Super Bowl XVII

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Super Bowl XVII
Super Bowl XVII Logo.svg
1234Total
MIA7100017
WAS01031427
DateJanuary 30, 1983 (1983-01-30)
Stadium Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California
MVP John Riggins, fullback
FavoriteDolphins by 3 [1] [2]
Referee Jerry Markbreit
Attendance103,667 [3]
Hall of Famers
Dolphins: Don Shula (head coach), Dwight Stephenson
Redskins: Bobby Beathard (general manager), Joe Gibbs (head coach), Russ Grimm, Art Monk, John Riggins
Ceremonies
National anthem Leslie Easterbrook
Coin toss Elroy Hirsch
Halftime show Bob Jani Productions presents "KaleidoSUPERscope" with the Los Angeles Super Drill Team and the Los Angeles Unified School District All City Marching Band starring Tammy Aadnesen.
TV in the United States
Network NBC
Announcers Dick Enberg and Merlin Olsen
Nielsen ratings 48.6
(est. 81.77 million viewers) [4]
Market share69
Cost of 30-second commercial$400,000
Radio in the United States
Network CBS Radio
Announcers Jack Buck and Hank Stram

Super Bowl XVII was an American football game between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Miami Dolphins and the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Washington Redskins to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for the strike-shortened 1982 season. The Redskins defeated the Dolphins, 27–17, to win their first Super Bowl championship. The game was played on January 30, 1983, at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California.

Contents

This Super Bowl came at the end of a season that was significantly shortened by a players' strike. Teams ended up only playing nine regular season games, and the league conducted a special 16-team, four-round playoff tournament where divisions were ignored in the seeding. The Redskins had an NFC-best 8–1 regular season record, while the Dolphins finished at 7–2. Both teams advanced through the first three postseason rounds to Super Bowl XVII. The game then became a rematch of Super Bowl VII, also played in the Los Angeles area at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum ten years before, where the Dolphins completed their 17–0 perfect season at the Redskins’ expense by a 14–7 score. This was also the second Super Bowl to rematch teams, the first being Super Bowl XIII, and the first one where the previous losing team won.

The first half was competitive and ended with the Dolphins leading 17–10. This was the third Super Bowl where the losing team was ahead at halftime, and the second where they were ahead by the start of the fourth quarter. However, the Redskins scored 17 unanswered points in the second half and gained a Super Bowl record 276 yards on the ground while holding the Dolphins to just 47 offensive plays for 176 total yards, 76 of which came on a single play. [5] Nevertheless, Miami built a 17–10 halftime lead with Jimmy Cefalo's 76-yard touchdown catch and Fulton Walker's 98-yard kickoff return. [6] The turning point in the game came with 10:10 remaining: trailing, 17–13, and facing fourth down and one yard to go at the Dolphins' 43-yard line, Washington running back John Riggins broke through the Miami defense and ran into the end zone for a touchdown to take the lead. Wide receiver Charlie Brown then added an insurance touchdown with a 6-yard scoring reception. [7]

Riggins was named Super Bowl MVP, [8] finishing the game with two new Super Bowl records: the most rushing yards (166) and the most rushing attempts (38) in a Super Bowl game. He was the first player from an NFC team to rush for 100 yards in a Super Bowl. Riggins also recorded a reception for 15 yards, giving him more total yards from scrimmage (181) than the entire Miami team. [9] [10] [11]

Background

Host selection process

The NFL awarded Super Bowl XV to Pasadena on March 13, 1979, at the owners' meetings in Honolulu. For the first time, three Super Bowl host cities were deliberated and selected at the same meeting (XV, XVI, and XVII). A total of eight cities submitted bids: New Orleans, Detroit (Silverdome), Pasadena (Rose Bowl), Los Angeles (Coliseum), Miami, Seattle (Kingdome), Dallas (Cotton Bowl), and Houston (Rice Stadium). Pasadena was selected for their third Super Bowl overall. New Orleans (XV) and Detroit (XVI) were other cities chosen at the meeting. [12] [13]

After hosting five previous Super Bowls, Miami was noticeably left out of the bidding process, largely due the aging condition of the Orange Bowl, and for a hotel room mix-up at Super Bowl XIII two months earlier. [14] [15] Dolphins owner Joe Robbie, locked in an ongoing feud with the city of Miami and Dade County over stadium improvements or construction of a new stadium, actually lobbied against Miami hosting the game. Robbie convinced the other owners to vote down Miami, in an effort to gain leverage towards building a new stadium. South Florida would not be selected to host another Super Bowl until Joe Robbie Stadium was built, and it hosted XXIII. [16] [17]

This was the first outdoor Super Bowl to have a Jumbotron present. A temporary Sony Diamond Vision screen was installed in northeast corner of the stadium just above the last row seats. The only other Super Bowl facilities to date which had replay screens were indoors: the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans (XII and XV), and the Pontiac Silverdome near Detroit (XVI).

