All Pro, played on
back-to-back Super Bowl winning teams in 1972-1973, MVP of Super
Bowl VIII and NFL Comeback Player of the Year in 1979. Byars gets
honorable mention by default. Though known more for his eight years
with the Philadelphia Eagles, Byars’ lone Pro Bowl season came in 1993,
his first with the Dolphins.
WR -- First team: Paul Warfield, Mark Clayton. Honorable mention:
Mark Duper, Nat Moore.
Warfield was only a Dolphin for five years but in that span eviscerated
defenses to the tune of averaging 21.5 yards per catch on the way to a Hall
of Fame career. Warfield’s deep speed was the perfect compliment for
Miami’s running game. As a Dolphin, he was All Pro and Pro Bowl
participant three times and a member of successive Super Bowl champions.
It was like splitting hairs but Clayton gets a slight nod over Duper to be
paired with Warfield as first-team. Clayton remains the franchise leader in
receptions, yardage and touchdowns. He was a Pro Bowler five times but
never made All Pro. Duper played 11 seasons and is second behind Clayton
in receptions and touchdowns. Duper is the all-time leader in yardage. He
was a Pro Bowler on three occasions and All Pro twice. Moore spent all 13
seasons of his career as a Dolphin and remains No. 3 in receptions,
yardage and touchdowns behind Clayton and Duper. Moore was a Pro
Bowler and All Pro just once but was very consistent.
TE -- First team: Randy McMichael. Honorable mention: Jim Mandich.
McMichael played 11 seasons with three different teams but his best football
came in his first five seasons with the Dolphins from 2002-2006. Of his 24
career touchdown catches, 18 came in Miami. No tight end in franchise
history has more receiving yards than McMichael’s 3,096. Mandich played
eight years with the Dolphins (1970-1977), during which time they won
two Super Bowls. Mandich’s best season was 1974, when he logged 33
passes for 374 yards and six touchdowns.
OT -- First team: Richmond Webb, Jake Long. Honorable mention: Jon
Giesler, Norm Evans.
Webb was a brilliant pass protector for much of Marino’s career as the blind
side tackle. Webb played 11 seasons as a Dolphins before spending his last
two in Cincinnati. Webb was a very consistent performer making seven
consecutive Pro Bowls and two first-team All Pro nods in that span. Long
spent four of his nine NFL seasons with the Dolphins but you cannot deny
his performance. In that span, Long made four Pro Bowls and was an All
Pro once. Evans never earned any Pro Bowl recognition but was a picture
of consistency in his ten seasons as a Dolphin, missing just five games in
that span. Evans was the starting tackle on two Super Bowl champs and a
runner up. Giesler also played ten seasons with the Dolphins, serving as
Marino’s first blindside tackle. Between 1980-1988, Giesler started 105
games.
OG -- First team: Larry Little, Bob Kuechenberg. Honorable mention:
Ed Newman, Keith Sims.
Little and Kuechenberg are a select pair when it comes to guard tandems.
Little is perhaps the best offensive lineman in franchise history. He
dominated opponents and was a vital reason for the Dolphins multi-faceted
offense. Little is a Hall of Famer, five-time Pro Bowl participant, five-time
All Pro and member of back-to-back Super Bowl champs (1972-
1973). Kuechenberg was one of the longest tenured players in franchise
history, having played 14 seasons. Kuechenberg was a six-time Pro Bowler,
three-time All Pro, played on two Super Bowl winners and one runner-ups.
Newman played 12 years with the Dolphins, one as a Super Bowl champ
and two more as a runner up. The Dolphins line was so deep that Newman
was a backup for six years before getting the chance to shine as a starter.
Newman was a four-time Pro Bowler and also made All Pro in his final
season, 1984. Sims started eight seasons with the Dolphins before spending
his last three seasons in Washington. Sims shined in the mid-1990s in
reaching three consecutive Pro Bowls with an All Pro season coming in
1994.
C -- First team: Jim Langer. Honorable mention: Dwight Stephenson.
The Dolphins have an embarrassment of riches at this position with back-
to-back Hall of Famers. Langer was a big reason the Dolphins had such a
dominant running game. Langer made the Pro Bowl and All Pro six
consecutive years. He was also a member of back-to-back Super Bowl
champions (1972-1973), which gives Langer the first-team tiebreaker.
Stephenson dominated in similar fashion on the way to a Hall of Fame
career despite his career being cut short by a knee injury. Stephenson was
an excellent athlete who provided great protection for Marino. He was All
Pro and Pro Bowl participant for five straight seasons.
DEFENSE
DE -- First team: Jason Taylor, Cameron Wake. Honorable mention:
Bill Stanfill, Doug Betters.
Regardless of position, there is not a better defensive player in franchise
history than Taylor, who is a Hall of Fame inductee. Because of the
Dolphins frequently being a noncontender, Taylor was often overlooked.
