Miami Dolphins

The Miami Dolphins are a National Football League team based in Miami, Florida.

Founded: 1966, as an American Football League expansion team. Entered the NFL as part of the 1970 merger.

Home stadium: Pro Player Stadium[?], Miami

Uniform colors: Aqua Green and Orange

Helmet design: A dolphin wearing a football helmet, jumping through an orange sunburst

League championships won: NFL 1972, 1973.

Super Bowl appearances: VI (lost), VII (won), VIII (won), XVII (lost), XIX (lost)

Franchise history

In 1972, the Dolphins posted a perfect 14-0 record, then went on to win Super Bowl VII. This is the first, and so far only, perfect season in NFL history. It has become traditional for the surviving members of that team to each put a bottle of champagne on ice at the start of each season. When every team has lost a game, and the Dolphin's record is safe for another year, the champagne is opened.

The Dolphins won with defense (the "No-Name" defense, featuring Nick Buoniconti and Dick Anderson) and offense. They were the first team to feature two 1,000 yard rushers: the bruising, powerful Larry Csonka and the fleet, elusive Mercury Morris. They also won with starting quarterback Bob Griese out of the lineup for most of the season: Earl Morrall led the offense for nine regular-season games. (It was Morrall's second spectacular year as a substitute; he had quarterbacked the 1968 Baltimore Colts to a 13-1 record after Johnny Unitas suffered a season-ending injury.)

Players of note

Football Hall of Famers:

• Don Shula[?]
• Nick Buoniconti[?]
• Larry Csonka[?]
• Bob Griese[?]
• Dwight Stevenson[?]
• Jim Langer[?]
• Paul Warfield[?]
• Larry Little[?]

Current stars:

Retired numbers:

• 12 Bob Griese, 13 Dan Marino, 39 Larry Csonka[?]

Not to be forgotten:

• Nick Buoniconti[?]
• Larry Csonka[?]
• Bob Griese[?]
• Dan Marino
• Mercury Morris[?]
• Garo Yepremian[?]

Miami Dolphins official web site (http://www.miamidolphins.com/home/home_index.asp)