NFL players' strike

A 57-day-long players' strike reduced the 1982 regular season from a 16-game schedule to 9 games. Because of the shortened season, the NFL adopted a special 16-team playoff tournament. Division standings were ignored. Eight teams from each conference were seeded 1–8 based on their regular season records.

The modified schedule forced the league to extend the regular season into January for the first time. After the 57-day strike, the NFL extended the regular season one weekend (pushing the end of the regular season back from December 26 to January 2), moving back the start of the playoffs and eliminating the week off for the first time since Super Bowl IV.

Four teams that made the playoffs the previous year failed to do so in the strike-shortened season, even with the greatly expanded postseason field. The San Francisco 49ers, winners of Super Bowl XVI, struggled to a 3–6 record. The Buffalo Bills, the New York Giants and the Philadelphia Eagles did not qualify for the playoffs, either. However, the Cleveland Browns and the Detroit Lions did qualify for the playoffs despite 4–5 records, becoming the first teams in NFL history to compete in postseason play despite regular-season winning percentages below .500. No other losing teams would do so until the Seattle Seahawks reached the playoffs following the 2010 season, becoming the first team to accomplish this in a season unaffected by a strike. The 2014 Carolina Panthers, 2020 Washington Football Team and 2022 Tampa Bay Buccaneers also achieved playoff berths with winning percentages below .500 in seasons not shortened by a players' strike.

Miami Dolphins

The Dolphins finished the strike-shortened regular season with a 7–2 record, ranking them second in the AFC. The Miami club's main strength was its defense, nicknamed the "Killer Bees" because six of the defense's 11 starters had surnames that began with the letter B. The "Killer Bees", anchored by Pro Bowl defensive tackle Bob Baumhower, allowed the fewest total yards in the league (2,312) and the fewest passing yards in the league (1,027). Linebacker A. J. Duhe was extremely effective at blitzing and in pass coverage. The Dolphins' secondary, consisting of defensive backs Don McNeal, Gerald Small and brothers Lyle and Glenn Blackwood, combined for 11 interceptions.

However, Miami's passing attack, led by quarterback David Woodley, ranked second to last in the league with 1,314 total yards, 8 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. One of the few bright spots in the Dolphins' passing attack was wide receiver Jimmy Cefalo, who gained 356 yards from just 17 receptions for an average of 20.9 yards per catch. Wide receiver Duriel Harris also provided a deep threat with 22 receptions for 331 yards.

Miami's strength on offense was its ground game, ranking third in the league with 1,344 rushing yards. Pro Bowl running back Andra Franklin was the team's top rusher with 701 yards (third in the NFL) and seven touchdowns. Running back Tony Nathan rushed for 233 yards and caught 16 passes for another 114 yards. Woodley himself also rushed for 207 yards and two touchdowns. One reason for the Dolphins' rushing success was the blocking of their offensive line, led by future Hall of Fame center Dwight Stephenson, along with Pro Bowlers Bob Kuechenberg (a starter on Miami's early 1970s Super Bowl teams) and Ed Newman. [18]

Washington Redskins

Super Bowl XVII was the Redskins' first Super Bowl victory (third NFL championship overall) and their second Super Bowl appearance; they were defeated by the Dolphins, 14–7, in Super Bowl VII. This was the second rematch in Super Bowl history (the first being the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Dallas Cowboys in Super Bowls X and XIII). Washington finished the strike-shortened regular season with an NFC-best 8–1 record, earning their first playoff appearance in six years and allowing the fewest points scored in the NFL (128).

Redskins quarterback Joe Theismann finished the season as the top rated passer in the NFC, completing 161 of 252 (63 percent) pass attempts for 2,033 yards and 13 touchdowns, while also rushing for 150 yards. The main weapons in the passing game were wide receivers Charlie Brown (32 receptions, 690 yards and 8 touchdowns) and Art Monk (35 receptions, 447 yards and one touchdown). Running back John Riggins led the Redskins' ground game, rushing for 553 yards and three touchdowns during the regular season. Much of Washington's success on offense was attributed to their offensive line, affectionately known as "The Hogs".

Washington also had impact players on special teams. Mark Moseley became the first placekicker to win the NFL Most Valuable Player Award, converting 20 of 21 field goal attempts and all 18 of his extra point attempts. Kick returner Mike Nelms gained a combined total of 809 yards returning kickoffs and punts.

The Redskins' defense was led by 6'7", 296-pound defensive tackle Dave Butz, who anchored the line, along with defensive ends Dexter Manley and Tony McGee, who each recorded 6.5 sacks. Washington's secondary was led by defensive backs Vernon Dean and Jeris White, who each recorded three interceptions. [19]

Playoffs

The Dolphins advanced through the special 16-team playoffs by defeating the New England Patriots, 28–13, the San Diego Chargers, 34–13, and the New York Jets, 14–0, earning a trip to the Super Bowl for the fourth time.

