Miami Dolphins facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Miami Dolphins
Current season
Logo Wordmark Uniforms
Basic info
Established	August 16, 1965; 59 years ago (1965-08-16)
Stadium	Hard Rock Stadium Miami Gardens, Florida
Headquartered	Baptist Health Training Complex Miami Gardens, Florida
Colors	Aqua, orange, white, marine blue
Mascot	T. D.
Personnel
Owner(s)	Stephen M. Ross
CEO	Tom Garfinkel
President	Tom Garfinkel
General manager	Chris Grier
Head coach	Mike McDaniel
Nicknames
The Phins Killer Bees (1982 defense) No Name Defense
Team history
Miami Dolphins (1966–present)
Home fields
Miami Orange Bowl (1966–1986) Hard Rock Stadium (1987–present)
League / conference affiliations
American Football League (1966–1969) Eastern Division (1966–1969) National Football League (1970–present) American Football Conference (1970–present) AFC East (1970–present)
Championships
League championships: 2 Super Bowl championships: 2 1972 (VII), 1973 (VIII)
Conference championships: 5 AFC: 1971, 1972, 1973, 1982, 1984
Division championships: 13 AFC East: 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1979, 1981, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1992, 1994, 2000, 2008
Playoff appearances (25)
NFL: 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1978, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1990, 1992, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2008, 2016, 2022, 2023
Owner(s)
Joe Robbie (1965–1995) Wayne Huizenga (1995–2009) Stephen M. Ross (2009–present)

The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football team. They are based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The Dolphins play in the National Football League (NFL). They are part of the American Football Conference (AFC) East division. Their home games are played at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. This city is a northern suburb of Miami. Stephen M. Ross owns the team.

The Dolphins are the oldest professional sports team in Florida. They are the only team in the AFC East division that was not a founding member of the American Football League (AFL). The Dolphins were also one of the first professional football teams in the southeast.

Joe Robbie, a lawyer, and Danny Thomas, an actor, founded the Dolphins. The team started playing in the AFL in 1966. Miami joined the NFL in 1970 after the AFL–NFL merger.

The team played in its first Super Bowl in Super Bowl VI. They lost to the Dallas Cowboys 24–3. The next year, the Dolphins had the NFL's only perfect season. They won all 14 regular season games and all three playoff games, including Super Bowl VII. They are the only team to have a perfect season including playoffs in the Super Bowl era. The year after that, the Dolphins won Super Bowl VIII. This made them the first team to play in three Super Bowls in a row. They were also the second team to win championships back-to-back. Miami also played in Super Bowl XVII and Super Bowl XIX, but lost both games.

For much of their early history, Don Shula coached the Dolphins. He is one of the most successful head coaches in football history. Under Shula, the Dolphins had losing records in only two of his 26 seasons. From 1983 to 1999, quarterback Dan Marino became one of the best passers in NFL history. He broke many league passing records. Marino led the Dolphins to five division titles and 10 playoff appearances. He also played in Super Bowl XIX before he retired after the 1999 season.

Since Marino retired, the team has had mixed success. They have made the playoffs six times and won two division titles. They have only won one playoff game since 2000. The Dolphins currently have the longest time without a playoff win in the NFL. In December 2024, the Dolphins became one of the first NFL teams to sell part of their team to outside investors.

Team History and Success

The Dolphins finished their perfect 1972 season by defeating the Redskins in Super Bowl VII.

The Miami Dolphins joined the American Football League (AFL) in 1965. Lawyer Joseph Robbie and actor Danny Thomas were awarded the team for $7.5 million. Thomas later sold his share to Robbie. In the summer of 1966, the Dolphins trained in St. Pete Beach.

The Don Shula Era

The Dolphins had a tough start, with a 15–39–2 record in their first four seasons. Then, Don Shula was hired as head coach. Shula had been a coach for the Baltimore Colts. The AFL merged with the NFL in 1970. The Dolphins were then placed in the AFC East division of the NFL's new American Football Conference.

For the rest of the 20th century, the Dolphins under Shula became one of the best teams in the NFL. They had only two losing seasons between 1970 and 1999. They were very successful in the 1970s. They completed the first ever perfect season in NFL history in 1972. They finished with a 14–0 regular-season record and won the Super Bowl. This was the first of two Super Bowl wins in a row and one of three straight appearances.

