Miami Dolphins
19190
226065367
2008-07-16T17:53:41Z
96.2.98.199
/* Cheerleaders */
{{current sport-related|image=AmericanFootball current event.svg|mini=1|2008 Miami Dolphins season}}
{{NFL team | name = Miami Dolphins
| logo = Miami_Dolphins_logo.svg
| founded = 1966
| city = [[Miami Gardens, Florida]]
| uniform = Image:AFCE-Uniform-MIA.PNG
| colors = Aqua, Coral, Navy, White
| nicknames = The Fins/Phins
| coach = [[Tony Sparano]]
| owner = [[Wayne Huizenga|H. Wayne Huizenga]] (50%) and [[Stephen M. Ross]] (50%)
| general manager = [[Jeff Ireland]]
| vice president = Bill Parcells
| mascot = [[T. D. (mascot)|T. D.]]
| hist_yr = 1966
| affiliate_old =
[[American Football League]] (1966–1969)
*Eastern Division (1966–1969)
| NFL_start_yr = 1970
| division_hist =
*'''[[American Football Conference]] (1970–present)'''
**'''[[AFC East]] (1970–present)'''
| no_league_champs = 2
| no_sb_champs = 2
| no_conf_champs = 5
| no_div_champs = 12
| sb_champs = 1972 ([[Super Bowl VII|VII]]), 1973 ([[Super Bowl VIII|VIII]])
| conf_champs =
*'''AFC:''' 1971, 1972, 1973, 1982, 1984
| div_champs =
*'''AFC East:''' 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1979, 1981, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1992, 1994, 2000
| stadium_years =
*[[Miami Orange Bowl]] (1966–1986)
*'''[[Dolphin Stadium]] (1987–present)'''
**a.k.a. Joe Robbie Stadium (1987–1996)
**a.k.a. Pro Player Stadium (1997–2004)
**a.k.a. Dolphins Stadium (2005)
}}
The '''Miami Dolphins''' are a professional [[American football]] team based in the [[Miami, Florida]] [[South Florida metropolitan area|Metropolitan Area]]. They play home games at [[Dolphin Stadium]], in the suburb of Miami Gardens, about 15 miles from Downtown Miami. They are headquartered at the [[Miami Dolphins Training Facility]] in [[Davie, Florida]]. The Dolphins belong to the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference (AFC) in the [[National Football League]] (NFL). The Dolphins were founded by [[Joseph Robbie]], began play in the American Football League as an [[expansion team]] in 1966, and joined the NFL as part of the [[AFL-NFL Merger]]. The Dolphins are the oldest [[Major North American professional sports teams|major-league professional sports franchise]] in the state of [[Florida]].
The team made its first [[Super Bowl]] appearance following the 1971 season in [[Super Bowl VI]], but lost to the [[Dallas Cowboys]]. In [[1972 NFL season|1972]], the Dolphins completed the NFL's first [[perfect season]] culminating in a Super Bowl win, winning all 14 regular season games, two playoff games and [[Super Bowl VII]]. To date, they are the only team to have done so. The 1972 Dolphins held the fourth perfect regular season in NFL history. The team also won [[Super Bowl VIII]], becoming the first team to appear in three consecutive Super Bowls, and the second team (first AFL/AFC team) to win back-to-back championships. Miami also appeared in [[Super Bowl XVII]] and [[Super Bowl XIX]], losing both games.
For most of their history, the Dolphins were coached by [[Don Shula]], the most successful head coach in professional football history. His Dolphins teams posted losing records in only two of his 26 seasons with the club. Six future Hall of Fame members played for Miami during the 1970s, including running back [[Larry Csonka]] and quarterback [[Bob Griese]]. During the 1980s and 1990s quarterback [[Dan Marino]] became the most prolific passer in NFL history, breaking numerous league passing records. He led the Dolphins to numerous playoff appearances and Super Bowl XIX.
==History==
{{main|History of the Miami Dolphins}}
Miami joined the American Football League (AFL) when an expansion team franchise was awarded to lawyer Joseph Robbie and actor [[Danny Thomas]] in 1965 for $7.5 million, although Thomas would eventually sell his stake in the team to Robbie.<ref>[http://www.miamidolphins.com/history/historicalhighlights/historicalhighlights.asp#1965 Dolphins History] AFL awarding Miami franchise. Accessed 20 April 2006.</ref> A contest was held in 1965 to find the name of the new Miami franchise for the American Football League. 19,843 entries were submitted with over a thousand different names. A dozen finalists were screened through by a seven-member committee made up of the local media, names considered included the Mariners, Marauders, Mustangs, Missiles, Moons, Sharks, and Suns. The winning name, "Dolphins," was submitted by 622 entrants. Mrs. Robert Swanson of West Miami won lifetime passes to Dolphin games when her nickname entry successfully predicted the winner and score of the 1965 football game between [[University of Notre Dame|Notre Dame]] and the [[University of Miami]], a scoreless tie.
===1970s===
The Dolphins had a combined 15-39-2 record in their first four seasons (under head coach [[George Wilson (football coach)|George Wilson]]) when Shula was hired as head coach. Shula was a former [[Paul Brown]] disciple who had been lured from the [[History of the Indianapolis Colts|Baltimore Colts]] after first losing [[Super Bowl III]] two seasons earlier to the AFL's New York Jets and finishing 8-5-1 the following season,. The Colts charged the Dolphins with tampering in their hiring of Shula, costing them their first round draft pick in 1970. Shula introduced himself to the Miami press by saying that he didn't have any magic formulas and that the only way he knew to make his teams successful was through hard work. Shula's early training camps with the Dolphins, with four workouts a day, would soon be the stuff of sweltering, painful legend. But Shula's hard work paid immediate dividends, as Miami improved to a 10-4 record and their first-ever playoff appearance, losing 21-14 at Oakland.
The Dolphins were successful in the early 1970s, becoming the first team to advance to the [[Super Bowl]] for three consecutive seasons. They captured the AFC championship in 1971 behind quarterback [[Bob Griese]], running backs [[Larry Csonka]] and [[Jim Kiick]], and wide receiver [[Paul Warfield]]. The AFC Divisional Playoff Game, in which the Dolphins defeated the [[Kansas City Chiefs]], was the longest contest in NFL history (82 minutes 40 seconds). In [[Super Bowl VI]], however, Miami lost to the [[Dallas Cowboys]] 24-3.