Meanwhile, the Redskins defeated the Detroit Lions, 31–7, the Minnesota Vikings, 21–7, and the Dallas Cowboys, 31–17.

Before the playoffs, the 33-year-old Riggins, who had averaged barely three yards per carry during the season, told coach Joe Gibbs "I'm really getting down the road. I don't have many of these left. I've been out two weeks and I'm ready. Give me the ball." [20] Gibbs did just that, and Riggins ran for a combined total of 444 yards and three touchdowns during those playoff victories.

Another key contributor in the NFC playoffs was backup wide receiver Alvin Garrett, who replaced Monk after he suffered a leg injury that kept him out of the entire postseason. Although he only recorded one reception during the entire regular season, Garrett caught a total of 13 receptions for 231 yards and four touchdowns in Washington's three conference playoff games.

Super Bowl pre-game news

Entering Super Bowl XVII, the Dolphins were favored to win, primarily because of their "Killer Bees" defense. It had recorded 12 interceptions in three AFC playoff games, including five each in the final two contests. Another reason was because 26 players on Washington's 45-man roster had been signed by the team as free agents, including 14 who had never been drafted by an NFL team. Only ten players on the Redskins roster had any prior playoff experience. [21]

As was the case in Super Bowl VII, the Redskins were the designated home team. However, the Redskins chose to wear their white jerseys and burgundy pants for the game; in their previous Super Bowl loss to Miami, the Redskins were required to wear their burgundy and gold uniforms as the home team. Washington became the second team after the 1978 Dallas Cowboys to wear white as the home team in a Super Bowl. The Dolphins wore their aqua jerseys and white pants.

Broadcasting

United States

The game was televised in the United States by NBC. In the broadcast booth was Dick Enberg handling the play-by-play duties and color commentator Merlin Olsen. Len Berman and his NFL '82 castmates, Mike Adamle (who also covered the Vince Lombardi Trophy presentation ceremony), Ahmad Rashad and Pete Axthelm anchored the pregame, halftime and postgame coverage. Locally, for each of their home teams, it was seen on local NBC affiliates WRC-TV in Washington, D.C. and WCKT-TV (whose callsign would become WSVN later that summer; it is now a Fox station since January 1, 1989) in Miami, and for their home field it was seen on KNBC in Los Angeles.

The game was broadcast nationally on radio on CBS, with Jack Buck handling the play-by-play duties and color commentator Hank Stram in the broadcast booth. Brent Musburger anchored the pregame, halftime, and postgame coverage with analysis from Irv Cross and Jimmy Snyder for CBS. Locally, Super Bowl XVII was broadcast on WMAL-AM in Washington, D.C. by Frank Herzog, Sam Huff and Sonny Jurgensen, and on WIOD-AM in Miami, Florida by Rick Weaver and Hank Goldberg.

NBC's national Nielsen rating of 48.6 was the second-highest for a Super Bowl broadcast, trailing only the 49.1 garnered by Super Bowl XVI on CBS the year before. NBC introduced a new theme for the game; a brass-based piece that would see usage in various forms (as game introduction; pregame introduction or bumper music) for most of the remainder of the decade. [22]

Following the game, NBC aired the premiere episode of The A-Team , beginning the regular tradition of the game's host network airing significant Super Bowl lead-out programs. As a way to hype the show for NBC, Mr. T was in attendance for the game.

The game is featured on NFL's Greatest Games under the title Hog Day Afternoon, narrated by John Facenda and featuring interviews with Joe Bugel and radio commentary by Herzog, Jurgensen and Huff.

International

The Super Bowl was shown live in Canada on CTV, which also simulcasted NBC's coverage. In Mexico it was broadcast, with NBC's signal, live at Rose Bowl Stadium by Televisa Channel 5 XHGC. The game was also shown live in the UK for the first time when Channel 4, Britain's newest channel (launched November 2, 1982) covered it. [23]

Entertainment

Super Bowl XVII was dedicated to University of Alabama coach Bear Bryant, who had died four days earlier. A moment of silence was held in his memory during the pregame ceremonies. Dolphins Tony Nathan, Dwight Stephenson, Bob Baumhower and Don McNeal were All-Americans for Bryant at Alabama, and Redskins reserve running back Wilbur Jackson was the first African-American to earn a football scholarship to Alabama.

