Personnel
Staff
Front office
Head coaches
Offensive coaches
| Defensive coaches
Special teams coaches
Strength and conditioning
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| 1985 Miami Dolphins season | |
|---|---|
| Owner | Joe Robbie |
| General manager | Mike Robbie |
| Head coach | Don Shula |
| Home field | Miami Orange Bowl |
| Results | |
| Record | 12–4 |
| Division place | 1st AFC East |
| Playoff finish | Won Divisional Playoffs (vs. Browns) 24–21 Lost AFC Championship (vs. Patriots) 14–31 |
| Pro Bowlers | 4 QB Dan Marino WR Mark Clayton G Roy Foster C Dwight Stephenson |
The 1985 Miami Dolphins season was the 20th season in franchise history. The club won their fourth consecutive AFC East championship [1] and appeared in the AFC Championship Game. It was the first season since their undefeated 1972 season without offensive lineman Ed Newman.
Due to Dan Marino's offseason holdout, and an injury to receiver Mark Duper, the Dolphins were only 5–4 through Week 9, and in third place in the AFC East, behind the 7–2 Jets and 6–3 Patriots. Their 220 points scored through Week 9 were fifth in the league, [2] and 85 points fewer, than in 1984 at the same point in the season. [3]
The Dolphins righted the ship, however, and won their final seven games, including an upset of the then-undefeated Chicago Bears in a Week 13 Monday Night contest. This was the last time until 2021 that the Dolphins had won 7 games in a row. Miami won the division and defeated the AFC Central champion Cleveland Browns 24–21 in their first playoff game. Their season would end with a 31–14 home loss to division rival New England in the AFC Championship Game.
Quarterback Dan Marino, coming off a record-shattering 1984 season, held out through training camp. [4] This, and an injury to wide receiver Mark Duper, got the Dolphins out to a slow start.
| Round | Selection | Player | Position | College | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 28 | Lorenzo Hampton | RB | Florida | |
| 3 | 65 | George Little | DT | Iowa | |
| 83 | Alex Moyer | LB | Northwestern | ||
| 4 | 91 | Mike Smith | DB | Texas-El Paso | |
| 111 | Jeff Dellenbach | T | Wisconsin | ||
| 6 | 145 | George Shorthose | WR | Missouri | |
| 167 | Ron Davenport | FB | Louisville | ||
| 7 | 195 | Fuad Reveiz | K | Tennessee | |
| 8 | 223 | Dan Sharp | TE | Texas Christian | |
| 9 | 251 | Adam Hinds | DB | Oklahoma State | |
| 10 | 279 | Mike Pendleton | DB | Indiana | |
| 11 | 307 | Mike Jones | RB | Tulane | |
| 12 | 335 | Ray Noble | DB | California |
Front office
Head coaches
Offensive coaches
| Defensive coaches
Special teams coaches
Strength and conditioning
|
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 8 | at Houston Oilers | L 23–26 | 0–1 | Houston Astrodome | 47,656 |
| 2 | September 15 | Indianapolis Colts | W 30–13 | 1–1 | Miami Orange Bowl | 53,693 |
| 3 | September 22 | Kansas City Chiefs | W 31–0 | 2–1 | Miami Orange Bowl | 69,791 |
| 4 | September 29 | at Denver Broncos | W 30–26 | 3–1 | Mile High Stadium | 73,614 |
| 5 | October 6 | Pittsburgh Steelers | W 24–20 | 4–1 | Miami Orange Bowl | 72,820 |
| 6 | October 14 | at New York Jets | L 7–23 | 4–2 | Giants Stadium | 73,807 |
| 7 | October 20 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | W 41–38 | 5–2 | Miami Orange Bowl | 62,335 |
| 8 | October 27 | at Detroit Lions | L 21–31 | 5–3 | Pontiac Silverdome | 75,291 |
| 9 | November 3 | at New England Patriots | L 13–17 | 5–4 | Sullivan Stadium | 58,811 |
| 10 | November 10 | New York Jets | W 21–17 | 6–4 | Miami Orange Bowl | 73,965 |
| 11 | November 17 | at Indianapolis Colts | W 34–20 | 7–4 | Hoosier Dome | 59,666 |
| 12 | November 24 | at Buffalo Bills | W 23–14 | 8–4 | Rich Stadium | 50,474 |
| 13 | December 2 | Chicago Bears | W 38–24 | 9–4 | Miami Orange Bowl | 75,594 |
| 14 | December 8 | at Green Bay Packers | W 34–24 | 10–4 | Lambeau Field | 52,671 |
| 15 | December 16 | New England Patriots | W 30–27 | 11–4 | Miami Orange Bowl | 69,489 |
| 16 | December 22 | Buffalo Bills | W 28–0 | 12–4 | Miami Orange Bowl | 64,811 |
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bears | 7 | 3 | 14 | 0 | 24 |
| Dolphins | 10 | 21 | 7 | 0 | 38 |
at Orange Bowl • Miami, Florida
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
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Miami finished 12–4 in 1985 and, in an epic Monday Night Football showdown on December 2, 1985, handed the previously-undefeated Chicago Bears their only defeat of the season. Several members of the 1972 Dolphins were in attendance at the game.