In 1972 the Dolphins completed the [[NFL]]'s only perfect season, winning every regular season game, two playoff games and [[Super Bowl VII]], defeating the [[Washington Redskins]] 14-7. However the NFL season was only 14 games. QB Griese fell victim to a broken leg and dislocated ankle in Week 5 versus the [[San Diego Chargers]] and was replaced by veteran [[Earl Morrall]] for the rest of the regular season, but returned to the field as a substitute during the AFC Championship game versus the [[Pittsburgh Steelers]] and then started in [[Super Bowl VII]]. The Dolphins set the NFL single-season rushing record, and running backs Csonka and [[Mercury Morris]] became the first teammates to each rush for 1,000 yards in a season. The offensive line included future Hall of Fame members [[Jim Langer]] and [[Larry Little]] and Pro Bowler [[Bob Kuechenberg]]. The 1972 Dolphins defensive unit, called the No-Name Defense because Miami’s impressive offense received much more publicity, was the league’s best that year. It was led by linebacker [[Nick Buoniconti]], end [[Bill Stanfill]], tackle [[Manny Fernandez (American football)|Manny Fernandez]] and safeties [[Dick Anderson]] and [[Jake Scott (football player)|Jake Scott]].
Before the 1972 Dolphins, only the [[Chicago Bears]], in [[1934 NFL season|1934]]<ref>[http://www.nfl.com/history/standings/1934 NFL Historical Standings<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> and [[1942 NFL season|1942]]<ref>[http://www.nfl.com/history/standings/1942 NFL Historical Standings<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>, had finished an NFL regular season with no losses or ties. The 1934 team lost the [[NFL Championship Game, 1934|NFL Championship Game]] that year to the [[New York Giants|New York Football Giants]], and the 1942 team lost the [[NFL Championship Game, 1942|Championship]] to the Redskins. The [[Cleveland Browns]] were undefeated in the 1948 [[All-America Football Conference]] season.
The Dolphins finished 12-2 after the 1973 regular season and repeated as NFL Champions, beating the [[Minnesota Vikings]] 24-7 in [[Super Bowl VIII]] at Rice Stadium in Houston. Miami reached the playoffs again in 1974 but lost in the first round to the [[Oakland Raiders]], in what has entered [[NFL lore]] as the "[[Sea of Hands]]" game, considered one of the greatest games ever played. Following the 1974 season, the Dolphins lost Csonka, Kiick, and Warfield to the [[World Football League]].
Miami rebounded from a 6-8 record in 1976 by winning ten or more games in four of the next five seasons. Shula built a solid defense around a new set of stars, including linebacker [[A.J. Duhe]] and linemen [[Bob Baumhower]] and [[Doug Betters]]. The Dolphins went 10-4 again in 1977, but again lost the division title (and playoff spot) to the Colts. They made the playoffs as a wild card in 1978, but lost in the first round to the [[Tennessee Titans|Houston Oilers]] 17-9.
Csonka returned to the Dolphins in time for the 1979 season. After winning the division with a 10-6 record, the Dolphins lost the divisional playoff 34-14 to the eventual Super Bowl champion Pittsburgh Steelers at [[Three Rivers Stadium]].
===1980s===
In [[1980]], [[David Woodley]], an athletic quarterback out of [[LSU Tigers|LSU]], took over for Bob Griese, who severely injured his shoulder in a game against the Baltimore Colts. Griese would never play again, retiring after the season. The Dolphins finished 8-8 and did not make the playoffs.
The Dolphins were back on top of the AFC East in the [[1981 NFL season]], with an 11-4-1 record. That season, the Dolphins quarterback position was actually manned by both Woodley and back-up quarterback [[Don Strock]], causing the local [[mass media|media]] to identify the Miami quarterback as "Woodstrock." They reached the divisional [[playoff]] against the San Diego Chargers, known as [[The Epic in Miami]] and remembered as one of the most memorable games in NFL history, After being down 24-0 after the end of the first quarter, back-up quarterback Don Strock entered the game and engineered a frenetic comeback, culminating in the historic "Hook and Lateral" play, in which wide receiver [[Duriel Harris]] caught a pass from Strock and immediately lateralled the ball to the streaking running back [[Tony Nathan]] for the score on the last play of the half, which cut the Chargers lead to 24-17. After the Dolphins took the lead in the 4th quarter, San Diego tied it up 38-38 with under a minute to play. Chargers tight end [[Kellen Winslow]], playing through exhaustion, blocked [[Uwe von Schamann]]'s field goal try on the last play of regulation. Von Schamann had another field goal attempt blocked in overtime, and [[Rolf Benirschke]] kicked the game-winner for San Diego in overtime after missing a chip shot field goal earlier in overtime. Strock finished the game with 403 passing yards and 4 touchdowns.
In the [[1982 NFL strike|strike]]-shortened [[1982 NFL season]], the Dolphins, led by the "Killer B's" defense (Baumhower, [[Bill Barnett]], [[Lyle Blackwood]], [[Kim Bokamper]], [[Glenn Blackwood]], Doug Betters, and [[Bob Brudzinski]]), held five of their nine opponents to 14 or fewer points ''en route'' to their fourth Super Bowl appearance. During the first two rounds of the playoffs, they got revenge for previous losses, crushing the Patriots, 28-13 (revenge for the infamous Snow Plow game at Schaeffer Stadium played earlier in the season) and the San Diego Chargers, 34-13 at the Orange Bowl. After shutting out the [[New York Jets]] in the [[AFC Championship]] 14-0 (aided by Shula's instructions to the Stadium's grounds crew to leave the field uncovered throughout a week long rain in Miami).This was done to negate the Jets superior edge in team speed. They lost Super Bowl XVII to Washington, 27-17. After enjoying success rooted in a defense-first philosophy, and employing a [[ball control]] offense to take pressure off of lackluster quarterbacks, the next 17 seasons would be marked by an average rushing game and defense that limited a great quarterback.