The Los Angeles Unified School District All-City Band played during the pregame ceremonies. Later, actress Leslie Easterbrook performed the national anthem. Easterbrook almost missed the ceremony, saying, "the limo driver couldn’t find the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. When I finally got there I ran through that tunnel by myself and actually slid, as if I was diving for first base. I slid into the microphone and they had 60 seconds of silence for the passing of a football coach from Alabama. I caught my breath and did it." [24]

The coin toss ceremony featured Pro Football Hall of Fame receiver Elroy Hirsch. Dolphins captain Bob Kuechenberg called "tails," and the coin landed "tails." However, referee Jerry Markbreit became confused by the similar design of both sides of the coin and incorrectly thought "heads" had landed. After a short discussion with his head linesman, Dale Hamer, Markbreit corrected his mistake before the kickoff, then asked Kuechenberg if the Dolphins would receive said kickoff, which they did. Justin Peters of Slate , who watched all the Super Bowls over a two-month period in 2015 before Super Bowl 50, reported what transpired: “Tails is the call,” said Markbreit. “Heads,” he said after the coin had dropped. “No, it’s tails, it’s tails,” everyone then said. “Whoop!” Markbreit said, bending down before announcing “Tails!” “So some confusion over what is heads and what is tails,” Dick Enberg said. Peters called it one of the funniest of all Super Bowl moments. [25]

The halftime show was produced by Bob Jani Productions and titled "KaleidoSUPERscope", and featured the Los Angeles Super Drill Team.

Game summary

First quarter

Redskins safety Mark Murphy tackling Dolphins running back Andra Franklin. 1986 Jeno's Pizza - 09 - Mark Murphy (cropped).jpg
Redskins safety Mark Murphy tackling Dolphins running back Andra Franklin.

Miami scored first on their second possession when faced with 2nd-and-6 on their own 24. David Woodley froze hard-charging lineman Dexter Manley with a pump fake before throwing the ball to wide receiver Jimmy Cefalo, who caught the ball ahead of single coverage by safety Tony Peters at the Redskins 45 and raced untouched down the right sideline for a 76-yard touchdown completion. After the Dolphins' defense forced the Redskins to punt, Woodley attempted another deep pass but was hit by Manley. This caused him to fumble, and defensive tackle Dave Butz recovered the ball at the Miami 46. The turnover led to Redskins kicker Mark Moseley's 31-yard field goal to cut the Dolphins' lead to 7–3, two plays into the second quarter.

Second quarter

Miami kick returner Fulton Walker returned the ensuing kickoff 42 yards to the Dolphins 47-yard line. From there, the Dolphins advanced to the Redskins 3-yard line. Woodley's pass fell incomplete on third down, however, so Miami had to settle for kicker Uwe von Schamann's 20-yard field goal to increase their lead to 10–3 with 6 minutes left in the half. Although the drive was only 50 yards long, it consisted of 13 plays and took 8:39 off the clock.

Aided by a 27-yard completion from quarterback Joe Theismann to tight end Rick Walker, 13 rushing yards and a 15-yard reception by running back John Riggins, and a 12-yard run from Theismann himself, the Redskins marched 80 yards in 11 plays to score on wide receiver Alvin Garrett's 4-yard touchdown reception.

Garrett's touchdown tied the game 10–10 with less than 2 minutes left in the half, but the tie did not last long. Fulton Walker returned the subsequent kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown to give the Dolphins a 17–10 lead. It was the first kickoff return touchdown in a Super Bowl and the longest kickoff return in NFL postseason history, breaking the prior record of 97 yards by Vic Washington in 1972.

A penalty on the ensuing kickoff forced Washington to start their next drive at their own 7-yard line, but they managed to get to the 28 after their first four plays. A pass interference penalty on defensive back Lyle Blackwood on the next play moved the ball to the Miami 42-yard line. Immediately after Blackwood's penalty, wide receiver Charlie Brown's 26-yard reception advanced the Redskins to the Dolphins' 16-yard line. After calling their final timeout with 14 seconds left, Washington made one last attempt to score a touchdown before trying a field goal. Theismann's subsequent pass was caught by Garrett, but he was tackled at the 9-yard line by defensive back Glenn Blackwood, preventing any possible field goal attempt as the Redskins were unable to stop the clock before time expired in the half.

Third quarter

The teams opened the second half trading punts, but on their second possession of the third quarter, the Redskins managed to fool the Dolphins with a reverse play near midfield. Riggins took a handoff from Theismann and then handed the ball off to Garrett, who was running in the opposite direction. The play worked perfectly, as Garrett ran the ball 44 yards to Miami's 9-yard line. The Dolphins' defense only allowed Washington to advance to the 3-yard line on their next three plays, though, so the Redskins settled for another field goal from Moseley to cut their deficit to 17–13.

Later in the third quarter, Theismann was intercepted by Miami linebacker A. J. Duhe at the Redskins 47-yard line. The Dolphins reached the Washington 37 when Woodley tried to pass the ball deep to Cefalo again. However, Redskins defensive back Vernon Dean deflected the ball and safety Mark Murphy made a one-handed interception at the 5-yard line while falling to the ground. After Washington got a first down to advance to their own 18, Miami defensive end Kim Bokamper blocked a pass from a scrambling and retreating Theismann. Bokamper nearly intercepted the pass just outside of the Redskins' end zone, but Theismann prevented the score with a timely move, knocking the ball out of Bokamper's hands.