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After rallying from a 21–3 third quarter deficit in the divisional playoffs to beat the Cleveland Browns 24–21, many people were looking forward to a rematch with Chicago in Super Bowl XX. The Cinderella New England Patriots, the Dolphins' opponents in the AFC Championship, had different plans. New England forced six turnovers on the way to a 31–14 win – the Patriots' first in Miami since 1966. The Patriots had lost 18 games in a row at the Orange Bowl. In 1969, the Boston Patriots had beaten the Dolphins at Tampa Stadium.
| AFC East | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | PF | PA | STK | |
| Miami Dolphins (2) | 12 | 4 | 0 | .750 | 6–2 | 9–3 | 428 | 320 | W7 |
| New York Jets (4) | 11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | 6–2 | 9–3 | 393 | 264 | W1 |
| New England Patriots (5) | 11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | 6–2 | 8–4 | 362 | 290 | W1 |
| Indianapolis Colts | 5 | 11 | 0 | .313 | 1–7 | 2–10 | 320 | 386 | W2 |
| Buffalo Bills | 2 | 14 | 0 | .125 | 1–7 | 2–12 | 200 | 381 | L6 |
| Player | Att | Comp | Yds | TD | Int | Rating |
| Dan Marino | 567 | 336 | 4137 | 30 | 21 | 84.1 |
| Round | Date | Opponent | Result | Venue | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Divisional | January 4 | Cleveland Browns | W 24–21 | Miami Orange Bowl | 75,128 |
| AFC Championship Game | January 12 | New England Patriots | L 14–31 | Miami Orange Bowl | 74,978 |
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Browns | 7 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 21 |
| Dolphins | 3 | 0 | 14 | 7 | 24 |
at Miami Orange Bowl, Miami, Florida
The game is known as 'Marino's 18-point comeback.'
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Patriots | 3 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 31 |
| Dolphins | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 14 |
at Miami Orange Bowl, Miami, Florida
In an upset, the Patriots converted 6 Dolphins turnovers into 24 points.
The National Football League playoffs for the 1985 season began on December 28, 1985. The postseason tournament concluded with the Chicago Bears defeating the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XX, 46–10, on January 26, 1986, at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana.
The 2003 Indianapolis Colts season was the 51st season for the team in the National Football League (NFL) and 20th in Indianapolis. The Colts improved on their 10–6 record from 2002, going 12-4 and reached the postseason for the second straight season. After the season, quarterback Peyton Manning was named league MVP along with Steve McNair of the Tennessee Titans.
The 1985 season was the Chicago Bears' 66th in the National Football League (NFL) and their fourth under head coach Mike Ditka.
The 1985 New England Patriots season was the franchise's 16th season in the National Football League (NFL) and 26th overall. The Patriots had a record of eleven wins and five losses and finished third in the AFC East Division. They then became the first team in NFL history ever to advance to the Super Bowl by winning three playoff games on the road, defeating the New York Jets 26–14 in the AFC Wild Card Game, the Los Angeles Raiders 27–20 in the AFC Divisional Game and the Miami Dolphins 31–14 in the AFC Championship Game. The Patriots' win in Miami was their first victory at the Miami Orange Bowl since 1966 and while they did defeat Miami on the road in 1969 that game was played in Tampa Bay. The win over the Dolphins in the game has gone down as one of the greatest upsets in NFL history, as the Dolphins were heavily favored.
The 1990 Kansas City Chiefs season was the franchise's 21st season in the National Football League, the 28th as the Kansas City Chiefs and the 31st overall. The team improved from an 8–7–1 record to an 11–5 record and Wild Card spot in the 1991 playoffs. In Marty Schottenheimer's first playoff appearance with the Chiefs, they lost to the Miami Dolphins 17–16 in the wild-card round. Starting with the home opener, the Chiefs began an NFL-record 19 consecutive seasons with every home game sold out. The streak was finally broken in the final home game of the 2009 Kansas City Chiefs season versus Cleveland.
The 1984 Seattle Seahawks season was the team's ninth season with the National Football League (NFL). The season opener was moved from Sunday to Monday afternoon on Labor Day to avoid a conflict with a Seattle Mariners baseball game.
