History of the Miami Dolphins facts for kids
The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football team. They play in the National Football League (NFL) as part of the American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The team's home stadium and training areas are in Miami Gardens, Florida. A lawyer named Joe Robbie and an actor named Danny Thomas started the Dolphins team. They began playing in the American Football League (AFL) in 1966. Before the Dolphins, the last professional football team in South Florida was the Miami Seahawks in 1946.
Contents
- Starting the Team: The 1960s
- The 1970s: Winning Super Bowls and a Perfect Season
- The 1980s: The Dan Marino Era Begins
- The 1990s: Marino's Later Years
- The 2000s: After Marino
- The Ryan Tannehill Era (2012–2018)
- Brian Flores, Tua Tagovailoa, and Mike McDaniel (2019–Present)
- Images for kids
Starting the Team: The 1960s
The very first professional American football team in Miami was the Miami Seahawks. They played in 1946. But the team only lasted one year.
The American Football League (AFL) wanted a team in Miami for a long time. In 1959, one of the league's founders, Ralph Wilson, tried to start a team there. But he couldn't find a good stadium. The only big stadium was the Miami Orange Bowl. City leaders didn't want professional teams there. So, Wilson started the Buffalo Bills instead.
By 1965, the AFL was doing much better. So, the city allowed a professional team. The AFL gave a new team to lawyer Joe Robbie and actor Danny Thomas. They paid a huge amount of money, $7.5 million, for the team.
Robbie first wanted to put the team in Philadelphia. But other AFL owners said no. Philadelphia already had an NFL team, the Philadelphia Eagles. The AFL worried that two teams in one city might not work.
The AFL commissioner, Joe Foss, suggested Miami. It had warm weather, a growing population, and no football team. Robbie got a lease for the Orange Bowl. Danny Thomas later sold his share of the team to Robbie. In 1965, a contest was held to name the team. Over 19,000 people entered. The winning name, "Dolphins," was chosen by 622 people.
The Dolphins' first head coach was George Wilson. Under him, the team had a record of 15 wins, 39 losses, and 2 ties in four seasons.
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The 1970s: Winning Super Bowls and a Perfect Season
When the Dolphins joined the NFL in 1970, they hired Don Shula as their new head coach. Shula had been coaching the Baltimore Colts. The Colts were upset because Shula left. The NFL Commissioner, Pete Rozelle, made the Dolphins give their first draft pick to Baltimore as a penalty.
Shula told the Miami press that he had no magic tricks. He said his teams would succeed through hard work. His training camps were known for being very tough. But Shula's hard work paid off right away. Miami improved to a 10–4 record and made the playoffs for the first time.
The Dolphins were very successful in the early 1970s. They were the first team to reach the Super Bowl three years in a row. They won the AFC championship in 1971. Their playoff game against the Kansas City Chiefs was the longest in NFL history. It lasted 82 minutes and 40 seconds! But in Super Bowl VI, Miami lost to the Dallas Cowboys 24–3.
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In 1972, the Dolphins had a perfect season. They won every regular season game, two playoff games, and Super Bowl VII. They beat the Washington Redskins 14–7. This is still the only perfect season in NFL history. During this season, quarterback Bob Griese got hurt. Veteran Earl Morrall took over for most of the regular season. Griese returned for the Super Bowl. Running backs Larry Csonka and Mercury Morris both rushed for over 1,000 yards. Their offensive line was very strong. The 1972 Dolphins defense was called the "No-Name Defense." It was the best in the league that year.
The Dolphins won the Super Bowl again in 1973. They beat the Minnesota Vikings 24–7 in Super Bowl VIII. In 1974, they made the playoffs but lost a famous game to the Oakland Raiders. This loss ended the Dolphins' amazing winning streak. After this, some key players left the team.
Miami had a losing record in 1976. But they bounced back, winning ten or more games in four of the next five seasons. Coach Shula built a strong defense with new stars. They made the playoffs in 1978 and 1979 but lost in the early rounds.
The Dolphins also had an amazing record against their rival, the Buffalo Bills. They beat the Bills 20 times in a row during the 1970s!
The 1980s: The Dan Marino Era Begins
In 1980, quarterback Bob Griese got a bad shoulder injury and retired. David Woodley took over as quarterback. The Dolphins finished 8–8 and missed the playoffs.