Fourth quarter

The Redskins then drove to Miami's 43-yard line and once again tried a trick play, this time a flea flicker. Riggins took a pitch from Theismann, ran up to the line of scrimmage and pitched the ball back to Theismann, who then attempted to pass it. This time, Miami was not fooled; Lyle Blackwood made a diving interception at the 1-yard line (making this the first Super Bowl in which three consecutive drives ended with interceptions).

However, Blackwood's interception turned out to be somewhat beneficial for the Redskins, as it pinned Miami back at their own 1. The Dolphins could only gain three yards with their next three plays, and Washington ended up getting the ball back with great field position on their own 48-yard line. The Redskins ran three plays to reach Miami's 43-yard line, but then faced a fourth down with one yard to go. Instead of punting, the Redskins decided to gamble and attempt to get the first down with a run from Riggins, but Riggins did a great deal more than pick up the first down. Coach Joe Gibbs called his trademark play I-Right 70 Chip, starting tight end Clint Didier in motion towards the right, then reversing motion back to the left. The concept behind the play was for the Redskins' line and skill players (except for Theismann) to block everyone but the smallest cornerback on the field, leaving Riggins able and ready to break the tackle of that player (in this case, Miami cornerback Don McNeal). Theismann handed off to Riggins, who blasted through McNeal's arms at the line of scrimmage and still built up enough speed to outrun defensive back Glenn Blackwood for a 43-yard touchdown, giving Washington their first lead of the game, 20–17, with a little more than ten minutes remaining. McNeal, who was assigned to cover Didier on the play, slipped briefly as Didier changed direction. The Redskins ran the play to the left, behind Didier and fullback Otis Wonsley, and Riggins ran over McNeal to score the touchdown. Even if McNeal had kept his footing, it would not have mattered much. Despite a valiant effort, the 185-pound cornerback could do little more than hold on briefly as he met the 240-pound Riggins running with a full head of steam, hit him high, and slid down his body as "The Diesel" pulled away towards the end zone and the Redskins' first Super Bowl victory.

Joetheismannrings.jpg
Super Bowl XVII Watch.JPG
Super Bowl XVII ring (left) and watch (right) awarded to the Washington Redskins

Washington quickly forced Miami to punt on their next possession, and punt returner Mike Nelms's 12-yard return gave the Redskins great field position at the Dolphins 41-yard line. The Redskins ran five consecutive running plays by Riggins, consuming a lot of time and moving the ball to the 19-yard line. On a 3rd-and-long play, Theismann completed a key pass to Brown for a first down at the Miami 9. Riggins advanced the ball three more yards on two more carries to reach the two-minute warning, at which point Brown caught a 6-yard touchdown pass to put the game away. Walker returned the ensuing kickoff 36 yards to the 35-yard line, but the Dolphins could only advance to the 39 before turning the ball over on downs.

Washington dominated the second half, allowing no pass completions and 34 rushing yards; Miami's longest gain of the game's final 30 minutes went for just nine yards. The Dolphins managed only nine first downs in the entire game, with just two in the second half. "Their way is what we called Dolphin football," said left guard Bob Kuechenberg, one of only two holdovers from Miami's three previous Super Bowl teams in the 1970s (the other was defensive end Vern Den Herder who retired immediately following the game). "They controlled the second half and they're fitting world champions. [26]

Woodley's poor performance in this game -- four pass completions in 14 attempts for 97 yards, a touchdown, an interception and a lost fumble -- was a factor in the Dolphins drafting Dan Marino three months later. After his 76-yard touchdown catch in the first quarter, Cefalo caught just one more pass for six yards. Duriel Harris recorded Miami's other two receptions in the game for a total of 15 yards. Woodley did not complete a pass in the final 40 minutes of play, notching his last completion of the day a few minutes into the second quarter. Walker finished with four kickoff returns for 190 yards and a touchdown, setting Super Bowl records for most kickoff return yards and highest single-game yards-per-return average (47.5).

Meanwhile, Theismann, the first starting quarterback to win a Super Bowl while wearing a single-digit uniform number (7), finished 15 of 23 for 143 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. He also added 20 rushing yards on three carries. Brown was the Redskins' leading receiver with six receptions for 60 yards and a touchdown. Nelms returned 6 punts for 52 yards, both Super Bowl records, and returned two kickoffs for 44 yards.

Overall, Washington gained 400 yards of offense -- including a Super Bowl-record 276 rushing yards -- while limiting Miami to 176 total yards.

