The 'Perfect Season' - Miami Dolphins win Super Bowl VII

Coach Don Shula is carried off the field by his players after the 1972 Miami Dolphins completed their unbeaten season in Super Bowl VII. Photograph: Anonymous/AP

A Day in History - 14 January 1973

On the 14th of January 1973, the Miami Dolphins held on to beat Washington, 14-7 in Super Bowl VII to cap the NFL's only perfect season.

The Dolphins began as a struggling expansion team in the American Football League, enduring losing seasons from 1966 to 1969. The turning point came in 1970 with the arrival of head coach Don Shula, widely regarded as one of the greatest football coaches of all time. In any case, Shula was undoubtedly the leader of the 1972 Dolphins. Although Shula was hard on the players, he emphasized what he called 'The Winning Edge' - a focus on the little things that could provide a competitive advantage. Miami fullback Larry Csonka later reflected that this tactic 'made us perfect'. Shula guided Miami to their first Super Bowl in early 1972, only to suffer a 24-3 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. Incensed as runner-up, Shula vowed to take his team one step further; this promise setting the stage for the greatest campaign in NFL history.

The Dolphins kicked off the 1972 season with 3 dominant victories alongside a big scare against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 3. A controversial roughing-the-passer call extended a late Dolphins drive, leading to a game-winning touchdown. Vikings lineman Bob Lurtsema later joked, “One bad official call caused them to have an undefeated season.” The Dolphins’ success that year was built upon an attacking trio of Larry Csonka, Mercury Morris, and Jim Kiick whilst the 'No-Name Defense', dubbed for the lack of recognisable stars, anchored their success.

The Dolphins lost their starting quarterback Bob Griese to injury in Week 5. Veteran backup Earl Morrall, whom Shula had insisted on acquiring, stepped in. Morrall excelled. 'Old Man', as nicknamed by his teammates, led the league in passer rating and was later named AFC Player of the Year. With Morrall leading the offence, Miami piled on more wins, turning heads with a 52-0 rout over the New England Patriots. Tied 7-7 at halftime in a tense AFC Championship against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Shula made the bold decision to replace Morrall with a recovered Griese at halftime. This decision turned the game in Miami’s favour and led them to a second consecutive Super Bowl.

Miami Dolphins entered Super Bowl VII against Washington (13-3 at that point) as underdogs, despite their 16-0 record.  Dolphins defensive end Vern Den Herder said they were well aware of the betting odds, which, he said, "lit a fire underneath us. We felt disrespected." Fueled by this perceived lack of respect, the Dolphins’ defence dominated, with safety Jake Scott earning MVP honours for his two interceptions. The game’s most infamous moment, 'Garo’s Gaffe,' came when kicker Garo Yepremian’s botched kick and subsequent fumble led to a late Washington touchdown. Despite this, Miami secured a 14-7 victory, and Shula was carried off the field, celebrating his first Super Bowl. 'We weren’t thinking about perfection then,” said Csonka. 'We just wanted to win the Super Bowl. The rest came later.'

More than 50 years later, the 1972 Miami Dolphins’ undefeated season remains unmatched. In 2007, the New England Patriots came close, entering Super Bowl XLII with an 18-game winning streak, only to fall short in a 17-14 loss to the New York Giants. After the Dolphins’ historic victory, assistant coach Carl Taseff summed it up perfectly on the team’s blackboard: 'Perfect Season. The Best Team Ever.' Time has only proven him right.