During the third game of the 1983 season at the Los Angeles Raiders on Monday Night Football, Shula replaced quarterback David Woodley with rookie [[Dan Marino]], who went on to win the AFC passing title helped by a ratio of 20 touchdowns versus 6 interceptions and the [[NFL Rookie of the Year]] award. Seldom sacked by defenders, Marino was protected by an outstanding [[offensive line]] as he passed to receivers such as [[Mark Clayton]] and [[Mark Duper]]. Despite the regular season success (the Dolphins went 12-4 winning their last five regular season games, the only team in the AFC East with a winning record), they were upset in the divisional playoff by the [[Seattle Seahawks]] at the Orange Bowl. Defensive end Doug Betters was named the [[NFL Defensive Player of the Year]].
In [[1984]], the Dolphins won their first 11 games ''en route'' to a 14-2 season (the franchise's best 16-game season to date). Marino, in his first full season, produced the most impressive set of passing statistics in NFL history, setting single-season records for most yards (5,084), touchdown passes (48), and completions (362). He was voted NFL [[MVP]]. Miami avenged the [[Seahawks]] loss from the previous year 31-10 and crushed the Steelers 45-28 in the AFC Championship to get to Super Bowl XIX. In the title game, however, Miami lost to the [[San Francisco 49ers]] 38-16. It would be Marino's only Super Bowl appearance.
Miami finished 12-4 in [[1985]] and, in an epic Monday Night Football showdown, handed the previously-undefeated [[Chicago Bears]] their only defeat of the season. After rallying from a 21-3 third quarter deficit in the divisional playoffs to beat the Cleveland Browns 24-21, many people were looking forward to a rematch with Chicago in [[Super Bowl XX]]. The [[Cinderella]] New England Patriots, the Dolphins' opponents in the AFC Championship, had different plans. New England forced six [[Turnover (football)|turnovers]] on the way to a 31-14 win - the Patriots' first in Miami since [[1966]]. The Patriots has lost 18 games in a row at the Orange Bowl. In 1969, the Boston Patriots had beaten the Dolphins at Tampa Stadium.
In [[1986]], the Dolphins, hampered by defensive struggles, stumbled to a 2-5 start and finished 8-8, missing the playoffs for the first time since 1977. The Dolphins lost their last ever game at the Orange Bowl to the New England Patriots 34-27 on Monday Night Football. The problems continued in [[1987]], with an 8-7 (7-5 in non-strike games) record in a [[1987 NFL strike|strike]]-shortened year, their first at new Joe Robbie Stadium. Miami had their first losing season (6-10) since 1976 in [[1988]], and finished 8-8 following the [[1989]] regular season.
===1990s===
By 1990, the Dolphins had finally shaped up on defense and finished with a 12-4 record, second in the AFC East. They came from behind to beat the Kansas City Chiefs 17-16 in the Wild Card round, but lost to the Buffalo Bills 44-34 in the divisional playoffs. The team struggled with defensive injuries in 1991, and narrowly missed the playoffs in an overtime loss to the New York Jets during the final week of the season, losing the AFC's final playoff berth to their arch rivals from
New York.
The Dolphins rebounded in 1992 by finishing 11-5 and capturing the AFC East title behind a career year from running back [[Mark Higgs]] and tight end [[Keith Jackson (football player)|Keith Jackson]], newly acquired from the [[Philadelphia Eagles]] as an unrestricted free agent. They crushed the Chargers in the divisional playoffs 31-0, but were defeated by the Buffalo Bills 29-10 in the AFC Championship.
A season-ending Achilles injury to Dan Marino led to the team missing the playoffs in 1993 despite a league-leading 9-2 start. Marino returned in 1994 to lead the Dolphins to a 10-6 record and the AFC East crown. After defeating Joe Montana and the Kansas City Chiefs in the Wild Card round, the Dolphins gave up a 15-point halftime lead and suffered a heart-breaking 22-21 loss to the San Diego Chargers. [[Pete Stoyanovich]] missed a 46 yard field goal on the last play of the game and denied Marino a chance to play the Steelers in his hometown of Pittsburgh in the AFC Championship Game.
In 1995, Marino broke the career passing records formerly held by [[Fran Tarkenton]] for yards (48,841), touchdowns (352), and completions (3,913), though two of the games where he broke those records were losses to the [[Indianapolis Colts]]. The Dolphins finished 9-7, second in the AFC East, but still made the playoffs as a wild card, losing to Buffalo in the first round. Following the 1995 season, Don Shula retired and became an executive in the Dolphins’ front office. [[Jimmy Johnson (football coach)|Jimmy Johnson]], who had won a collegiate national championship at the University of Miami and two Super Bowls with the Dallas Cowboys, was named as Shula’s replacement. At the press conference announcing his retirement, Shula said that he "agreed to step aside", leading some to speculate that Huizenga had all but fired him.
In 1996, Miami finished 8-8 and out of the playoffs, with rookie [[Abdul-Karim al-Jabbar|Karim Abdul-Jabbar]]'s 1,116-yard rushing season and standout rookie linebacker Zach Thomas serving as two of the few bright spots. In 1997, Miami stumbled late and backed into the playoffs with a 9-7 season, losing to the [[New England Patriots]] in the Wild Card round.
Miami had a solid 10-6 season in 1998 with a career season for receiver [[O.J. McDuffie]], but it was not enough to get past the New York Jets into first place in the division. The Dolphins beat the Bills in the Wild Card round, but lost in the next round to the eventual champion [[Denver Broncos]]. (The Broncos lost only two regular season games in 1998, one of which was to the Dolphins.)
In 1999, the team advanced to the playoffs at 9-7. After a close win at Seattle in the Wild Card round 20-17, they suffered the worst playoff loss in NFL history against the [[Jacksonville Jaguars]]: 62-7. After the season, Jimmy Johnson left the team and Marino retired.
===2000s===
Before the 2000 season, [[Dave Wannstedt]], formerly of the Chicago Bears, became the new coach, and ex-Jacksonville Jaguars backup [[Jay Fiedler]] became the new quarterback, even though former Marino backup Damon Huard had been considered the favorite. Despite lowered expectations, the defense broke through with [[Jason Taylor (American football)|Jason Taylor]] and [[Trace Armstrong]] each getting 10 sacks, and four players ([[Sam Madison]], [[Brian Walker (football player)|Brian Walker]], [[Brock Marion]] and [[Patrick Surtain]]) tallying at least five interceptions. All-pro linebacker [[Zach Thomas]] also contributed many tackles. In addition, [[Lamar Smith (NFL)|Lamar Smith]] rushed for 1,139 yards, and Miami finished atop the AFC East with an 11-5 record. In the first round of the playoffs, Miami took the [[Indianapolis Colts]] to overtime and won on a Lamar Smith touchdown run. Smith finished with 209 yards on 40 carries, but in the next round, the Dolphins were shut out by the [[Oakland Raiders]], and a worn-out Smith was barely able to run.