The 1985 New York Jets season was the 26th season for the team and the 16th in the National Football League. It began with the team trying to improve upon its 7–9 record from 1984 under head coach Joe Walton. Among quarterbacks, Ken O'Brien had the lowest rate of interceptions, with only eight interceptions in 488 passing attempts. The Jets finished the season with a record of 11–5, qualifying for the top Wild Card spot in the playoffs. On October 14, during a Monday Night Halftime ceremony, the Jets retired Joe Namath's number 12, and helped inspire the Jets to a 23–7 victory over the Dolphins. In the Wild Card round of the playoffs, they fell at home to the eventual AFC champion New England Patriots 26–14.
The 1972 Miami Dolphins season was the franchise's seventh season and third in the National Football League (NFL). The team was led by third-year head coach Don Shula and achieved the only perfect season in NFL history. They also led the league in both points scored and fewest points allowed.
The 1976 Pittsburgh Steelers season was the team's 44th in the National Football League. The team attempted to win their third consecutive Super Bowl championship, but ultimately lost to their bitter rivals, the Oakland Raiders, in the AFC Championship Game. Despite failing to reach the Super Bowl, the 1976 Steelers are fondly remembered as one of the franchise's most dominant teams, thanks to a record-setting defense and running game. The Steelers' strong defense finished the season with just 9.9 points allowed per game, the fewest in the NFL, and a franchise record that still stands.
The 1984 Pittsburgh Steelers season was the franchise's 52nd season as a professional sports franchise and as a member of the National Football League.
The 1985 Pittsburgh Steelers season was the franchise's 53rd season as a professional sports franchise and as a member of the National Football League. The Steelers challenged for the AFC Central most of the season, sitting at 6–5 after their first eleven games. However, losing 4 out of their final 5 games dropped the Steelers to a 7–9 overall record, their first season with a losing record in fourteen years.
The 1984 San Francisco 49ers season was their 39th season in the National Football League (NFL). The season was highlighted by their second Super Bowl victory. The franchise had its best season ever, with a record of 15 wins and only 1 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Quarterback Joe Montana would be awarded the Super Bowl's Most Valuable Player Award for the second time in his career, joining Bart Starr and Terry Bradshaw as the only two-time Super Bowl MVPs.
The 1984 Miami Dolphins season was the team's 19th season, and 15th in the National Football League (NFL). It was also the 15th season with the team for head coach Don Shula. The Dolphins sought to build on a spectacular 1983 season where they went 12–4 with rookie quarterback Dan Marino.
The 1990 Miami Dolphins season was the team's twenty-first season in the National Football League and twenty-fifth overall. After four seasons out of the playoffs with a combined record of 30 wins and 33 losses, the Dolphins returned to postseason play for the first time since 1985 with twelve wins and four losses. They defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 17–16 in the Wild Card Game, before being knocked out of contention by the Buffalo Bills, 44–34 in the Divisional Playoff Game.
The 1992 Miami Dolphins season was the franchise's 27th season in the National Football League. The season began with the team attempting to improve on their 8–8 record in 1991. Because of the impact of Hurricane Andrew, the Dolphins' scheduled Week 1 home game against New England was moved to Week 7 because both teams already had a bye scheduled for that week and could slot the re-scheduled contest in without other changes being required.
The 1999 Miami Dolphins season was the team's 34th campaign, and 30th in the National Football League (NFL). It was the 17th and final season for Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino. Marino suffered an injury on October 17 against the New England Patriots, with Damon Huard taking over at quarterback. The team would go 4–1 under Huard, including a 17–0 victory over the Tennessee Titans. Marino would return on November 25, against the Dallas Cowboys, throwing five interceptions in the 20–0 loss.
The 1980 Buffalo Bills season was the franchise's 11th season in the National Football League, and the 21st overall. Their 11–5 record was tied for best in the AFC.
The 2012 Miami Dolphins season was the franchise's 43rd season in the National Football League (NFL), and the 47th overall in the American Football Conference Eastern Division. The season concluded with the Dolphins finishing second in the AFC Eastern Division with a 7–9 record, and no postseason play for the fourth consecutive season.
The 2018 season was the Miami Dolphins' 49th in the National Football League, their 53rd overall and their third and last under head coach Adam Gase. During the offseason, the Dolphins tweaked their uniforms' orange color to better align with their classical past and history. For the second straight season, they also brought back their throwback uniforms from the Shula/Marino eras and wore them for three games.
The 2018 season was the New England Patriots' 49th in the National Football League (NFL), their 59th overall and their 19th under head coach Bill Belichick. The Patriots entered the season as two-time defending AFC champions.