About Super Bowl XVII, Justin Peters commented, "Super Bowl XVII capped off a strike-shortened season, and, as a result, the players seemed much better rested than usual, and the game was much more energetic than some of its predecessors." [25]

Box score

Super Bowl XVII: Washington Redskins 27, Miami Dolphins 17
Period1234Total
Dolphins (AFC)7100017
Redskins (NFC)01031427

at Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California

  • Date: January 30, 1983
  • Game time: 3:17 p.m. PST
  • Game weather: 61 °F (16 °C), sunny [27]
Scoring summary
QuarterTime Drive TeamScoring informationScore
Plays Yards TOP MIAWAS
18:112800:55MIA Jimmy Cefalo 76-yard touchdown reception from David Woodley, Uwe von Schamann kick good70
214:397324:16WAS31-yard field goal by Mark Moseley 73
26:0013508:39MIA20-yard field goal by von Schamann103
21:5111804:09WAS Alvin Garrett 4-yard touchdown reception from Joe Theismann, Moseley kick good1010
21:38MIA Fulton Walker 98-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, von Schamann kick good1710
38:096613:08WAS20-yard field goal by Moseley1713
410:014521:42WAS John Riggins 43-yard touchdown run, Moseley kick good1720
41:5512416:54WAS Charlie Brown 6-yard touchdown reception from Theismann, Moseley kick good1727
"TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football.1727

Final statistics

Sources: NFL.com Super Bowl XVII, Super Bowl XVII Play Finder Mia, Super Bowl XVII Play Finder Was

Statistical comparison

Miami DolphinsWashington Redskins
First downs924
First downs rushing714
First downs passing29
First downs penalty01
Third down efficiency3/1111/18
Fourth down efficiency0/11/1
Net yards rushing96276
Rushing attempts2952
Yards per rush3.35.3
Passing – Completions/attempts4/1715/23
Times sacked-total yards1–173–19
Interceptions thrown12
Net yards passing80124
Total net yards176400
Punt returns-total yards2–226–52
Kickoff returns-total yards6–2223–57
Interceptions-total return yards2–01–0
Punts-average yardage6–37.84–42.0
Fumbles-lost2–10–0
Penalties-total yards4–555–36
Time of possession23:4536:15
Turnovers22

Individual statistics

Dolphins Passing
C/ATT1YdsTDINTRating
David Woodley 4/14971150.0
Don Strock 0/300039.6
Dolphins Rushing
Att2YdsTDLG3Yds/Att
Andra Franklin 1649093.06
Tony Nathan 7260123.71
David Woodley416074.00
Tommy Vigorito 14044.00
Duriel Harris 11011.00
Dolphins Receiving
Rec4YdsTDLG3Target5
Jimmy Cefalo 2821765
Duriel Harris215087
Tommy Vigorito00002
Nat Moore 00001
Tony Nathan00001
Joe Rose 00001
Redskins Passing
C/ATT1YdsTDINTRating
Joe Theismann 15/231432275.1
Redskins Rushing
Att2YdsTDLG3Yds/Att
John Riggins 381661434.37
Alvin Garrett 14404444.00
Clarence Harmon 9400124.44
Joe Theismann3200126.67
Rick Walker 16066.00
Redskins Receiving
Rec4YdsTDLG3Target5
Charlie Brown 66012610
Don Warren 5280106
Alvin Garrett213194
Rick Walker1270271
John Riggins1150151

1Completions/attempts 2Rushing attempts 3Long gain 4Receptions 5Times targeted

Records set

The following records were set in Super Bowl XVII, according to the official NFL.com boxscore [28] and the Pro-Football-Reference.com game summary. [29]
Some records have to meet NFL minimum number of attempts to be recognized. [30] The minimums are shown (in parentheses).

Player Records Set [29]
Longest scoring play98-yard kickoff return Fulton Walker
(Miami)
Rushing Records
Most yards, game166 John Riggins
(Washington)
Most attempts, game38
Longest rushing touchdown43 yards
Combined yardage records
Most Attempts, game39John Riggins
Most yards gained, game190Fulton Walker
Special Teams
Longest kickoff return98 yardsFulton Walker
Most kickoff return yards, game190
Highest kickoff return average,
game (3 returns)
47.5 yards
(4–190)
Highest kickoff return average,
career (4 returns)
47.5 yards
(4–190)
Most kickoff returns for touchdowns, game1
Most punt returns, game6 Mike Nelms
(Washington)
Most punt return yards gained, game52
Most punt return yards gained, career52
Highest average, punt return
yardage, career (4 returns)
8.7 yards
(6–52)
Records Tied
Most punt returns, career6Mike Nelms
Team Records Set [29]
Rushing
Most rushing yards (net)276Redskins
Passing
Fewest passes completed4Dolphins
Kickoff returns
Most yards gained, game222Dolphins
Highest average gain,
game (3 returns)
37.0 yards
(222–6)
Most Kickoff returns for
touchdowns, game
1
Punt returns
Most punt returns, game6Redskins
Most yards gained, game52
Records Tied
Most points, fourth quarter14Redskins
Most first downs24
Fewest points, second half0Dolphins
Fewest rushing touchdowns0
Fewest first downs9
Records Set, both team totals [29]
TotalRedskinsDolphins
Rushing, Both Teams
Most rushing attempts815229
Most rushing yards (net)37227696
Passing, Both Teams
Fewest passes completed19154
First Downs, Both Teams
Most first downs rushing21147
Kickoff returns, Both Teams
Most yards gained27957222
Punt returns, Both Teams
Most yards gained, game745222