The 2001 offseason brought in rookie [[Chris Chambers]] at wide receiver, but Trace Armstrong left, as did two offensive linemen, [[Richmond Webb]], a Pro Bowl anchor since 1990, and Kevin Donnalley. During the 2001 season, the Dolphins relied on a strong defense to finish 11-5, earning a Wild Card spot and finishing second in the AFC East behind the eventual Super Bowl champions, the New England Patriots. The Dolphins lost in the first round of the playoffs 20-3 to the [[Baltimore Ravens]].
Miami revitalized its running game in time for the 2002 season by trading for [[New Orleans Saints]] running back [[Ricky Williams]]. In addition, rookie tight end [[Randy McMichael]] made his presence felt. The Dolphins, behind a new offensive scheme under freshly hired offensive coordinator Norv Turner, and a power running game led by Williams, quickly rushed out to a 5-1 start, including an incredible last minute comeback by Fiedler against the Broncos. However, Fiedler injured his thumb and would be out for an extended period of time. This intrigued some Dolphins fans, who believed backup [[Ray Lucas]] could outdo the much-maligned Fiedler. However, Lucas was abysmal in his first two games and merely average in his third, and the team dropped three straight. Miami rebounded with wins over Baltimore and an impressive thumping of San Diego, but lost to Buffalo. Still, Miami pulled off an impressive win over the Oakland Raiders and sat at 9-5 with two weeks left in the season, in prime position to steal the AFC East. However, despite dominating the New England Patriots for most of the game in Week 17, the Dolphins blew an 11-point lead late in the fourth quarter of a devastating loss. Due to a tiebreaker, both the Dolphins and Patriots lost out on the playoffs as the Jets took the AFC East title. Many fans called for Wannstedt's firing, but he was kept on for the 2003 season. Despite it all, the team believed it had plenty to look forward to, as Ricky Williams broke Dolphins records with 1,853 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns on the ground.
The 2003 Miami Dolphins were a hard team to pinpoint. The defense was again solid and forced a lot of turnovers, and opposing offenses found running the ball extremely difficult. However, poor offensive line play (despite most of the starters returning) gave little room for Ricky to run, and the offense was stagnant. The Dolphins began with a repeat of 2002's season end, with a complete meltdown against the [[Houston Texans]], but they rebounded to win four straight games. During a crushing overtime loss at the hands of the Patriots, Jay Fiedler was injured, forcing newly acquired backup [[Brian Griese]] to lead the Dolphins to victory the next week over San Diego. That, however, was Griese's high point, and after a good showing against Indianapolis in a losing effort, he was lousy against the Titans and highly ineffective against the Ravens. When Griese and the Dolphins fell behind to the Washington Redskins, Jay Fiedler came off the bench and saved their season, leading them to a comeback victory, 24-23. Miami looked like it might rebound thanks to a victory over the Dallas Cowboys that took them to 8-4, but two key losses to the Patriots and the Eagles ended Miami's postseason hopes. Miami finished 10-6, but was still short of a playoff spot.
The 2004 offseason was disastrous for the Dolphins. Tight end Randy McMichael was arrested for domestic violence and wide receiver [[David Boston]] (signed from San Diego) suffered an injury in training camp and missed the entire season (Boston also failed a drug test for [[steroids]] later in the season). But the biggest shock came when Ricky Williams retired for then-unspecified reasons, until it was eventually revealed that a) Williams had recently suffered his third strike under the NFL's substance abuse policy, and b) to a lesser degree felt he was unnecessarily overused by Wannstedt. Many experts predicted a disastrous season for the Dolphins. These predictions proved right as Miami dropped their first six games of the 2004 season, marking the worst start in franchise history at the time. After the team fell to 1-8, Wannstedt resigned on [[November 9]], [[2004]]. He was replaced on an interim basis by defensive coordinator [[Jim Bates (football coach)|Jim Bates]]. The Dolphins fared slightly better under Bates, winning three of their final seven games, including a 29-28 upset victory over the defending champion Patriots on [[December 20]] in a nationally televised [[Monday Night Football]] contest. Despite this, the Dolphins decided not to hire Bates for the permanent coaching position. Instead, they hired [[LSU Tigers football|LSU]] coach [[Nick Saban]]. However, due to a number of poor personnel decisions, Saban was unable to lead the team to the playoffs during his brief two-year stint.
On [[January 3]], [[2007]], Saban announced that he had accepted a contract for eight years and a guaranteed $32 million to coach at the [[University of Alabama]]. Saban left despite making several false public statements in the preceding weeks assuring fans and owner Wayne Huizenga that he would be staying on as coach of the Dolphins. [[Cam Cameron]], previously the [[offensive coordinator]] for the San Diego Chargers, was then introduced as the new head coach of the Dolphins.
[[Image:Dolphins 11-11-2007 015.jpg|300px|left|thumb|11/11/2007: Dolphins vs. Bills at the Dolphin Stadium]]
For the 2007 season, the NFL scheduled the Dolphins' home game against the [[New York Giants]] on October 28 to be played in [[London]]'s [[Wembley Stadium]]; this was the NFL's first regular-season game to be played outside of [[North America]]. The Giants defeated the Dolphins, 13-10. Five games after one of Miami's top wide recievers [[Chris Chambers]], who was accquired in 2001, was traded to the [[San Diego Chargers]]. On December 16, the Dolphins ended a 16 game losing streak and beat the [[Baltimore Ravens]] at home 22-16 in overtime on a 64 yard touchdown from [[Cleo Lemon]] to Greg Camarillo. Despite the win over the Ravens, the team would lose its next two games to finish 1-15, which tied the NFL record for most losses in a season with 15, a record shared by 7 other teams, according to Steve Hirdt of the [[Elias Sports Bureau]].
