The Miami Dolphins boast an impressive heritage among NFL franchises. The team lays a claim to the greatest coach of all-time in Don Shula, the most gifted pocket passer of all time in Dan Marino and a slew of other impressive Hall of Fame players. Of course, Miami’s resume as a top franchise is also bolstered by the team’s undefeated championship season in 1972 — the league’s only undefeated Super Bowl champion.
But, in a feature written for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Andy Phillips would like us to add another notching the belt of the Miami Dolphins organization:
The most impressive streak and stretch of offensive line play in all of football.
And, upon hearing Phillips’ written case on the Dolphins’ behalf, we have to admit that he has a pretty strong point.
“From 1982 through 1990, nine seasons, the Miami Dolphins ranked first in the NFL for fewest sacks allowed each year. That is not a typo.
Even more impressive: The only other team to lead the league in this category as many as three seasons in a row were the Indianapolis Colts from 2004-2006.” – Andy Phillips
The Dolphins line over that stretch was anchored by eventual Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee Dwight Stephenson, but the overall play of the unit failing to collect accolades is quite appropriate given the Dolphins’ history of all-time successful units not getting individual honors. For all of the team’s Hall of Fame inductees, Miami managed just one Hall of Fame inductee on the line that featured a decade of the best pass protection in the league. Just like the team’s historical “No Name Defense” features just one Hall of Fame player featured on that one, too — linebacker Nick Buoniconti.
Granted, sacks have now commonly become considered a quarterback stat, so consider Miami’s success in the 1980s in pass protection to some degree a credit to Dan Marino in addition to the five players up front.
But when you consider the historical stretch the Dolphins’ offensive line performed at from 1982 to 1990, we’d like to agree with Andy Phillips.
Stop sleeping on the greatness of Miami’s historical run up front.