Taylor recorded 139.5 career sacks, forced 29 fumbles and scored nine
touchdowns. Taylor was a six-time Pro Bowler, four-time All Pro, two-
time AFC Defensive Player of the Year and was NFL Defensive Player of
the Year in 2006. Wake is as compelling of a story as you’ll find. He was
picked up by the New York Giants as an undrafted free agent but released
in training camp. After three years in the CFL, the Dolphins took a flier on
him and Wake played at a high level for a decade despite tearing his Achilles
in 2015. Wake recorded 100.5 career sacks, was a five-time Pro Bowler and
four-time All Pro. Stanfill was a key figure in dominant Dolphins defenses
in his time from 1969-1976. Stanfill was a five-time Pro Bowl member,
three-time All Pro and member of two Super Bowl champions. Betters
was a standout for a decade from 1978-1987, helping Miami reach two
Super Bowls. Betters’ best season was 1983 when he earned NFL
Defensive Player of the Year honors.
DT -- First team: Bob Baumhower, Tim Bowens. Honorable mention:
Manny Fernandez, Randy Starks.
Baumhower was a key member of MIami’s “Killer Bs” defense from
1977-1986. Baumhower was a dominant force in the middle as he reached
five Pro Bowls and made All Pro once. Bowers made just two Pro Bowls
in his 11 seasons but his performance warranted much more with such
honors. Bowens was perennially a disruptive force. How Fernandez
received nary a Pro Bowl nomination in his eight seasons is baffling.
Fernandez finished his career with 35 unofficial stats, which is
impressive considering defensive tackle is not a stat friendly position.
Fernandez’s shining moment came in Super Bowl VII, where he amassed
17 tackles and a sack. Starks played seven years (2008-2014) and ranks
second in franchise history behind Fernandez in sacks (30.5) for defensive
tackles. Starks was a two-time Pro Bowl participant.
OLB -- First team: Bob Brudzinski, A.J. Duhe. Honorable mention:
Kim Bokamper, Mike Kolen.
Brudzinski never earned any Pro Bowl honors but after coming to the
Dolphins from the Los Angeles Rams, he adapted to defensive coordinator
Bill Arnsbarger’s scheme and became a central figure in the “Killer Bs”
defense. Brudzinski is considered by many coaches and peers to be the
best linebacker not to play in a Pro Bowl. Duhe played from 1977-1984.
He was NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year in 1977 and reached his lone
Pro Bowl in 1984. His shining moment came in 1982 when he intercepted
three passes against the New York Jets in the AFC Championship Game.
Bokamper, like Brudzinski, was a key member to the “Killer Bs,” playing
from 1977-1985. Bokamper started 103 games and was made the Pro Bowl
in 1979. Kolen was a key member to the Dolphins’ “No Name Defense”
from 1970-1977, including two Super Bowl champions. While Kolen did
not receive the recognition that some of his teammates did, he was a
consistent performer.
ILB -- First team: Nick Buoniconti, Zach Thomas. Honorable mention:
John Offerdahl, Bryan Cox.
Though Buoniconti established part of his Hall of Fame legacy with the
Boston Patriots, his contributions to the Golden Age of Dolphins football
cannot be overstated. As a Dolphin, Buoniconti was an AFL All Star once,
All Pro and Pro Bowler twice and was a vital cog in the Dolphins winning
back-to-back Super Bowls. Thomas played 12 seasons with the Dolphins
(1996-2007) for some of the best defenses in franchise history. Though
Thomas was undersized at 5-10, he was a ferocious hitter, recording at
least 100 tackles in 11 of his 12 seasons. Thomas deserves Hall of
Fame consideration. He was an All Pro and Pro Bowler seven times
and AFC Defensive Rookie of the Year in 1996. Multiple injuries
derailed Offerdahl’s career, forcing him to retire after eight seasons.
Nonetheless, Offerdahl made an impact immediately, earning NFL
Defensive Rookie of the Year honors in 1986. Offerdahl reached the
Pro Bowl in each of his first five seasons and was All Pro in 1990. Cox
was known mostly for his combustible personality in his effort to bring
toughness to a unit that was perceived to be soft. Cox was a Pro Bowler in
three of his four seasons, topping the 100 tackle mark each time.
CB -- First team: Sam Madison, Patrick Surtain. Honorable mention:
Tim Foley, Curtis Johnson.
Madison and Surtain were perhaps the best cornerback tandem of their time.
Madison was a dominant player for much of his nine-year career. Madison
was a Pro Bowler and All Pro four times. Surtain was equally dominant in
his seven years as a Dolphin. Surtain was a three-time Pro Bowler and two-
time All Pro. His 29 interceptions are tied for fourth in franchise history.