Late in the 2007 season, former two time Super Bowl winning coach [[Bill Parcells]] was named head of the Dolphins football operations. Shortly after the season finale, Parcells fired GM [[Randy Mueller]] and on January 3, 2008, head coach [[Cam Cameron]] was fired along with almost all of his staff. Also during offseason, Pro Bowler [[Zach Thomas]], Miami's star MLB, was traded to the [[Dallas Cowboys]].
==Facilities==
===Stadiums===
The original home field the Dolphins played in was the [[Miami Orange Bowl|Orange Bowl]] in Miami, Florida until 1986. Their current, and only other home field, is Dolphin Stadium (originally named Joe Robbie Stadium, later [[Pro Player]] Stadium and before a minor tweak to the current name, Dolphins Stadium) in Miami Gardens a north suburb of Miami, Florida. Former Hurricane & Dolphin players played on January 26, 2008 in a flag football game to make it the final game played at the [[Miami Orange Bowl]] stadium. UM won 65-51.
[[Image:Final score of final game ob.JPG|thumb|right|Miami Hurricanes beat the Miami Dolphins 65-51. (Final game played at the O.B.)]]
===Training===
{{main|Miami Dolphins Training Facility}}
According to a local newspaper, St. Petersburg Beach hosted the Dolphins very first training camp in 1966. The players were housed next to Sea World.<ref>{{cite news | first=Evan | last=Benn | coauthors= | title=Training in style | date=[[2004-09-11]] | publisher=MiamiHerald.com | url =http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/9596028.htm | work =MiamiHerald.com | pages = | accessdate = 2007-02-02 | language = }}</ref>
The Dolphins trained at Biscayne College, later renamed [[St. Thomas University]], from 1970 until 1993.
In 1993, the Dolphins opened the Miami Dolphins Training Facility at [[Nova Southeastern University]] in [[Davie, Florida|Davie]], Florida. In 2006, the facility added a domed field which allows the team to practice during thunder storms which are frequent during summer training camps.<ref>[http://www.asati.com/projects/miami%20dolphins.html ASATI]</ref>
==Logos and uniforms==
===Logos===
[[Image:Miami_Dolphins_logo.svg|right|thumb|100px|The Dolphin logo 1997-current.]]
Except for a few minor changes throughout the years, the Dolphins logo and uniforms have essentially remained the same. The logo consists of a dolphin wearing a helmet with the sun shining behind it. The uniform design consists of white helmets, orange trim, and either white or aqua green jerseys. The team also wears either white or aqua green pants. The pants are composed of a high grade cotton/lycra polymer.
When the team's logo debuted in 1966, the dolphin's head was positioned so that its head was near the center of the sunburst. By 1974, the dolphin's body was centered on the sunburst. Because of the team's name and mascot, the Dolphins are sometimes referred to as "The Fish,"{{Fact|date=August 2007}}<!--This is the term their opponents use, not their fans, as in "Squish The Fish"--> even though dolphins are really [[mammal]]s, not [[fish]]. The [[Florida Marlins]], a [[major league baseball]] team that plays in the same stadium, are also called "The Fish." Another common Dolphins nickname is "The Fins."<!-- 'Phins is a contraction, Fins is a nickname-->
===Uniforms===
[[Image:AFC-Throwback-Uniform-MIA.PNG|thumb|left|150px|Miami Dolphins uniform: 1974-1989]]
In 1997, dark blue was added to the logo and uniforms as an accent color. The hashmarks around the perimeters of logo's sunburst were removed, while the dolphin's features were accentuated.<ref>[http://www.miamidolphins.com/history/historicalhighlights/historicalhighlights12.asp Dolphins History] Logo design information. Accessed 15 April 2006.</ref> The Dolphins also changed from numbers outlined in orange to drop-shadow numbers.
Miami is one of the three NFL teams that primarily wear their white jerseys at home (the others being the Dallas Cowboys and the Washington Redskins), although they wore their aqua jerseys during games held at night.<ref> The Dolphins began this tradition during the perfect season of 1972 and have continued it ever since. [http://www.miamidolphinsproshop.com/main_parentgroup.cfm?gid=1&sAuxTitle=JERSEYS Miami Dolphins Official Online Pro Shop] Example of white jersey referred as the home jersey. Accessed 20 April 2006.</ref> Since the 2003 season, the Dolphins have worn an alternate orange jersey twice for home night contests. They are 2-0 in games wearing the alternate jersey (in comeback wins against the Washington Redskins in 2003 and eventual [[Super Bowl XXXIX|Super Bowl]] champ and division rival New England in 2004). They did not wear the orange jerseys in the 2005 season because they had no night games, and they didn't wear them in 2006 despite playing the Jets on Monday Night Football on Christmas Day.
In 2005 and 2006, the Dolphins did not wear the aqua pants with the white jerseys, instead opting for the all-white combination. From 2000 through 2004, the Dolphins usually wore all-white at home and aqua pants with white jerseys on the road under former coach Dave Wannstedt (2000-2004) and interim coach Jim Bates (2004).
On three occasions, the Dolphins have worn an all-aqua combination for prime-time games: defeating the Chicago Bears in 2002, losing to the Philadelphia Eagles in 2003, and defeating the Cleveland Browns in 2004.
In February 2007, it was announced that the Dolphins would make slight alterations to their uniforms. The navy blue outline on the Dolphins numbers will be thinned in hopes of making them easier to read for viewers. Despite this news and contrary to rumors, the Dolphins have no plans to change the team's logo.
==Fight song==
The Dolphins have a fight song that is played after every score, including extra points. The song was performed by the Rubber Band. The music is identical to the fight song of the now defunct [[Tennessee Titans|Houston Oilers]] and the lyrics are exceptionally similar. The lyrics are:<br>
<blockquote><br>(Verse)
<br>''Miami has the Dolphins,
<br>''The greatest football team!
<br>''We take the ball from goal to goal,
<br>''Like no one's ever seen!
<br>''We're in the air,
<br>''We're on the ground,
<br>''We're always in control.
<br>''And when you say Miami,
<br>''You're talking Super Bowl!''
<br>(Chorus 1)
<br>''Cause we're the Miami Dolphins,
<br>''Miami Dolphins,
<br>''Miami Dolphins Number 1.''
