Happy anniversary, Miami!
Today is about as special of a day as you’ll find in Miami Dolphins history, believe it or not. Because it was 47 years ago today that the Miami Dolphins claimed their first Super Bowl title, while simultaneously completing the perfect season — the only time an NFL team has successfully gone wire to wire during the Super Bowl era. Miami has seen their fair share of contenders over the years, but none have been able to successfully finish the quest.
January 14, 1973.
A day that the Miami Dolphins would do well to keep in the back of their mind as they aspire to take the next step as an organization — because that’s the standard. Perfection. Don Shula’s legacy was years and years of sustained greatness, but his teams also strived for perfection.
Brian Flores’ group needs to do the same. Once they turn that corner and expect that level of execution from themselves, then — and only then — will the Dolphins ever truly be back. It’s hard to envision Miami returning to the top of the mountain, let alone the details of how they’d ever get there. But one thing we do know is that the team will unlikely follow the mold of the ’72 team, which was powered by a rushing attack that accounted for nearly 3,000 yards on the ground. Today’s NFL doesn’t operate that way, but it would accommodate for many of the same things Shula’s early Dolphins stood for. Toughness. Teamwork. Discipline.
Someday, those variables will help bring the Dolphins back to the top. We’d settle for that over a repeat of perfection. But until then all we can do it tip our caps and appreciate the feats of the Dolphins of old. Including perfection, which we celebrate today.
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