Starting lineups

Source: [32]

Hall of Fame‡

MiamiPositionPositionWashington
Offense
Duriel Harris WR Alvin Garrett
Jon Giesler LT Joe Jacoby
Bob Kuechenberg LG Russ Grimm
Dwight StephensonC Jeff Bostic
Jeff Toews RG Fred Dean
Eric Laakso RT George Starke
Bruce Hardy TE Don Warren
Jimmy Cefalo WR Charlie Brown
David Woodley QB Joe Theismann
Tony Nathan RBTE Rick Walker
Andra Franklin FB John Riggins
Defense
Doug Betters LE Mat Mendenhall
Bob Baumhower NTLT Dave Butz
Kim Bokamper RERT Darryl Grant
Bob Brudzinski LLBRE Dexter Manley
A. J. Duhe ILBLLB Mel Kaufman
Earnie Rhone ILBMLB Neal Olkewicz
Larry Gordon RLB Rich Milot
Gerald Small LCB Jeris White
Don McNeal RCB Vernon Dean
Glenn Blackwood SS Tony Peters
Lyle Blackwood FS Mark Murphy

Officials

Officials wore a black armband with number 11 in memory of side judge Vince Jacob, who passed away during the players' strike. Jacob had been an official since 1975. It was the first time NFL officials wore such a memorial on the field during a Super Bowl. Back judge Dick Hantak was on the same crew as Jacob in 1981 and the first two games of 1982.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Super Bowl VII</span> 1973 Edition of the Super Bowl

Super Bowl VII was an American football game between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Miami Dolphins and the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Washington Redskins to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for the 1972 season. The Dolphins defeated the Redskins by the score of 14–7, winning their first Super Bowl, and became the first and still the only team in modern NFL history to complete a perfect undefeated season. They also remain the only Super Bowl champion to win despite having been shut out in the second half of the game. The game was played on January 14, 1973, at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, the second time the Super Bowl was played in that city. At kickoff, the temperature was 84 °F (29 °C), making the game the warmest Super Bowl.

Super Bowl VIII was an American football game between the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Minnesota Vikings and the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Miami Dolphins to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for the 1973 season. The Dolphins conquered the Vikings by the score of 24–7 to win their second consecutive Super Bowl, the first team to do so since the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowls I and II, and the first AFL/AFC team to do so.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Super Bowl XVIII</span> 1984 edition of the Super Bowl

Super Bowl XVIII was an American football game played on January 22, 1984, at Tampa Stadium between the National Football Conference (NFC) champion and defending Super Bowl XVII champion Washington Redskins and the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Los Angeles Raiders to determine the National Football League (NFL) champion for the 1983 season. The Raiders defeated the Redskins, 38–9. The Raiders' 38 points scored and 29-point margin of victory broke Super Bowl records; it remains the most points scored by an AFC team in a Super Bowl, later matched by the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII. This is the first time the city of Tampa hosted the Super Bowl and was the AFC's last Super Bowl win until Super Bowl XXXII, won by the Denver Broncos.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Super Bowl XIX</span> 1985 edition of the Super Bowl

Super Bowl XIX was an American football game between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Miami Dolphins and the National Football Conference (NFC) champion San Francisco 49ers to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for the 1984 season. The 49ers defeated the Dolphins by the score of 38–16, to win their second Super Bowl. The game was played on January 20, 1985, at Stanford Stadium, on the campus of Stanford University in Stanford, California, the first Super Bowl played in the San Francisco Bay Area. This also became the second Super Bowl after Super Bowl XIV where the game was coincidentally played in the home market of one of the participants.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Super Bowl XXII</span> 1988 Edition of the Super Bowl

Super Bowl XXII was an American football game between the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Washington Redskins and American Football Conference (AFC) champion Denver Broncos to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion for the 1987 season. The Redskins defeated the Broncos by the score of 42–10, winning their second Super Bowl. The game was played on January 31, 1988, at Jack Murphy Stadium in San Diego, California, which was the first time that the Super Bowl was played there. It was the second consecutive Super Bowl loss for the Broncos, who had lost to the New York Giants in the Super Bowl the year before.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joe Theismann</span> American football player and broadcaster (born 1949)

Joseph Robert Theismann is an American former professional football player, sports commentator, corporate speaker and restaurateur. He rose to fame playing quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) and Canadian Football League (CFL). Theismann spent 12 seasons with the Washington Redskins, where he was a two-time Pro Bowler and helped the team to consecutive Super Bowl appearances, winning Super Bowl XVII over the Miami Dolphins and losing Super Bowl XVIII. He played college football for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2003.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Riggins</span> American football player (born 1949)

Robert John Riggins, nicknamed "Riggo" and "Diesel", is an American former football fullback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for the New York Jets and the Washington Redskins. He played college football for the Kansas Jayhawks. Riggins was known for his "bell cow" running style and productivity well into the later years of his career. In the 1983 season, at age 34, he rushed for a then-NFL record of 24 touchdowns, a record which stood for almost 20 seasons. Riggins again led the league in rushing touchdowns during the 1984 season at age 35. Although he earned only one Pro Bowl appearance in his career, Riggins had his greatest success in the postseason and was named MVP of Super Bowl XVII where he scored one touchdown and rushed for 166 yards in a 27–17 win for the Redskins over the Miami Dolphins. Riggins was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1992.