Joe Robbie, founder and former principal owner of the Dolphins (1966–1990)

A statue of coach Don Shula outside of Hard Rock Stadium

The 1980s and 1990s were also good for the team. In the early 80s, they made two Super Bowls, though they lost both. This period also saw the rise of future Hall of Fame quarterback Dan Marino. He broke many NFL passing records. The Dolphins had a strong rivalry with the Buffalo Bills in the 80s and 90s. They also had a strong rivalry with the New York Jets.

After Marino and Shula retired, and with the rise of Tom Brady and the New England Patriots, the Dolphins had a tougher time in the 2000s and 2010s. They have made the playoffs only four times since Marino retired. They have also struggled to find a new star quarterback.

Coaching Changes Over the Years

After Don Shula, several coaches led the Dolphins:

• Jimmy Johnson (1996–1999): He led the team to the playoffs three times. His last game was a big loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
• Dave Wannstedt (2000–2004): He led the team to an AFC East title in 2000. They made the playoffs in 2001 but missed them in later years despite good records.
• Nick Saban (2005–2006): He coached for two seasons, missing the playoffs both times. He then left for the University of Alabama.
• Cam Cameron (2007): The team had its worst season ever under him, with only one win.
• Tony Sparano (2008–2011): In his first season, the team won the AFC East title. They used a special "Wildcat offense" to beat the Patriots. This was their last division title.
• Joe Philbin (2012–2015): The team had average records under him and missed the playoffs.
• Adam Gase (2016–2018): He led the team to the playoffs in 2016 but then had two losing seasons.
• Brian Flores (2019–2021): He helped the team improve, drafting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. They had a 10-win season in 2020 but still missed the playoffs.
• Mike McDaniel (2022–present): He led the Dolphins to the playoffs in his first two seasons (2022 and 2023). In 2024, the team finished with an 8–9 record and missed the playoffs.

Championship Wins

Super Bowl Championships

The Miami Dolphins have won two Super Bowl championships.

AFC Championships

The Dolphins have won five AFC Championships.

Team Rivalries

AFC East Rivals

The Dolphins have strong rivalries with other teams in their division.

New England Patriots

The Dolphins were very good against the New England Patriots in the 1970s and 1990s. Things changed when Tom Brady became the Patriots' quarterback. New England then won most of the division titles. Miami, however, won more games against Brady's Patriots than the Bills or Jets.

Famous wins include the Miracle in Miami. This was a dramatic last-minute touchdown. Another was in 2004, when the Dolphins upset the defending Super Bowl champion Patriots. Miami and New England are the only teams to have undefeated regular seasons since the NFL-AFL merger. Only the 1972 Dolphins won the Super Bowl. As of the 2024 season, the Dolphins lead the all-time series 64–55.

Buffalo Bills

The Dolphins and Buffalo Bills have a long rivalry. The cities of Miami and Buffalo are very different. In the 1970s, Miami won all 20 games against the Bills. This changed in the 1980s and 1990s when Jim Kelly played quarterback for the Bills. The Bills won most of their playoff games against the Dolphins in the 1990s.

The rivalry became less important in the 2000s. But in the 2020s, it got exciting again. Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa leads a strong Dolphins team against the Josh Allen-led Bills. As of the 2024 season, the Dolphins lead the all-time series 62–60–1.

New York Jets

The New York Jets are one of Miami's biggest rivals. This rivalry is also about the differences between New York and Miami. It has been exciting over the years. Memorable moments include Dan Marino's fake spike play. Another was the Jets' comeback win on Monday Night Football. The two teams played in the 1982 AFC Championship. Miami won that game. As of the 2024 season, the Dolphins lead the all-time series 61–57–1.

Other Notable Rivalries

Jacksonville Jaguars

The Dolphins have a smaller rivalry with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Both teams are the only AFC teams in Florida. They first played in 1998. They met in the playoffs in 1999, which was Dan Marino's last game. The Jaguars won that game 62–7. Miami leads the series 6–5 all time, but the Jaguars lead 1–0 in the playoffs.

