1984 Miami Dolphins season
19th season in franchise history; third Super Bowl loss
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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.
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| 1984 Miami Dolphins season | |
|---|---|
| Owner | Joe Robbie |
| President | Joe Robbie |
| Head coach | Don Shula |
| Defensive coordinator | Chuck Studley |
| Home stadium | Miami Orange Bowl |
| Results | |
| Record | 14–2 |
| Division place | 1st AFC East |
| Playoffs | Won Divisional Playoffs (vs. Seahawks) 31–10 Won AFC Championship (vs. Steelers) 45–28 Lost Super Bowl XIX (vs. 49ers) 16–38 |
| Pro Bowlers | 8 QB Dan Marino WR Mark Duper WR Mark Clayton G Ed Newman C Dwight Stephenson DT Bob Baumhower ILB A.J. Duhe P Reggie Roby |
The Dolphins won the 1984 AFC Championship, and appeared in Super Bowl XIX, where they lost to the San Francisco 49ers, 38–16. To date this is the last season the Dolphins appeared in the Super Bowl.[a]
Second year quarterback Dan Marino's passing ability became the focal point of Miami's offense and in 1984 he exploded to set league records with 5,084 passing yards and 48 touchdowns. Marino's touchdown record was broken by Peyton Manning twenty years later and the yardage record was broken by Drew Brees twenty-seven years later. The Dolphins attempted early on to make a run at a perfect season twelve years after pulling off the feat, as they won their first eleven games but were upended in overtime by the San Diego Chargers. The Dolphins scored more than 500 points for the first and to date only time in their history,[b] as they scored 513 points and finished 14–2, their best record since the undefeated season.
The year began on a somber note, as running back David Overstreet was killed in a traffic collision in June. The Dolphins wore helmet decals with the number 20 (his jersey number) in his memory during this season. Overstreet was the third Dolphin in four seasons to die just before the start of training camp, following Rusty Chambers in July 1981 and Larry Gordon in June 1983.
NFL Films produced a documentary about the team's season entitled Movers, Shakers and Record Breakers; it was narrated by Brad Crandall, the first time since 1969 the Dolphins' season highlights were not narrated by John Facenda, who died in September 1984 at age 72.
After the season, the last remaining Dolphin from their Super Bowl VIII team, longtime offensive lineman Ed Newman, retired, ending a 12-year era for the team. He holds the unique distinction as being the only man to make it to Super Bowl VIII and Super Bowl XIX as a member of the Dolphins, as well as Super Bowl XVII in between.
Offseason
Draft
| 1984 Miami Dolphins draft | |||||
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | College | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 14 | Jackie Shipp | Linebacker | Oklahoma | |
| 2 | 53 | Jay Brophy | Linebacker | Miami (FL) | |
| 4 | 109 | Joe Carter | Running back | Alabama | |
| 5 | 138 | Dean May | Quarterback | Louisville | |
| 6 | 165 | Rowland Tatum | Linebacker | Ohio State | |
| 7 | 194 | Bernard Carvalho | Guard | Hawaii | |
| 8 | 221 | Ronnie Landry | Running back | McNeese State | |
| 9 | 250 | Jim Boyle | Tackle | Tulane | |
| 10 | 277 | John Chesley | Tight end | Oklahoma State | |
| 11 | 305 | Bud Brown | Safety | Southern Miss | |
| 12 | 320 | William Devane | Defensive tackle | Clemson | |
| 12 | 333 | Mike Weingrad | Linebacker | Illinois | |
| Made roster † Pro Football Hall of Fame * Made at least one Pro Bowl during career | |||||
Undrafted free agents
| Player | Position | College |
|---|---|---|
| Al Del Greco | Kicker | Auburn |
Week 1 roster
Regular season
Schedule
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 2 | at Washington Redskins | W 35–17 | 1–0 | RFK Stadium | 52,683 |
| 2 | September 9 | New England Patriots | W 28–7 | 2–0 | Miami Orange Bowl | 66,083 |
| 3 | September 17 | at Buffalo Bills | W 21–17 | 3–0 | Rich Stadium | 65,455 |
| 4 | September 23 | Indianapolis Colts | W 44–7 | 4–0 | Miami Orange Bowl | 55,415 |
| 5 | September 30 | at St. Louis Cardinals | W 36–28 | 5–0 | Busch Memorial Stadium | 46,991 |
| 6 | October 7 | at Pittsburgh Steelers | W 31–7 | 6–0 | Three Rivers Stadium | 59,103 |
| 7 | October 14 | Houston Oilers | W 28–10 | 7–0 | Miami Orange Bowl | 54,080 |
| 8 | October 21 | at New England Patriots | W 44–24 | 8–0 | Sullivan Stadium | 60,711 |
| 9 | October 28 | Buffalo Bills | W 38–7 | 9–0 | Miami Orange Bowl | 58,824 |
| 10 | November 4 | at New York Jets | W 31–17 | 10–0 | Giants Stadium | 72,655 |
| 11 | November 11 | Philadelphia Eagles | W 24–23 | 11–0 | Miami Orange Bowl | 70,227 |
| 12 | November 18 | at San Diego Chargers | L 28–34 (OT) | 11–1 | Jack Murphy Stadium | 53,041 |
| 13 | November 26 | New York Jets | W 28–17 | 12–1 | Miami Orange Bowl | 74,884 |
| 14 | December 2 | Los Angeles Raiders | L 34–45 | 12–2 | Miami Orange Bowl | 71,222 |
| 15 | December 9 | at Indianapolis Colts | W 35–17 | 13–2 | Hoosier Dome | 60,411 |
| 16 | December 17 | Dallas Cowboys | W 28–21 | 14–2 | Miami Orange Bowl | 74,139 |
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Season summary
Week 1 (Sunday, September 2, 1984): at Washington Redskins
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dolphins (1–0) | 7 | 7 | 21 | 0 | 35 |
| Redskins (0–1) | 0 | 10 | 0 | 7 | 17 |
at RFK Stadium • Washington, D.C.