<br>(Chorus 2)
<br>''Yes we're the Miami Dolphins,
<br>''Miami Dolphins,
<br>''Miami Dolphins Number 1.''
</blockquote>
==Season-by-season records==
{{main|Miami Dolphins seasons}}
==Players of note==
{{see|List of Miami Dolphins starting quarterbacks}}
===Current roster===
{{Miami Dolphins roster}}
===[[Pro Football Hall of Fame]]rs===
* [[Paul Warfield]] 42, WR (1970-74), Elected 1983
* [[Larry Csonka]] 39, RB (1968-74 & 1979), Elected 1987
* [[Jim Langer]] 62, C (1970-79), Elected 1987
* [[Bob Griese]] 12, QB (1968-80), Elected 1990
* [[Larry Little]] 66, G (1969-80), Elected 1993
* [[Don Shula]], Head Coach (1970-95), Elected 1997
* [[Dwight Stephenson]] 57, C (1980-87), Elected 1998
* [[Nick Buoniconti]] 85, LB (1969-76), Elected 2001
* [[Dan Marino]] 13, QB (1983-99), Elected 2005
Each of these players is honored with a placard on the facing of the upper level of one end zone at Dolphins Stadium. So is team founder-owner Joe Robbie, who has not yet been elected to the Hall of Fame. In place of a uniform number, Shula has the number 347, representing his record number of NFL coaching victories, 274 of them as Dolphins head coach.
===Retired numbers===
*12 Bob Griese, QB, 1967-80 (retired May 6, 1982, at the Dolphins' annual awards banquet)<ref>[http://www.miamidolphins.com/history/halloffamers/halloffamers_jersey12.asp Dolphins History] Griese retired jersey information. Accessed 15 April 2006.</ref>
*13 Dan Marino, QB, 1983-99 (retired September 17, 2000, at halftime of the Dolphins-Baltimore Ravens game)<ref>[http://www.miamidolphins.com/history/danmarinotribute/danmarinotribute.asp Dolphins History] Marino tribute section. Accessed 15 April 2006.</ref>
*39 Larry Csonka, FB, 1968-74, 1979 (retired December 9, 2002, at halftime of the Dolphins-Chicago Bears game)<ref>[http://www.miamidolphins.com/history/halloffamers/halloffamers_jersey39.asp Dolphins History] Csonka retired jersey information. Accessed 15 April 2006.</ref>
===Dolphins Honor Roll===
[[The Miami Dolphin Honor Roll]] is a ring around the second tier of Dolphins Stadium that honor former players, coaches, owners and contributors that have made significant contributions to the Miami Dolphins franchise throughout their history. '''Bold''' indicates those elected to the NFL Hall of Fame. The Inductees as of 2007 include:
* [[Joe Robbie]], Owner/Founder (1966-1989), Inducted 1990
* '''[[Larry Csonka]]''' 39, FB (1968-74, 1979), Inducted 1990
* '''[[Bob Griese]]''' 12, QB (1967-80), Inducted 1990
* '''[[Jim Langer]]''' 62, C (1970-79), Inducted 1990
* '''[[Paul Warfield]]''' 42, WR (1970-74), Inducted 1990
* '''[[Nick Buoniconti]]''' 85, LB (1969-76), Inducted 1991
* 1972 Undefeated Team, (1972), Inducted 1992
* '''[[Larry Little]]''' 66, G (1969-80), Inducted 1993
* '''[[Dwight Stephenson]]''' 57, C (1980-87), Inducted 1994
* [[Bob Kuechenberg]] 67, G (1970-1984), Inducted 1995
* '''[[Don Shula]]''', Head Coach (1970-1995), Inducted 1996
* [[Nat Moore]] 89, WR (1974-1986), Inducted 1999
* '''[[Dan Marino]]''' 13, QB (1983-1999), Inducted 2000
* [[Mark Clayton]] 83, WR (1983-1992), Inducted 2003
* [[Mark Duper]] 85, WR (1982-1992), Inducted 2003
* [[Dick Anderson]] 40, S (1968-1977), Inducted 2006
* [[Richmond Webb]] 78, OT (1990-2000), Inducted 2006
===Other notable alumni===
{|
|valign="top"|
*[[Steve DeBerg]], QB, 1993
*[[Bernie Kosar]], QB, 1994-96
*[[Scott Mitchell]], QB 1990-93
*[[Earl Morrall]], QB, 1972-76
*[[Don Strock]], QB, 1973-87
*[[David Woodley]], QB, 1980-83
*[[Jay Fiedler]], QB, 2000-04
*[[Abdul-Karim al-Jabbar]], RB, 1996-99
*[[Joe Auer]], RB, 1966-67
*[[Keith Byars]], RB, 1993-96
*[[Andra Franklin]], RB, 1981-84
*[[Jim Kiick]], RB, 1968-74
*[[Mercury Morris]], RB, 1969-75
*[[Tony Nathan]], RB, 1979-87
*[[Bernie Parmalee]], RB, 1992-98
*[[Troy Stradford]], RB, 1987-90
*[[Delvin Williams]], RB, 1978-80
*[[Cris Carter]], WR, 2002
*[[Chris Chambers]], WR, 2001-07
*[[Jimmy Cefalo]], WR, 1978-84
*[[Mark Clayton]], WR, 1983-92
*[[Mark Duper]], WR, 1982-92
|valign="top"|
*[[Irving Fryar]], WR, 1993-95
*[[Oronde Gadsden]], WR, 1998-2003
*[[Mike Golic]], DT, 1993
*[[Duriel Harris]], WR, 1976-83, 1985
*[[O.J. McDuffie]], WR, 1993-2000
*[[Nat Moore]], WR, 1974-86
*[[Howard Twilley]], WR, 1966-76
*[[Jim "Crash" Jensen]], TE/WR/RB/QB, 1981-92
*[[Bruce Hardy]], TE, 1978-89
*[[Keith Jackson (football player)|Keith Jackson]], TE, 1992-94
*[[Jim Mandich]], TE, 1970-77
*[[Randy McMichael]], TE, 2002-06
*[[Joe Rose]], TE, 1980-85
*[[Jeff Dellenbach]], T/C, 1985-94
*[[Tim Ruddy]], C, 1994-2003
*[[Norm Evans]], OL, 1966-75
*[[Jon Giesler]], OL, 1979-88
*[[Ed Newman]], OL, 1973-84
*[[Keith Sims]], OL, 1990-97