Foley played 11 seasons with the Dolphins, two on Super Bowl winners.
He was a Pro Bowler once and recorded 22 career interceptions. Johnson
was an unheralded member of the Dolphins’ glory years, playing from
1970-1978. In that span, Johnson recorded 22 interceptions and eight
fumble recoveries.
S -- First team: Dick Anderson, Jake Scott. Honorable mention: Reshad
Jones, Louis Oliver.
Scott and Anderson played in the Golden Age of Dolphins’ football and
formed an outstanding safety duo. Anderson was a three-time Pro Bowl
performer, three-time All Pro, member of two Super Bowl champions,
NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1973 and NFL interceptions leader in
1973. Anderson recorded 34 career interceptions, second in franchise history,
and recovered 16 fumbles. Scott is the franchise leader with 35 interceptions.
Only one time in Scott’s five years did he fail to record at least five picks in
a season. In his six years as a Dolphin, Scott was a five-time Pro Bowler,
two-time first-team All Pro, member of two Super Bowl winners and MVP
of Super Bowl XII. Injuries derailed Jones’ career after ten seasons but for
much of the 2010s, he was one of the better safeties in the NFL. He was a
two-time Pro Bowler and intercepted 21 career passes. Oliver had two stints
that spanned seven years with the Dolphins. Oliver never made the Pro Bowl
but was a consistent performer for the Dolphins. He recorded 24 interceptions.
SPECIAL TEAMS
K -- First team: Olindo Mare. Honorable mention: Garo Yepremian.
Mare kicked ten seasons with the Dolphins before leaving as a free agent in
2007. Mare remains the franchise’s all-time leader in points scored (1,048).
Mare’s best season was 1999, when he was All Pro and played in the Pro
Bowl. Yepremian is most known for his blunder in Super Bowl VII but he
was one of the best kickers of his generation (1970-1978). In that span, he
helped the Dolphins win two Super Bowls. Yepremian was a Pro Bowler
three times and All Pro twice.
P -- First team: Reggie Roby. Honorable mention: Brandon Fields.
Roby kicked from 1983-1992 as a Dolphin and could seemingly boot the
ball into the stratosphere. Roby reached the Pro Bowl in 1984 and recorded
70-plus yard punts in bth 1986 and 1987. He averaged an NFL high 45.7
yards per punt in 1991. Fields played eight of his nine seasons with the
Dolphins (2007-2014). His best season was 2013, when he reached the
Pro Bowl. Fields compiled a 46.7 career average.
RETURN -- First team: Fulton Walker. Honorable mention: O.J.
McDuffie.
In seven years as a Dolphin, Walker averaged 23.9 yards on kickoffs and
9.0 on punts. Walker is best remembered for his performance in Super Bowl
XVII, which Miami lost to Washington 27-17. In that game, Walker had 190
kickoff return yards, including a 98-yarder for a touchdown. At the time that
was the first kickoff return for a touchdown in Super Bowl history. McDuffie
fell on the other side of the bubble at wide receiver but he belongs somewhere
on this team. McDuffie averaged 8.9 yards on punt returns, two for
touchdowns, and 22.9 on kickoff returns.
HEAD COACH -- First team: Don Shula. Honorable mention: Jimmy
Johnson.
The Dolphins have had 13 head coaches in the franchise’s 54-year history.
Shula led almost half of those years (26). After Shula, the longest tenured
Dolphins head coach was Dave Wannstedt (5 years). The Hall of Fame
inductee Shula is a coaching icon. Shula, who also coached the Baltimore
Colts from 1963-1969, remains the all-time leader with 347 career wins.
In his 26 seasons, the Dolphins were in the playoffs 19 times, won 11 division
titles, five AFC championships and two Super Bowls. Shula’s best attribute
was that his teams were often among the least penalized. Though Johnson’s
career in Miami did not deliver Super Bowls as it did in Dallas but in his
four seasons, the Dolphins had one of the better defensive units in the NFL.
The Dolphins went 36-32 in that span with two playoff wins. Johnson will
be inducted into the 2020 Hall of Fame class.
TEAM -- 1972. An argument could be made for the 1973 team, which went
12-2 in the regular season on the way to winning its second consecutive Super
Bowl. However, teams win the Super Bowl every year but not every team
navigates both the regular season and postseason undefeated like the 1972
version. The only one to threaten was the 2007 New England Patriots, which
went 16-0 in the regular season but lost to the New York Giants in the Super
Bowl. The knock on the 1972 Dolphins was its soft schedule, beating only
two teams with a winning record in the regular season. Miami edged
Cleveland 20-14 to open the playoffs and had to get to the Super Bowl
without home field advantage. Miami went into Pittsburgh to defeat the
Steelers 21-17. At the time, playoffs were not seeded by winning percentage.
They were determined by a preset rotation among divisions.
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