- Date: September 2, 1984
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT
- Game weather: 76 °F (24 °C); relative humidity 62%; wind 10 miles per hour (16 km/h; 8.7 kn)
- Game attendance: 52,683
- Referee: Bob McElwee
- TV announcers (NBC): Charlie Jones (play-by-play) and Bob Griese (color commentator)
- [2]
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|---|---|---|
| MIA | Passing | Dan Marino | 21/28, 311 YDS, 5 TDs |
| Rushing | Andra Franklin | 13 CAR, 48 YDS | |
| Receiving | Mark Duper | 6 REC, 178 YDS, 2 TDs | |
| WSH | Passing | Joe Theismann | 21/36, 204 YDS, 2 INTs |
| Rushing | John Riggins | 15 CAR, 98 YDS, 1 TD | |
| Receiving | Charlie Brown | 6 REC, 60 YDS |
| Scoring summary | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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- Point spread: Redskins by 4½
- Over/under: 46.0 (over)
- Time of game: 2 hours, 45 minutes
| Dolphins | Game statistics | Redskins |
|---|---|---|
| 18 | First downs | 23 |
| 30–86 | Rushes–yards | 29–156 |
| 311 | Passing yards | 204 |
| 21–28–0 | Passes | 21–36–2 |
| 0–0 | Sacked–yards | 2–11 |
| 311 | Net passing yards | 193 |
| 397 | Total yards | 349 |
| 152 | Return yards | 148 |
| 5–45.8 | Punts | 4–43.8 |
| 0–0 | Fumbles–lost | 1–1 |
| 4–45 | Penalties–yards | 3–20 |
| 28:48 | Time of Possession | 31:12 |
Dan Marino had one of the best passing days of his career, completing 21 of 28 passes for 311 yards with 5 TDs and no interceptions for a Passer Rating of 150.4. This game also marked the emergence of Jim "Crash" Jensen, who lined up as a receiver for the first time and caught 2 of Marino's TD passes. Until 2015, this was the Dolphins' last road win over the Redskins.
Week 2 (Sunday, September 9, 1984): vs. New England Patriots
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Patriots (1–1) | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| Dolphins (2–0) | 0 | 7 | 14 | 7 | 28 |
at Miami Orange Bowl • Miami, Florida
- Date: September 9, 1984
- Game time: 1:02 p.m. EDT
- Game weather: 79 °F (26 °C); relative humidity 65%; wind 10 miles per hour (16 km/h; 8.7 kn)
- Game attendance: 66,083
- Referee: Chuck Heberling
- TV announcers (NBC): Jay Randolph (play-by-play) and Bob Griese (color commentator)
- [4]
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|---|---|---|
| NE | Passing | Steve Grogan | 20/42, 217 YDS, 1 TD, 4 INTs |
| Rushing | Tony Collins | 20 CAR, 87 YDS | |
| Receiving | Derrick Ramsey | 5 REC, 70 YDS | |
| MIA | Passing | Dan Marino | 17/28, 269 YDS, 3 TDs, 2 INTs |
| Rushing | Tony Nathan | 10 CAR, 36 YDS | |
| Receiving | Mark Clayton | 5 REC, 75 YDS, 2 TDs |
| Scoring summary | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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- Point spread: Dolphins by 6
- Over/under: 43.0 (under)
- Time of game: 3 hours, 3 minutes
| Patriots | Game statistics | Dolphins |
|---|---|---|
| 18 | First downs | 17 |
| 28–127 | Rushes–yards | 30–74 |
| 217 | Passing yards | 269 |
| 20–42–4 | Passes | 17–28–2 |
| 2–12 | Sacked–yards | 0–0 |
| 205 | Net passing yards | 269 |
| 332 | Total yards | 343 |
| 74 | Return yards | 183 |
| 8–39.6 | Punts | 5–41.6 |
| 2–1 | Fumbles–lost | 0–0 |
| 6–53 | Penalties–yards | 6–46 |
| 30:46 | Time of Possession | 29:14 |
Dan Marino increased his two-game total of seven touchdown passes as he tossed a pair of scoring strikes to Mark Clayton within a 1:36 span in the third quarter to lead Miami to its 17th straight victory against the Patriots at The Orange Bowl. Miami intercepted four Steve Grogan passes. Mike Kozlowski returned one 26 yards, then laterred to William Judson who rambled the remaining 60 yards for a touchdown.
