October 8, 2026
October 8, 2026
1973 Miami Dolphins: Repeat Performance
Following their undefeated 1972 NFL season, the 1973 Miami Dolphins were poised for a similarly dominant run, as most of the same faces on their roster had returned. The Dolphins did not repeat as an undefeated team in 1973, but they still finished the 1973 season with a 12-2 record, winning the AFC East division by three games over the Buffalo Bills. Quarterback Bob Griese, who had been injured for much of 1972, stayed healthy throughout 1973 and started 13 of the team’s 14 regular season games, completing 116 of 218 pass attempts for 1,422 yards and 17 touchdown passes.
Fullback Larry Csonka pounded the ball hard on the ground once again, rushing for 1,003 yards on 219 carries and scoring 5 rushing touchdowns. Running back Mercury Morris added 954 yards on 149 carries with 10 rushing touchdowns. As a kick returner on special teams, Morris had 11 returns for 251 yards, while fellow running back Charlie Leigh had 9 returns for 251 yards. Running back Jim Kiick contributed 27 receptions for 208 yards.
Wide receiver Marlin Briscoe had 30 receptions for 447 yards and 2 touchdowns. Paul Warfield had 29 receptions for 514 yards and 11 touchdowns. Jim Mandich had 24 receptions for 302 yards and 4 touchdowns.
The “No Name Defense” remained intact for Miami and stayed strong throughout the season. Free safety Dick Anderson led the team in interceptions with 8, returning them for 163 yards and 2 touchdowns. Strong safety Jake Scott had 4 interceptions for 71 yards. Cornerbacks Curtis Johnson and Tim Foley and linebacker Mike Kolen each had 2 interceptions. Linebacker Larry Ball, defensive back Henry Stuckey, and outside linebacker Doug Swift each had 1 interception. Linebacker Nick Buoniconti had 3 fumble recoveries and returned one for a touchdown.
The quest for another undefeated season ended quickly for the Dolphins in Week 2 on September 23, when they lost 12-7 to the Oakland Raiders. They lost again in Week 13 on December 9 to the Baltimore Colts by a score of 16-3. Between those two losses, however, Miami put together a strong 10-game winning streak, beginning with a 44-23 victory over the New England Patriots on September 30 in Week 3 and ending in Week 12 on December 3 with a win over the Pittsburgh Steelers by a score of 30-26. The most impressive victory of the streak came in Week 9 on November 11, a 44-0 shutout of the Baltimore Colts.
The Dolphins faced the Cincinnati Bengals in the Divisional Round of the playoffs on December 23 and prevailed, 34-16. Mercury Morris had 106 yards on 20 rushing attempts and a rushing touchdown, while Larry Csonka added 71 yards on 20 carries. Jim Kiick chipped in 51 yards on 10 carries. Bob Griese went 11 of 18 for 159 yards, 2 touchdowns, and just 1 interception. Paul Warfield caught 4 passes for 95 yards and a touchdown, and Jim Mandich added 3 receptions for 28 yards and a touchdown.
In the first quarter, Griese connected with Warfield on a 13-yard touchdown pass, and Larry Csonka added a 1-yard touchdown run. Morris punched in a touchdown on a 4-yard run in the second quarter, and Griese threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to Mandich in the third quarter.
In the AFC Championship Game on December 30, the Dolphins defeated the Oakland Raiders 27-10. Larry Csonka had a field day, rushing for 117 yards on 29 carries and scoring 3 touchdowns, while Mercury Morris added 86 yards on 14 carries. Csonka opened the scoring with an 11-yard touchdown run in the first quarter, then added a pair of 2-yard touchdown runs in the second and fourth quarters.
Traveling to Rice Stadium in Houston, Texas, for Super Bowl VIII, the Miami Dolphins faced the NFC Champion Minnesota Vikings on January 13, 1974, in what appeared to be a battle of tough defenses — the No Name Defense against the Purple People Eaters. In the first quarter, Larry Csonka scored on a 5-yard touchdown run to put Miami ahead 7-0, and Jim Kiick added a 1-yard touchdown run to extend the lead to 14-0. Kicker Gano Yepremian then added a 28-yard field goal to make it 17-0. Csonka scored again in the third quarter on a 2-yard run to give the Dolphins a commanding 24-0 lead. Known for his grit and his ability to improvise when plays broke down, Vikings quarterback Fran Tarkenton scored on a 4-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter, but it would be Minnesota’s only score as the 1973 Miami Dolphins successfully repeated as Super Bowl Champions, winning Super Bowl VIII by a score of 24-7.
By the end of the first quarter, Miami had run 20 plays for 118 yards, scored 2 touchdowns, and converted 8 first downs. Larry Csonka, who finished with 145 yards on 33 carries, was named Super Bowl Most Valuable Player. Curtis Johnson added an interception, and the No Name Defense came up big on one Minnesota drive in the second quarter.
On a 13-play drive with 1:46 remaining until halftime, Fran Tarkenton ran for 8 yards on first down, and Vikings running back Oscar Reed lost a yard on second down. Reed gained back 2 yards on third down, and Vikings head coach Bud Grant elected to go for it on fourth down and inches. Reed carried the ball again but was hit by Nick Buoniconti and fumbled. Jake Scott recovered the fumble, a turning point that signaled a long day ahead for Minnesota.
Although they were not undefeated, the 1973 Miami Dolphins are considered by many to be a better team than the undefeated 1972 Miami Dolphins, largely because of the tougher schedule they played, which included games against playoff teams such as the Oakland Raiders, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Dallas Cowboys. Miami also allowed fewer points on defense in 1973 than it had the year before.
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