Indianapolis Colts

When the Baltimore Colts joined the AFC East, they started a rivalry with the Dolphins. This was because of a controversy over hiring former Colts coach Don Shula. The Dolphins and Colts played many times in the AFC playoffs in the 1970s. The rivalry became less intense when the Colts moved to Indianapolis. It heated up again in the late 90s. The Colts were moved to the AFC South in 2002. As of 2024, the Dolphins lead the all-time series 48–29.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Since the Tampa Bay Buccaneers started in 1976, the Dolphins and Buccaneers have had a friendly rivalry. They were the only two NFL teams in Florida until 1995. As of the 2023 season, the Buccaneers lead the all-time series 7–5.

Team Facilities

Stadiums Where the Dolphins Play

Hard Rock Stadium in 2012.

Miami Orange Bowl, the former home of the Dolphins (1966–1986)

The Dolphins first played their home games at the Orange Bowl in Miami. After the 1986 season, they moved to the new Joe Robbie Stadium. This stadium has had many different names over the years. Since 2016, it has been called Hard Rock Stadium. It is in Miami Gardens, about 15 miles north of downtown Miami. The Dolphins share Hard Rock Stadium with the NCAA Miami Hurricanes college team. The stadium was renovated from 2015 to 2016. Over $400 million was spent to update it.

Training Facilities

The Dolphins had their first training camp in 1966 in St. Pete Beach. They later trained at St. Thomas University from 1970 to 1993. In 1993, the Dolphins opened their own training facility at Nova Southeastern University in Davie. In 2006, they added a domed field for practice during bad weather.

In 2021, the Dolphins opened a new, modern training facility. It is called the Baptist Health Training Complex. This complex is located next to Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens.

Team Information

Logos and Uniforms

Old Dolphin Logo (1966–2012)

Miami's wordmark logo (1980–1996)

RB Mercury Morris's 1972 jersey at the Pro Football Hall of Fame

The Dolphins' logo and uniforms stayed mostly the same for a long time. Their original colors were aqua and coral. The coral color honored the Miami Seahawks and the coral reefs in Biscayne Bay. The first logo showed a dolphin wearing a football helmet with an "M" on it, jumping in front of a sunburst.

The uniforms had white pants with aqua and orange stripes. They wore either a white or aqua jersey. The white jersey was often used for home games because of the heat in South Florida. The aqua jersey was used for night games. In 1997, the logo was updated. The dolphin looked more serious, but the uniforms stayed similar. Sometimes, an orange jersey was worn for special games. The last game with the old logo and uniforms was in 2012.

New Dolphin Logo (2013–Present)

A new logo and uniforms were shown in 2013. The new logo has a more artistic, swimming dolphin in front of a changed orange sunburst. The dolphin is a silhouette and does not wear a helmet.

Navy blue was added as a main color, and orange was used less. The uniforms have white or aqua pants, and white or aqua jerseys. The Dolphins still wear white at home often. The new helmets are white with navy, aqua, and a little orange. In 2018, the colors were slightly changed, and navy blue was mostly removed from the uniform design, but it stayed on the logo.

Special Uniforms

• Throwback Uniforms: In 2015, the Dolphins brought back their 1970s aqua uniforms for some games. In 2019, they added a white version of these old uniforms. The aqua throwbacks were worn during the famous "Miracle in Miami" play in 2018.
• Color Rush Uniform: In 2016, the Dolphins wore an all-orange uniform for one game. This was part of the NFL's "Color Rush" series. They have since worn similar all-aqua or all-white uniforms.

Team Song

The Dolphins have a fight song written by Lee Ofman. It was first used before the 1972 season. The song became a good luck charm that year, as the Dolphins had their perfect season. The song is still popular with fans today. In 2009, a new fight song was introduced but was not as popular. The team often plays the song "Fins" by Jimmy Buffett after scores.

Cheerleaders

Miami Dolphins Cheerleaders

The Miami Dolphins Cheerleaders started in 1978. They were first called the Dolphins Starbrites. June Taylor, a famous choreographer, led the squad until 1990.

Volunteer Program

In 2010, the Dolphins started the first volunteer program in the NFL called "Special Teams." This program helps the community. Volunteers work with Dolphins staff, players, and former players. They help families in need and support local charities. Since it started, Special Teams has given over 250,000 hours of community service.