Week 3 (Monday, September 17, 1984): at Buffalo Bills
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dolphins (3–0) | 7 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 21 |
| Bills (0–3) | 0 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 17 |
at Rich Stadium • Orchard Park, New York
- Date: September 17, 1984
- Game time: 9:01 p.m. EDT
- Game weather: 54 °F (12 °C); wind 8 miles per hour (13 km/h; 7.0 kn)
- Game attendance: 65,455
- Referee: Bob Frederic
- TV announcers (ABC): Frank Gifford (play-by-play) and O. J. Simpson (color commentator)
- [6]
| Scoring summary | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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- Time of game: 3 hours, 15 minutes
Week 4
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colts | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| • Dolphins | 7 | 16 | 14 | 7 | 44 |
- Date: September 23
- Location: Orange Bowl
- Referee: Red Cashion
- TV announcers (NBC): Charlie Jones, Bob Griese
Week 5
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| • Dolphins | 6 | 20 | 0 | 10 | 36 |
| Cardinals | 0 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 28 |
- Date: September 30
- Location: Busch Stadium
- Referee: Pat Haggerty
- TV announcers (NBC): Jay Randolph, Bob Griese
Week 6
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| • Dolphins | 0 | 21 | 3 | 7 | 31 |
| Steelers | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
- Date: October 7
- Location: Three Rivers Stadium
- Referee: Jerry Markbreit
- TV announcers (NBC): Jay Randolph, Bob Griese
Week 7
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oilers | 0 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 10 |
| • Dolphins | 0 | 7 | 7 | 14 | 28 |
- Date: October 14
- Location: Orange Bowl
- Referee: Dick Jorgensen
- TV announcers (NBC): Gary Gerould, Dave Rowe
Week 8 (Sunday, October 21, 1984): at New England Patriots
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dolphins (8–0) | 3 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 44 |
| Patriots (5–3) | 3 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 24 |
at Sullivan Stadium • Foxborough, Massachusetts
- Date: October 21, 1984
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT
- Game weather: 58 °F (14 °C); relative humidity 53%; wind 10 miles per hour (16 km/h; 8.7 kn)
- Game attendance: 60,711
- Referee: Jim Tunney
- TV announcers (NBC): Charlie Jones (play-by-play) and Bob Griese (color commentator)
- [12]
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|---|---|---|
| MIA | Passing | Dan Marino | 24/39, 316 YDS, 4 TDs, 1 INT |
| Rushing | Joe Carter | 14 CAR, 92 YDS | |
| Receiving | Mark Clayton | 7 REC, 99 YDS, 1 TD | |
| NE | Passing | Tony Eason | 19/29, 313 YDS, 3 TDs |
| Rushing | Mosi Tatupu | 20 CAR, 90 YDS | |
| Receiving | Derrick Ramsey | 5 REC, 32 YDS, 1 TD |
| Scoring summary | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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- Point spread: Dolphins by 4
- Over/under: 42.0 (over)
- Time of game: 3 hours, 13 minutes
| Dolphins | Game statistics | Patriots |
|---|---|---|
| 33 | First downs | 18 |
| 37–236 | Rushes–yards | 27–102 |
| 316 | Passing yards | 313 |
| 24–39–1 | Passes | 19–29–0 |
| 0–0 | Sacked–yards | 1–7 |
| 316 | Net passing yards | 306 |
| 552 | Total yards | 408 |
| 75 | Return yards | 113 |
| 1–38.0 | Punts | 3–57.0 |
| 0–0 | Fumbles–lost | 1–1 |
| 6–36 | Penalties–yards | 6–36 |
| 31:59 | Time of Possession | 28:01 |
Week 9 (Sunday, October 28, 1984): vs. Buffalo Bills
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bills (0–9) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 |
| Dolphins (9–0) | 7 | 17 | 0 | 14 | 38 |
at Miami Orange Bowl • Miami, Florida
- Date: October 28, 1984
- Game time: 4:01 p.m. EST
- Game attendance: 58,824
- Referee: Gene Barth