*[[Richmond Webb]], OL, 1990-2000
*[[Bob Baumhower]], DT, 1977-86
*[[Tim Bowens]], DT, 1994-2004
*[[Manny Fernandez (football player)|Manny Fernandez]], DT, 1968-75
|valign="top"|
*[[Trace Armstrong]], DE, 1995-2000
*[[Doug Betters]], DE, 1978-87
*[[Kim Bokamper]], DE, 1977-85
*[[Jeff Cross (football player)|Jeff Cross]], DE, 1988-95
*[[Vern Den Herder]], DE, 1971-82
*[[Bill Stanfill]], DE, 1969-76
*[[Bob Brudzinski]], LB, 1981-89
*[[Bryan Cox]], LB, 1991-95
*[[A.J. Duhe]], LB, 1977-84
*[[Wahoo McDaniel]], LB, 1966-68
*[[Bob Matheson]], LB, 1971-79
*[[John Offerdahl]], LB, 1986-93
*[[Junior Seau]], LB, 2003-05
*[[Terrell Buckley]], CB, 1995-99, 2003
*[[Tim Foley]], CB, 1970-80
*[[Paul Lankford]], CB, 1982-91
*[[Sam Madison]], CB, 1997-2005
*[[Don McNeal]], CB, 1980-89
*[[Lloyd Mumphord]], CB, 1969-74
*[[Patrick Surtain]], CB, 1998-2004
*[[Jake Scott (defensive back)|Jake Scott]], FS/PR, 1970-75
*[[Glenn Blackwood]], S, 1979-87
*[[Lyle Blackwood]], S, 1981-86
*[[Sammy Knight]], S, 2001-04
|valign="top"|
*[[Brock Marion]], S, 1998-2003
*[[Pete Stoyanovich]], K, 1989-95
*[[Garo Yepremian]], K, 1970-78
*[[Olindo Mare]], K, 1996-2006
*[[Eric Laakso]], OT, 1978-84
*[[Reggie Roby]], P, 1983-92
*[[Larry Seiple]], P, 1967-77
*[[Zach Thomas]], LB, 1996-2007
|}
===All-time team===
Published October, 2007, in the South Florida ''Sun-Sentinel''. Team was chosen in a fan ballot. <ref>[http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/football/pro/dolphins/sfl-alltimefins-public,0,5597607.htmlstory Your Dolphins All-Time Team! - South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
<ref>[http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/football/pro/dolphins/sfl-dolteampoll07,0,7969460.poll South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><br />
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
'''''Offense'''''<br />
'''QB''' [[Dan Marino]]<br />
'''RB''' [[Mercury Morris]]<br />
'''FB''' [[Larry Csonka]]<br />
'''WR''' [[Paul Warfield]]<br />
'''WR''' [[Mark Clayton]]<br />
'''TE''' [[Jim Mandich]]<br />
'''OT''' [[Richmond Webb]]<br />
'''OT''' [[Norm Evans]]<br />
'''OG''' [[Larry Little]]<br />
'''OG''' [[Bob Kuechenberg]]<br />
'''C''' [[Dwight Stephenson]]<br />
'''PK''' [[Olindo Mare]]<br />
'''Coach''' [[Don Shula]]<br />
{{col-2}}
'''''Defense'''''<br />
'''DE''' [[Jason Taylor (American football)|Jason Taylor]]<br />
'''DE''' [[Bill Stanfill]]<br />
'''DT''' [[Tim Bowens]]<br />
'''DT''' [[Manny Fernandez (football player)|Manny Fernandez]]<br />
'''MLB''' [[Zach Thomas]]<br />
'''OLB''' [[Bob Brudzinski]]<br />
'''OLB''' [[Bryan Cox]]<br />
'''CB''' [[Sam Madison]]<br />
'''CB''' [[Patrick Surtain]]<br />
'''SS''' [[Dick Anderson]]<br />
'''FS''' [[Jake Scott (defensive back)|Jake Scott ]]<br />
'''P''' [[Reggie Roby]]<br />
'''ST''' Jim Jensen<br />
{{col-end}}
===All-time first-round draft picks===
{{main|List of Miami Dolphins first-round draft picks}}
==Coaches of note==
===Head coaches===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
|-
!rowspan="2" width="140px"|Name
!rowspan="2"|From
!rowspan="2"|To
!colspan="3"|Regular Season Record
!colspan="4"|Post Season Record
|-
!W!!L!!T!!W!!L
|-
|align=left |[[George Wilson (football coach)|George Wilson]] (AFL)
|align=left |1966
|align=left |1969
|15||39||2||--||--
|-
|align=left |[[Don Shula]]
|align=left |1970
|align=left |1995
|257||133||2||17||14
|-
|align=left |[[Jimmy Johnson (American football coach)|Jimmy Johnson]]
|align=left |1996
|align=left |1999
|36||28||0||2||3
|-
|align=left |[[Dave Wannstedt]]
|align=left |2000
|align=left |2004
|42||31||0||1||2
|-
|align=left |[[Jim Bates (American football coach)|Jim Bates]] (interim)
|align=left |2004
|align=left |2004
|3||4||0||--||--
|-
|align=left |[[Nick Saban]]
|align=left |2005
|align=left |2006
|15||17||0||--||--
|-
|align=left |[[Cam Cameron]]
|align=left |2007
|align=left |2007
|1||15||0||--||--
|-
|align=left |[[Tony Sparano]]
|align=left |2008
|align=left |Present
|0||0||0||--||--
|-
|}
===Current staff===
{{Miami Dolphins staff}}
==Cheerleaders==
The team's [[cheerleader]]s are simply known as the [http://www.miamidolphins.com/newsite/cheerleaders/cheerleaders_menu.asp Miami Dolphins Cheerleaders].
==Radio and television==
The Miami Dolphins' flagship radio station is [[WQAM (AM)|560 WQAM]]. [[Jimmy Cefalo]] and [[Jim Mandich]] are the announcers, and [[Joe Rose]] joined WQAM and the Dolphins Radio Network crew before the 2007 NFL season started. The [http://www.miamidolphins.com/newsite/dolfanzone/radionetwork.asp 2007 Miami Dolphins Radio Network] is a statewide network of radio stations in Florida.