Team Mascots

T. D. the mascot

T.D.

T.D. stands for "The Dolphin." He was introduced as the first official mascot on April 18, 1997. He is 7 feet tall. Fans helped choose his name in a contest.

Dolfan Denny

Denny Sym was a famous fan who cheered for the Dolphins for 33 years. He led cheers in his special orange and aqua hat from 1966 until 2000. He passed away in 2007.

Flipper

"Flipper" (former mascot)

From 1966 to 1968, and again in the 1970s, a live dolphin named Flipper was at the Orange Bowl. He would jump in a water tank to celebrate touchdowns. Flipper was later removed due to stress and costs.

Players and Awards

Players in the Hall of Fame

Hall of Fame Head Coach Don Shula

Hall of Fame WR Paul Warfield

Hall of Fame FB Larry Csonka

Hall of Fame QB Bob Griese

Hall of Fame G Larry Little

The Dolphins have many players and one coach in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. These are people who made a big impact on the team.

Retired Jersey Numbers

The Dolphins have retired three jersey numbers to honor special players:

• No. 12 for Bob Griese
• No. 13 for Dan Marino
• No. 39 for Larry Csonka

Miami Dolphins retired numbers
Bob Griese QB 1967–1980 Purdue	Dan Marino QB 1983–1999 Pittsburgh	Larry Csonka FB 1968-1974, 1979 Syracuse

Other numbers, like No. 54 for Zach Thomas and No. 99 for Jason Taylor, are not officially retired but are rarely used.

Individual Award Winners

Here are some Dolphins players and coaches who have won major NFL awards:

Pro Bowl Selections

Hall of Fame QB Dan Marino

Hall of Fame DE Jason Taylor

Hall of Fame LB Zach Thomas

Many Dolphins players have been chosen for the Pro Bowl. This is an all-star game for the best players in the NFL. Here are some players who have been selected at least three times:

Miami Dolphins Honor Roll

Dan Marino on the Honor Roll in-between his two "Marks Brothers" WRs Mark Clayton and Mark Duper.

Hall of Famers Zach Thomas & Jason Taylor on the Honor Roll.

Hall of Famers Larry Little and Dwight Stephenson, up on the Honor Roll, along with Bob Kuechenberg and Richmond Webb.

The Miami Dolphins Honor Roll is a special display at Hard Rock Stadium. It celebrates former players, coaches, and owners who have done great things for the team. Each person has a sign with their name. Don Shula has the number 347, which is how many NFL wins he had. Dan Marino's sign includes his career passing stats. Hall of Fame members have a special logo next to their names.

The "1972 Undefeated Team" was added to the Honor Roll in 1992.

The people on the Honor Roll as of 2024 include:

Joe Robbie Alumni Plaza Walk of Fame

A statue of the original founder/owner of the Miami Dolphins from 1966 to 1989, Joe Robbie, on display as the centerpiece to the Joe Robbie Alumni Plaza Walk of Fame.

The Joe Robbie Alumni Plaza Walk of Fame started in 2011. It honors many great Dolphins, including Hall of Famers and other important players. It is located at the north end of Hard Rock Stadium. There is a bronze statue of Joe Robbie, the team's founder, there.

The inductees as of 2018 are:

• Class of 2011: Nick Buoniconti, Larry Csonka, Bob Griese, Jim Langer, Larry Little, Joe Robbie, Dan Marino, Don Shula, Dwight Stephenson, Paul Warfield
• Class of 2012: Tim Bowens, A. J. Duhe, Manny Fernandez, Nat Moore, Earl Morrall, Don Strock
• Class of 2013: Kim Bokamper, Mercury Morris, O. J. McDuffie, Keith Sims
• Class of 2014: Jeff Cross, Sam Madison, Tony Nathan, Ed Newman
• Class of 2018: Dick Anderson, Mark Clayton, Mark Duper, Jon Giesler, John Offerdahl, Jason Taylor

Images for kids

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  Miami Dolphins wordmark

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  Miami Dolphins logo

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  Miami Dolphins Uniforms 2019

See also

In Spanish: Miami Dolphins para niños