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In 1981, the Dolphins won the AFC East with an 11–4–1 record. Their quarterbacks, Woodley and Don Strock, were called "Woodstrock." They played in one of the most famous NFL games ever, known as The Epic in Miami, against the San Diego Chargers. The Dolphins were down 24–0 but made an amazing comeback. They even scored on a trick play called the "Hook and Lateral." The game went into overtime, but San Diego eventually won.
In the strike-shortened 1982 season, the Dolphins' defense was nicknamed the "Killer B's." They were very strong and helped the team reach their fourth Super Bowl. They beat the New England Patriots and the San Diego Chargers in the playoffs. Then they shut out the New York Jets in the AFC Championship. But they lost Super Bowl XVII to the Washington Redskins, 27–17.
In 1983, the Dolphins' offense struggled. Coach Shula decided to start rookie quarterback Dan Marino. Marino, drafted from the University of Pittsburgh, quickly became a star. He won the AFC passing title and the Rookie of the Year award. Marino was protected by a great offensive line. He threw to receivers like Mark Clayton and Mark Duper, known as "The Marks Brothers." The Dolphins went 12–4 but were upset in the playoffs by the Seattle Seahawks.
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The 1984 season was incredible. The Dolphins won their first 11 games and finished 14–2. Marino had an amazing season, setting new NFL records for passing yards (5,084), touchdown passes (48), and completions (362). He was voted NFL MVP. Miami reached Super Bowl XIX but lost to the San Francisco 49ers 38–16. This was Marino's only Super Bowl appearance.
In 1985, Miami finished 12–4. They were the only team to beat the 15–1 Chicago Bears all year. Many hoped for a rematch with Chicago in the Super Bowl. But the New England Patriots surprised everyone. They forced six turnovers and beat the Dolphins 31–14 in the AFC Championship. This ended Miami's 18-game winning streak against the Patriots at the Orange Bowl.
The Dolphins struggled in the late 1980s. They missed the playoffs from 1986 to 1989. In 1988, they had their first losing season (6–10) in 12 years.
The 1990s: Marino's Later Years
By 1990, the Dolphins' defense improved. They finished 12–4 and made the playoffs. They beat the Kansas City Chiefs but lost to the Buffalo Bills. In 1991, injuries hurt the defense, and they just missed the playoffs.
In 1992, the Dolphins finished 11–5 and won the AFC East title. They beat the Chargers in the playoffs but lost to the Buffalo Bills again in the AFC Championship.
The 1993 season was tough. Both Marino and his backup quarterback got injured. Miami lost their last five games and missed the playoffs.
With Marino back in 1994, the Dolphins won the AFC East again with a 10–6 record. They beat the Kansas City Chiefs in the wild card round. But they lost a close game to the San Diego Chargers in the next round, 22–21.
In 1995, Marino broke several career passing records. The Dolphins made the playoffs as a wild card but lost to Buffalo. After the season, Don Shula retired as coach. Jimmy Johnson, who had won Super Bowls with the Dallas Cowboys, became the new coach.
Under Jimmy Johnson, the Dolphins had mixed results. They missed the playoffs in 1996. In 1997, they made the playoffs but lost to the New England Patriots. In 1998, they had a strong 10–6 season. They beat the Bills in the wild card round but lost to the powerful Denver Broncos.
In 1999, Marino was injured again. The Dolphins made the playoffs with a 9–7 record. After a close win against Seattle, they faced the Jacksonville Jaguars. Miami suffered a terrible 62–7 loss, one of the most lopsided playoff games ever. After this game, Dan Marino announced his retirement. Coach Jimmy Johnson also left the team.
The 2000s: After Marino
After Dan Marino retired, the Dolphins had many different quarterbacks and coaches. They only made the playoffs three times in the 2000s.
Dave Wannstedt's Time as Coach (2000-2004)
2000 Season
In 2000, Dave Wannstedt became the new head coach. Jay Fiedler became the starting quarterback. The defense was very strong, with players like Jason Taylor getting many sacks and interceptions. Running back Lamar Smith rushed for over 1,100 yards. Miami finished first in the AFC East with an 11–5 record. In the playoffs, they beat the Indianapolis Colts in overtime. Lamar Smith had a record-breaking 209 rushing yards. But in the next round, the Dolphins lost to the Oakland Raiders 27–0.
2001 Season
In 2001, the Dolphins finished 11–5 again. The defense was still strong. But the offense struggled, especially with running the ball. Miami earned a wild card spot in the playoffs. However, they lost in the first round to the Baltimore Ravens 20–3.
