Miami Dolphins
Franchise History
Dolphin Creation
Miami joined the AFL when a lawyer Joseph Robbie and an actor Danny Thomas were awarded a team franchise in 1965 for $7.5 million. Later that year, the team was named the Dolphins after a name contest was held.
1970s
In the 1970s Don Shula was hired as head coach who believed in success through hard work. After early training and four a day work outs the Dolphins found themselves with a 10-4 record and in their first playoffs ever. They lost in the first round to Oakland 21-14. The Dolphins captured the AFC Championship in 1971 but was stopped in the Super Bowl by the Dallas Cowboys 24-3. In 1972, the Dolphins completed the perfect season, winning 14 regular games, two playoff games and defeating the Washington Redskins 14-7 in Super Bowl VII. Dolphins finished the season 12-2 and become NFL Champions again, beating the Vikings in Super Bowl VIII 24-7. Although the Dolphins finished with decent records for the remaining of the decade didn’t get to the Super Bowl.
1980s
The Dolphins made a Super Bowl appreance in 1982 during the strike-shortened season, where they would end up losing to Washington 27-17. In 1983, coach Shula replaced quarterback David Woodley with Dan Mario. He would finish the season with 12-4 winning their last five regular season games. They made it to the playoffs but were beat by the Seattle Seahawks in the playoffs. The next year Mario would take the Dolphins to Super Bowl XIX with a season record of 14-2 but lost against the San Francisco 49ers 38-16. Mario would not make another Super Bowl appearance. They made the AFC Championship but lost to the New England Patriots. The Dolphins would finish the remaining seasons of the decade with 8-8 and 8-7 records.
1990s
Dolphins rebounded in 1992 and started the season 6-0 and then finished 11-5 winning the AFC East for that year. The lost in the AFC Championship however, to the Buffalo Bills 29-10. In 1995, the Dolphins still ended a record of 9-7 even though Marino would go one to break career-passing yards of 48,841 yards, 352 touchdowns and 3,913 completions. In 1997 they made it to the Wildcard playoff spot but lost the game to the New England Patriots. The next year they made it to the playoffs but lost in the second round. In 1999, they again made it to the Wildcard playoff spot but lost again this time to Seattle.
2000- 2006
Dave Wannstedt become coach of the Dolphins in 2000 and despite doubt from the public, the Dolphins went to finish top of the AFC East with an 11-5 record. They defeated the Colts in the first round but were stopped but Oakland in the second round. They made the playoffs again the 2001 but lost in the first round 20-3 to the Baltimore Ravens. In 2003, although the Dolphins finished the season with a 10-6, two key losses against the Patriots and Eagles ended any playoff hopes. In 2004 Wannstedt resigned after starting the season 1-8 and the Dolphins hired Nick Saban to be head coach in 2005 where they finished 9-7 and barely missed the playoffs. Saban failed to take the Dolphins to the playoffs his second year.
2007 – Present
Cam Cameron took over as head coach for Saban after he left to coach the University of Alabama in 2007 and would take the Dolphins to an embarrassing record of 1-15 that season. In 2008, the Dolphins made a huge turnaround hiring Bill Parcels as Executive Vice President and who hired Tony Sparano as head coach. They brought the team to a 10-5 season and into the playoffs. Unfortunately, they lost in the first round of the playoffs to the Baltimore Ravens 27-9.
Stadiums
Originally the Dolphins played all there home games in the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida. After 1986 season, the Dolphins started playing at the Joe Robbie Stadium located in Miami Gardens, a suburb of Miami located approximately fifteen miles north of downtown Miami. The stadium would undergo several name changes to Pro Player Stadium, then to Dolphins Stadium, and then Dolphin Stadium, and as of spring 2009, Land Shark Stadium.
Logos and Uniforms
The Dolphins logo has remained pretty much unchanged since it was founded. The logo consists of a sunburst and Dolphin wearing a Football helmet with the letter M on the side. The uniform features white helmets with either white or aqua jerseys and either white or aqua pants.
Pro Football Hall of Famers
Paul Warfield (1983)
Larry Csonka (1987)
Jim Langer (1987)
Bob Griese (1990)
Larry Little (1993)
Don Shula (1997)
Dwight Stephenson (1998)
Nick Buoniconti (2001)
Dan Marino (2005)
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