The Miami Dolphins still have the only undefeated season in NFL history. They were led by one of the best head coaches ever in Don Shula and had legendary players in the lineup.
The Dolphins are hoping that they have their next great quarterback in Tua Tagovailoa. They selected the Alabama product with the fifth-overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. He will enter the season with high expectations and big shoes to fill in the franchise.
Miami has had many player come through the doors that stamped their name in history.
Here are the top five players in Dolphins history.
5. Larry Csonka
Csonka joined the Dolphins at age 22 in 1968. He rushed for six touchdowns while playing and starting in 11 games. Csonka started every game for the Dolphins during his first six years in the league.
In 1971, Csonka turned in his first of two All-Pro seasons. He ran for 1,051 yards and seven touchdowns while leading the league with 5.4 yards per attempt. Csonka would go on to rush for 1,000 yards in three straight years and make five consecutive Pro Bowl appearances.
Csonka spent the first seven years of his career in Miami before leaving to play for the Memphis Southmen of the World Football League. After one season, Csonka would return to the NFL and spend three years with the New York Giants. In 1979, Csonka ended his career after a 12 touchdown season with the Dolphins.
Csonka is still the Dolphins' all time leading rusher with 6,737 yards. He scored a total of 53 rushing touchdowns in a Dolphins' uniform.
4. Bob Griese
Griese joined the Dolphins in 1967 and had Pro Bowl seasons during his first two years. Miami was under .500 up until 1970 when the dynasty began.
In 1970, the Dolphins finished 10-4 but lost in the divisional round of the playoffs. Griese would turn in an All-Pro season in 1971 while leading Miami to the Super Bowl. This would be one of three straight appearances. Griese started the first five games of the 1972 season and went 5-0. He suffered an injury and was not able to finish the regular season. He returned in the postseason and was under center when the Dolphins completed their perfect season by defeating the Washington Redskins in Super Bowl VII.
The Dolphins would repeat as champions in 1973. Griese spent 14 years as quarterback of the Dolphins. The eight-time Pro Bowler finished 92-56-3 in his career. Griese set franchise records for passing yards with 25,092 and passing touchdowns with 192. These records would stand for awhile until another legendary quarterback on this list took over.
3. Larry Little
Little was the type of dominant offensive lineman that could change a game. It was not until his third year in the league when Little took hold of a starting spot. He rewarded the decision with a Pro Bowl season, one of five throughout his career.
Little was named First Team All-Pro in five consecutive seasons from 1971-1975. He was a staple along Miami's offensive line when they were dominating the league. Little was apart of five division titles, three conference championships, and two Super Bowl titles. During Little's All-Pro stretch, the Dolphins won double-digit games every year and never lost more than four games.
Miami took over games by running the ball and Little led the offensive line that helped them do so. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1993. Little is easily the best offensive lineman in Dolphins' history.
2. Jason Taylor
Taylor might surprise some at No. 2 on this list because of the era he played in. The Dolphins had plenty of poor season with Taylor on the roster, but not at first.
Miami made the postseason during Taylor's first five years in the league. They went 3-5 in the postseason. In 2000, the Dolphins won the division and Taylor notched his first All-Pro selection totaling 14.5 sacks. Beginning in 2002, it all went downhill. The Dolphins made the postseason just one more time during Taylor's tenure, but that did not stop him from dominating.
In 2002, Taylor led the league with 18.5 sacks. Taylor went for 10 or more sacks six times throughout his career. He was one of the bright spots in 2007 during Miami's 1-15 season. After the season, Taylor left to join the Redskins. He would return to Miami for one year then left again for the New York Jets. Taylor would return to Miami for the third time in 2011. At 37-years old, he recorded seven sacks before calling it a career.
Taylor is one of the more underrated players of this generation. He is the all time sack leader in franchise history with 131, which is 33 more than the second place finisher. Taylor was enshrined in Canton on his first-ballot in 2017.
1. Dan Marino
Marino was the sixth quarterback selected in the first round of the 1983 NFL Draft. John Elway and Jim Kelly were both selected in the top 15. There is no justifying any other selection. The Kansas City Chiefs took Todd Blackledge seventh overall. Tony Eason went No. 16 and the New York Jets made an all tiem blunder by selecting Ken O'Brien 24th overall.
The Dolphins stole Marino just three picks later and he would go on to become one of the best passers of all time. Marino played way before his time. He burst onto the scene during his rookie season making nine starts and throwing for 2,210 yards and 20 touchdowns. In 1984, Marino quickly rose to the top of the league. He won league MVP in just his second season after throwing for 5,084 yards and 48 touchdowns.
Marino would league the league in completions, attempts, passing yards, and passing touchdowns that year. This would become a regular trend. Marino led the league in passing yards five times, passing touchdowns three times, completions six times, and attempts five times. Marino was a gunslinger before there were gunslingers. To this day, he is considered to be the best player to never win a Super Bowl.
Miami made a run to the Super Bowl in Marino's second season but were dominated by the San Francisco 49ers 38-16. Marino would lead the Dolphins to the AFC Championship Game two more times but could never return to the big game.
When Marino hung up the cleats after the 1999 season, he left with every passing record there was. He threw for 61,361 yards and currently ranks fifth on the list. He is also fifth on the all time touchdown list with 420. It is interesting to think what Marino would have done in today's game.
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