2002 Season
Miami improved its running game in 2002 by getting running back Ricky Williams from the New Orleans Saints. Williams had an amazing season, breaking Dolphins records with 1,853 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns. The team started strong with a 5–1 record. But quarterback Jay Fiedler got hurt. The Dolphins ended up missing the playoffs because of a tiebreaker, even though they had a 9–7 record.
2003 Season
The 2003 Miami Dolphins had a tough defense that caused many turnovers. But the offense still struggled. The team started 4–1 but then had ups and downs. They finished with a 10–6 record but missed the playoffs after losing key games late in the season.
2004 Season
The 2004 season started very badly. The team lost its first six games, the worst start in Dolphins history. After a 1–8 start, Coach Wannstedt resigned. Defensive coordinator Jim Bates took over as interim coach. The team played better under Bates, winning three of their last seven games. This included a surprise win over the Super Bowl champion Patriots. But the Dolphins hired LSU coach Nick Saban as their new permanent coach.
Nick Saban's Time and a Tough Season (2005-2007)
2005 Season
In 2005, Nick Saban started to change the team. They drafted running back Ronnie Brown. They also signed veteran quarterback Gus Frerotte. The Dolphins started the season well, winning their first game. They had some tough losses, including games rescheduled due to Hurricane Wilma. But then, the Dolphins went on a six-game winning streak late in the season. They finished 9–7, a big improvement, but still missed the playoffs.
2006 Season
In the 2006 offseason, the Dolphins wanted to sign quarterback Drew Brees. But they worried about his shoulder injury. So, they traded for Daunte Culpepper instead. Brees later became a Super Bowl winner, while Culpepper struggled with injuries. The Dolphins were expected to do well, but they had a disappointing season, finishing 6–10. On January 3, 2007, Saban left to coach at the University of Alabama. He had told fans he would stay, which upset many. Cam Cameron became the new head coach.
2007: The Worst Season
The Dolphins had their worst season ever in 2007. They lost their first 13 games. Many of those losses were by very small margins. They finally won a game in Week 15 against the Baltimore Ravens, avoiding a winless season. But they finished 1–15. Later in the season, famous coach Bill Parcells joined the Dolphins as an executive. After the season, Parcells fired Coach Cameron.
Tony Sparano, the Wildcat, and a Comeback (2008-2011)
2008 Season
Parcells hired Tony Sparano as the new head coach. The Dolphins also made big changes to their roster. They drafted offensive lineman Jake Long with the first pick. They signed quarterback Chad Pennington, who had been released by the Jets. The Dolphins had an amazing turnaround in 2008. They started 0–2. But then they used a special play called the "wildcat" against the Patriots. This play helped them score four touchdowns in a big upset win. The wildcat offense allowed them to use their two best running backs, Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams, at the same time.
From that point, the Dolphins had the biggest single-season turnaround in NFL history. They went from 1–15 in 2007 to 11–5 in 2008. They won the AFC East division. This was the first time a team won its division after having only one win the year before. However, the Dolphins lost in the first round of the playoffs to the Baltimore Ravens.
2009 Season
In 2009, the Dolphins added new players, including cornerbacks Vontae Davis and Sean Smith. They also brought back Jason Taylor. The team started 0–2 again. Quarterback Chad Pennington got hurt in Week 3. Chad Henne took over as quarterback. Running back Ronnie Brown also got hurt later in the season. Ricky Williams became the main running back and rushed for over 1,100 yards. The Dolphins had a tough schedule and finished 7–9, missing the playoffs.
2010 Season
In 2010, the Dolphins acquired wide receiver Brandon Marshall. They started the season well, winning their first two games on the road. But they struggled at home. They finished with another 7–9 season and a poor 1–7 record at home. Owner Stephen Ross tried to hire a new coach, but the news leaked. So, Ross apologized to Tony Sparano and gave him a contract extension.
2011 Season
The Dolphins didn't make big improvements to their offense in 2011. Quarterback Chad Henne got a season-ending injury in Week 5. Matt Moore became the starting quarterback. The team started 0–7. In one game, they had a 15–0 lead with less than 3 minutes left but lost in overtime. This made their record 0–7. The Dolphins finally started winning, winning four of their next five games. But it wasn't enough to save Coach Sparano. He was fired after a loss to the Eagles. Todd Bowles became the interim head coach. The Dolphins finished 6–10.