The National Football League playoffs for the 1999 season began on January 8, 2000. The postseason tournament concluded with the St. Louis Rams defeating the Tennessee Titans in Super Bowl XXXIV, 23–16, on January 30, at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta.

The National Football League playoffs for the 1992 season began on January 2, 1993. The postseason tournament concluded with the Dallas Cowboys defeating the Buffalo Bills in Super Bowl XXVII, 52–17, on January 31, at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1984–85 NFL playoffs</span> Seasonal NFL playoffs

The National Football League playoffs for the 1984 season began on December 22, 1984. The postseason tournament concluded with the San Francisco 49ers defeating the Miami Dolphins in Super Bowl XIX, 38–16, on January 20, 1985, at Stanford Stadium in Stanford, California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1983–84 NFL playoffs</span> Seasonal NFL playoffs

The National Football League playoffs for the 1983 season began on December 24, 1983. The postseason tournament concluded with the Los Angeles Raiders defeating the Washington Redskins in Super Bowl XVIII, 38–9, on January 22, 1984, at Tampa Stadium in Tampa, Florida.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1982–83 NFL playoffs</span> Seasonal NFL playoffs

The National Football League playoffs for the 1982 season began on January 8, 1983. The postseason tournament concluded with the Washington Redskins defeating the Miami Dolphins in Super Bowl XVII, 27–17, on January 30, at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1971–72 NFL playoffs</span>

The National Football League playoffs for the 1971 season began on December 25, 1971. The postseason tournament concluded with the Dallas Cowboys defeating the Miami Dolphins in Super Bowl VI, 24–3, on January 16, 1972, at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans, Louisiana.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1972–73 NFL playoffs</span> NFL seasonal playoff games

The National Football League playoffs for the 1972 season began on December 23, 1972. The postseason tournament concluded with the Miami Dolphins defeating the Washington Redskins in Super Bowl VII, 14–7, on January 14, 1973, at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, California, becoming the only NFL team to finish a championship season undefeated and untied.

The National Football League playoffs for the 1973 season began on December 22, 1973. The postseason tournament concluded with the Miami Dolphins defeating the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl VIII, 24–7, on January 13, 1974, at Rice Stadium in Houston, Texas.

The National Football League playoffs for the 1974 season began on December 21, 1974. The postseason tournament concluded with the Pittsburgh Steelers defeating the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl IX, 16–6, on January 12, 1975, at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Joe Dan Washington Jr is an American former professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League (NFL) for the San Diego Chargers, Baltimore Colts, Washington Redskins, and Atlanta Falcons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Epic in Miami</span> American football playoff game in 1982

The Epic in Miami was the National Football League AFC divisional playoff game between the San Diego Chargers and Miami Dolphins that took place on January 2, 1982 in the Miami Orange Bowl. The game, won by the Chargers in overtime, 41–38, is one of the most famous in National Football League lore because of the enormity of scoring, the conditions on the field, the performances of players on both teams, and the numerous records that were set. This partially initiated a Dolphins-Chargers rivalry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1982 Washington Redskins season</span> NFL team season (won Super Bowl)

The 1982 Washington Redskins season was the franchise's 51st season in the National Football League (NFL) and their 46th in Washington, D.C. Although the Redskins lost all their preseason games, they advanced from an 8–8 record the previous season to become one of the only two teams in NFL history to win the Super Bowl after not winning a pre-season game. The 1990 Buffalo Bills and 2000 New York Giants also made it to the Super Bowl after a winless pre-season, but they did not win the Super Bowl.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1982 Miami Dolphins season</span> 17th season in franchise history; second Super Bowl loss

The 1982 Miami Dolphins season was the team's seventeenth in the National Football League (NFL). The Dolphins were coming off an unexpected 11–4–1 1981 season and a devastating loss to the San Diego Chargers in the Divisional Round the previous season in a game dubbed the Epic in Miami. The team had clinched the 2 seed and were picked by many to reach the Super Bowl during the 1981 season. Because of the high number of picks to reach the Super Bowl the previous season, many more fans picked them to win it during the 1982 season. The Dolphins looked to improve on their 11–4–1 record from 1981. However, a players strike cancelled 7 of the team's 16 games. Because of this, the NFL schedule was shrunk to 9 games.

References

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See also