Most preseason games are seen on [[WFOR]] ([[CBS]]) in Miami/[[Fort Lauderdale]], [[WTVX]] ([[The CW Television Network|CW]]) in [[West Palm Beach]]/[[Fort Pierce]], and [[WXCW]] ([[The CW Television Network|CW]]) in [[Naples, Florida]]/[[Fort Myers]] with announcers [[Craig Bolerjack]], [[Bob Griese]], and [[Nat Moore]].
[[ESPN]] reporter [[Hank Goldberg]] was a longtime color analyst on the Miami Dolphins Radio Network.
====Dolphins radio announcers====
<table class="wikitable"><tr><th>
Years </th><th> Flagship station </th><th> Play-by-Play </th><th> Color commentator </th><th> Sideline Reporter </th></tr><tr><td>
1966 </td><td> [[WIOD|610 WIOD]] </td><td>[[Johnny Bell]]</td><td>[[Dan Bossler]]</td><td> </td></tr><tr><td>
1967-69 </td><td> [[WIOD|610 WIOD]] </td><td>[[Bob Gallagher (radio host)|Bob Gallagher]]</td><td>[[Henry Barrow]]</td><td> </td></tr><tr><td>
1970 </td><td> [[WIOD|610 WIOD]] </td><td>[[Joe Croghan]]</td><td> [[Larry King]] </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td>
1971 </td><td> [[WIOD|610 WIOD]] </td><td>[[Rick Weaver]]</td><td> [[Larry King]] </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td>
1972 </td><td> [[WIOD|610 WIOD]] </td><td>[[Rick Weaver]]</td><td> [[Lou Creekmur]] </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td>
1973 </td><td> [[WIOD|610 WIOD]] </td><td>[[Rick Weaver]]</td><td> [[Fred Woodson]] </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td>
1974-76 </td><td> [[WIOD|610 WIOD]] </td><td>[[Rick Weaver]]</td><td> [[Henry Barrow]] </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td>
1977-91 </td><td> [[WIOD|610 WIOD]] </td><td>[[Rick Weaver]]</td><td> [[Hank Goldberg]] </td><td> [[Henry Barrow]] </td></tr><tr><td>
1992-93 </td><td> [[WIOD|610 WIOD]] </td><td>[[Rick Weaver]]</td><td> [[Jim Mandich]] </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td>
1994-01 </td><td> [[WIOD|610 WIOD]] </td><td>[[Bill Zimpfer]]</td><td> [[Jim Mandich]] </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td>
2002-04 </td><td> [[WQAM-AM|560 WQAM]] </td><td>[[Howard David]] </td><td> [[Jim Mandich]] </td><td> </td></tr><tr><td>
2005-06 </td><td>[[WAXY|790 WAXY]]</td><td>[[Jimmy Cefalo]]</td><td>[[Joe Rose (football player)|Joe Rose]]</td><td>[[Nat Moore]]</td></tr><tr><td>
2007-present </td><td> [[WQAM-AM|560 WQAM]] </td><td> [[Jimmy Cefalo]]</td><td> [[Jim Mandich]] and [[Joe Rose (football player)|Joe Rose]]</td><td>
</tr></table>
==Notes and references==
{{reflist}}
==See also==
*[[Dolphins-Jets rivalry]]
*[[History of the Miami Dolphins]]
*[[List of American Football League players]]
*[[Miami Dolphins Training Facility]]
*[[The Marino Curse]]
==External links==
<!--===========================({{NoMoreLinks}})===============================-->
<!--| DO NOT ADD MORE LINKS TO THIS ARTICLE. WIKIPEDIA IS NOT A COLLECTION OF |-->
<!--| LINKS. If you think that your link might be useful, do not add it here, |-->
<!--| but put it on this article's discussion page first or submit your link |-->
<!--| to the appropriate category at the Open Directory Project (www.dmoz.org)|-->
<!--| and link back to that category using the {{dmoz}} template. |-->
<!--| |-->
<!--| Links that have not been verified WILL BE DELETED. |-->
<!--| See [[Wikipedia:External links]] and [[Wikipedia:Spam]] for details |-->
<!--===========================({{NoMoreLinks}})===============================-->
{{Commonscat|Miami Dolphins}}
*[http://www.miamidolphins.com Official Website]
*[http://www.sportsecyclopedia.com/nfl/mia/dolphins.html Sports E-Cyclopedia.com]
*{{dmoz|Sports/Football/American/NFL/Teams/Miami_Dolphins/}}
{{Start}}
{{succession box
| title = Super Bowl Champions<br>Miami Dolphins
| years = 1972 and 1973
| before = Dallas Cowboys<br>1971
| after = Pittsburgh Steelers<br>[[Super Bowl IX|1974]] and [[Super Bowl X|1975]]
}}
{{end}}
{{Miami Dolphins}}
{{Super Bowl VII}}
{{Super Bowl VIII}}
{{NFL}}
{{AFL (1960 - 1969)}}
{{South Florida Sports}}
{{South Florida metropolitan area}}
{{Florida Sports}}
[[Category:Miami Dolphins| ]]
[[Category:Sports clubs established in 1966]]
[[Category:American Football League]]
[[Category:National Football League teams]]
[[Category:Sports in Miami, Florida]]
[[ca:Miami Dolphins]]
[[da:Miami Dolphins]]
[[de:Miami Dolphins]]
[[es:Miami Dolphins]]
[[fr:Dolphins de Miami]]
[[hi:मियामी डॉलफिन्स]]
[[id:Miami Dolphins]]
[[it:Miami Dolphins]]
[[he:מיאמי דולפינס]]
[[hu:Miami Dolphins]]
[[nl:Miami Dolphins]]
[[ja:マイアミ・ドルフィンズ]]
[[pl:Miami Dolphins]]
[[pt:Miami Dolphins]]
[[ru:Майами Долфинс]]
[[simple:Miami Dolphins]]
[[fi:Miami Dolphins]]
[[sv:Miami Dolphins]]
[[uk:Маямі Дольфінс]]
[[zh:迈阿密海豚]]