The Ryan Tannehill Era (2012–2018)
The Joe Philbin Years (2012–2015)
2012 Season
The Dolphins were in contention to hire former long-time Tennessee Titans head coach Jeff Fisher, but he accepted the head coach position with the St. Louis Rams. The Dolphins hired Green Bay Packers assistant Joe Philbin instead as the 10th coach in team history. Philbin had served as the Packers OC for five years, during which time their offense was never ranked below tenth in the NFL, and was also part of their 2010 Super Bowl-winning squad. The Dolphins also pursued quarterbacks Peyton Manning, Matt Flynn and Alex Smith, all of whom chose to sign elsewhere. The Dolphins signed David Garrard and selected Ryan Tannehill with the 8th pick in the 2012 NFL Draft. Garrard originally won the starting QB battle against Tannehill and Moore in training camp, but injured his knee in a bizarre accident at home. Rookie Ryan Tannehill won the starting job for the 2012 season after a strong showing in preseason and camp. Garrard was eventually released. In his first game as a professional football player, Tannehill struggled, throwing three interceptions in a loss on the road against the Houston Texans. His first home game was a much different story, as he ran for a touchdown and did not commit any turnovers while dominating the Oakland Raiders. Miami then lost back-to-back OT games against the Jets and the Arizona Cardinals, despite Tannehill throwing for 431 yards, the most ever for a rookie QB in a single game in team history, and receiver Brian Hartline racking up 253 receiving yards, the most ever by a Dolphin receiver, in the game against Arizona. Now facing questions about finishing games, they played Cincinnati on the road and won 17–13 win after Reshad Jones picked off the ball with under a minute and a half left in the game. Despite an impressive 4–3 start, the Dolphins lost a highly touted game against the Colts, 23–20. This started a 3-game losing streak, raising many questions about the team. After staying in Wild Card contention through Week 16, Miami finished 7–9 after being shut out by the Patriots.
2013-2014 Seasons
The Dolphins made some big signings in the offseason, including wide receiver Mike Wallace. But they also lost some key players. They finished the 2013 season at 8–8 and just missed the playoffs. After the season, general manager Jeff Ireland was fired. The Dolphins finished the 2014 season at 8–8 again, missing the playoffs for the sixth year in a row.
2015 Season
In 2015, the Dolphins made a huge signing, getting defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh for a very large contract. They also extended quarterback Ryan Tannehill's contract. Some studies even predicted the Dolphins would win the Super Bowl! However, the team started 1–3. This led to Coach Joe Philbin being fired. Tight end coach Dan Campbell became the interim head coach. The Dolphins finished the season with a 6–10 record.
Adam Gase Era (2016–2018)
2016 Season
On January 9, 2016, Adam Gase was hired as head coach. The Dolphins started 1–4. But then they upset the Pittsburgh Steelers, which started a six-game winning streak. This put the team in playoff contention. The Dolphins won three more games to make the playoffs for the first time since 2008. They finished 10–6 but lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first round of the playoffs.
2017 Season
In 2017, Ryan Tannehill re-injured his knee and missed the entire season. The Dolphins signed former Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler to replace him. The team finished 6–10. They traded away star running back Jay Ajayi. But they did have some notable upset wins against the Atlanta Falcons and New England Patriots.
2018 Season
In 2018, Miami released Suh and traded away receiver Jarvis Landry. They signed new receivers and running back Frank Gore. The season started well, with the Dolphins going 3–0. Ryan Tannehill returned from his injury. But he got hurt again in Week 5. In Week 14, the Dolphins had an amazing play called the Miracle in Miami. Tannehill threw a pass, and players lateraled the ball twice. Running back Kenyan Drake ran for a touchdown as time expired, giving the Dolphins a 34–33 win over the Patriots. This win put them at 7–6. But they lost their last three games and finished 7–9, missing the playoffs. Adam Gase was fired after the season.
Brian Flores, Tua Tagovailoa, and Mike McDaniel (2019–Present)
Brian Flores, a long-time assistant for the Patriots, was hired as the next Dolphins head coach. Ryan Tannehill was traded to the Tennessee Titans. The Dolphins signed quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick and traded for Josh Rosen.
2019 Season
On August 31, 2019, the Dolphins traded away some key players for many draft picks. This led to criticism that the team was trying to lose games on purpose to get a better draft pick. They were especially interested in Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. Ryan Fitzpatrick and Josh Rosen shared quarterback duties at first. The Dolphins started the season 0–7, losing games by large amounts. But they then won two games in a row. They finished their first season under Flores with a 5–11 record. They also had a big upset win over the Patriots in Week 17, which kept the Patriots from getting a first-round bye in the playoffs.
2020 Season
Thanks to their trades, the Dolphins had three first-round picks in the 2020 NFL Draft. They drafted Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. Ryan Fitzpatrick started the season at quarterback. But Tagovailoa took over in Week 8. He showed promise, leading the team to a 6–3 record in his starts. The Dolphins were playoff contenders. Cornerback Xavien Howard had an amazing season with 10 interceptions. Despite finishing 10–6, the Dolphins missed the playoffs after a big loss to the Buffalo Bills in Week 17.
2021 Season
Despite high expectations in 2021, Miami sputtered to a 1–7 start, losing seven in a row after beating the New England Patriots in week 1, with Tagovailoa struggling with inconsistent play and injuries at first. However, they would then proceed to win the next seven games to remain in the playoff hunt, also becoming the first team in NFL history to have a 7-game winning streak as well as a 7-game losing streak in the same season. The 7 game winning streak was their first since the 1985 season. Despite being eliminated from playoff contention by losing to the Tennessee Titans, led by former Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill in Week 17, the Dolphins finished the season 9–8, making Flores the first coach to lead the team to consecutive winning seasons since Dave Wannstedt did so in 2002 and 2003. Nonetheless, owner Stephen M. Ross fired Flores on January 10, 2022 in a surprise move, allegedly due to poor relationships with both the roster, particularly with Tagovailoa, and the front office.
2022 Season
On August 2, 2022, it was announced that following a six-month independent investigation by Mary Jo White and a team of lawyers, the NFL would strip the Dolphins of their 2023 first-round draft pick and a 2024 third-round draft pick for violating the league's anti-tampering policy on three occasions from 2019 to 2022 by engaging in impermissible conversations with quarterback Tom Brady and then-New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton, both of whom were under contract with other teams. Team owner Stephen M. Ross was also fined $1.5 million and suspended through October 17, and was prohibited from being at the Dolphins' facility or representing the team at any event until then. He was also prohibited from attending any league meeting before the annual meeting in 2023, and was removed from all league committees indefinitely. Vice chairman/limited partner Bruce Beal was fined $500,000 and will not be permitted to attend any league meetings for the rest of the 2022 season.
The Dolphins hired former San Francisco 49ers offensive assistant Mike McDaniel as their new head coach and made a splash move in trading for former Kansas City Chiefs receiver Tyreek Hill. With these new additions, the Dolphins offense became one of the most explosive in the league and Tagovailoa's performance greatly improved in light of a better relationship with McDaniel than with Flores, though the Dolphins received criticism for handling several concussions sustained by Tagovailoa throughout the course of the season and their defense regressed. Miami matched its record from the previous year at 9–8, good enough to clinch the 7th seed in the 2022 playoffs, where they would lose to Buffalo in the wild card round.
Images for kids
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The Miami Orange Bowl, home of the Dolphins from their founding until 1987.
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Head coach Don Shula enjoyed a 25-year career with the Dolphins, making the team one of the most successful in the NFL.
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The Dolphins finished their perfect season by defeating the Redskins in Super Bowl VII.
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The Dolphins playing against the Oakland Raiders in 1979.
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The Dolphins facing the Chargers in the 1981 AFC Divisional Playoff, known as the "Epic in Miami".
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The Dolphins facing the 49ers in Super Bowl XIX.
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Drafted as part of the "Quarterback class of 1983", Dan Marino set numerous passing records and was the face of the Dolphins until his retirement after the 1999 season.
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Zach Thomas contributed heavily to the Dolphins' 2000 and 2001 playoff runs.
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Ricky Williams on August 8, 2005 at his first game back from retirement.
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Tony Sparano was head coach from 2008 to 2011.
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2009 Dolphins team captains Chad Pennington, Jason Taylor (who had returned to the Dolphins after being released by Washington in the offseason), Joey Porter and Jason Ferguson.
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The 2012 Dolphins offense in action.
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Ryan Tannehill provided relative stability to the quarterback position for much of the 2010s.
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The Dolphins selected Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa 5th overall in 2020.
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Mike McDaniel, the current head coach of the Dolphins. Under McDaniel, Miami's offense has become one of the most explosive in the league.