- TV announcers (NBC): Charlie Jones (play-by-play) and Bob Griese (color commentator)
- [14]
| Scoring summary | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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- Time of game: 2 hours, 54 minutes
Week 10
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| • Dolphins | 7 | 0 | 7 | 17 | 31 |
| Jets | 7 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 17 |
- Date: November 4
- Location: Giants Stadium
- Game start: 4:00 p.m. EST
- Game weather: 49 °F (9 °C); wind 13 mph (21 km/h)
- Referee: Gordon McCarter
- TV announcers (NBC): Charlie Jones and Bob Griese
| Q1 | 7:38 | MIA | Moore 37 yard pass from Marino (von Schamann kick) | MIA 7–0 |
| Q1 | 5:03 | NYJ | Walker 33 yard pass from Ryan (Leahy kick) | Tie 7–7 |
| Q2 | 2:14 | NYJ | Leahy 32 yard field goal | NYJ 10–7 |
| Q3 | 4:21 | MIA | Bennett 3 yard run (von Schamann kick) | MIA 14–10 |
| Q4 | 9:31 | NYJ | McNeil 6 yard run (Leahy kick) | NYJ 17–14 |
| Q4 | 7:45 | MIA | Clayton 47 yard pass from Marino (von Schamann kick) | MIA 21—17 |
| Q4 | 3:56 | MIA | von Schamann 30 yard field goal | MIA 24–17 |
| Q4 | 1:57 | MIA | Johnson 2 yard run (von Schamann kick) | MIA 31–17 |
Week 11
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eagles | 14 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 23 |
| • Dolphins | 0 | 7 | 7 | 10 | 24 |
- Date: November 11
- Location: Orange Bowl
- Referee: Tom Dooley
- TV announcers (CBS): Frank Glieber and Jean Fugett
Week 12
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dolphins | 0 | 21 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 28 |
| • Chargers | 7 | 7 | 0 | 14 | 6 | 34 |
- Date: November 18
- Location: Jack Murphy Stadium
- Referee: Red Cashion
- TV announcers (NBC): Dick Enberg, Merlin Olsen
Week 13
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jets | 7 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 17 |
| • Dolphins | 0 | 14 | 14 | 0 | 28 |
- Date: November 26
- Location: Orange Bowl
- Referee: Fred Wyant
- TV announcers (ABC): Frank Gifford, Don Meredith, O. J. Simpson
Week 14
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| • Raiders | 7 | 10 | 7 | 21 | 45 |
| Dolphins | 7 | 6 | 14 | 7 | 34 |
- Date: December 2
- Location: Orange Bowl
- Referee: Ben Dreith
- TV announcers (NBC): Dick Enberg, Merlin Olsen
Week 15
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| • Dolphins | 7 | 0 | 14 | 14 | 35 |
| Colts | 7 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 17 |
- Date: December 9
- Location: Hoosier Dome
- Game weather: Indoors (dome)
- Referee: Dick Jorgensen
- TV announcers (NBC): Jay Randolph, Reggie Rucker
Week 16
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cowboys | 0 | 0 | 7 | 14 | 21 |
| • Dolphins | 0 | 7 | 7 | 14 | 28 |
- Date: December 17
- Location: Orange Bowl
- Referee: Pat Haggerty
- TV announcers (ABC): Frank Gifford, O. J. Simpson, Don Meredith
Playoffs
| Round | Date | Opponent (seed) | Result | Record | Venue | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Divisional | December 29 | Seattle Seahawks (4) | W 31–10 | 1–0 | Miami Orange Bowl | 73,469 |
| AFC Championship | January 6, 1985 | Pittsburgh Steelers (3) | W 45–28 | 2–0 | Miami Orange Bowl | 76,029 |
| Super Bowl XIX | January 20, 1985 | N San Francisco 49ers (N1) | L 16–38 | 2–1 | Stanford Stadium | 84,059 |
Standings
| AFC East | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | PF | PA | STK | |
| (1) Miami Dolphins | 14 | 2 | 0 | .875 | 8–0 | 10–2 | 513 | 298 | W2 |
| New England Patriots | 9 | 7 | 0 | .563 | 6–2 | 9–3 | 362 | 352 | W1 |
| New York Jets | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 3–5 | 7–7 | 332 | 364 | L1 |
| Indianapolis Colts | 4 | 12 | 0 | .250 | 2–6 | 4–8 | 239 | 414 | L5 |
| Buffalo Bills | 2 | 14 | 0 | .125 | 1–7 | 1–11 | 250 | 454 | L2 |
Player stats
Passing
| Player | Att | Comp | Yds | TD | INT | Rating |
| Dan Marino | 564 | 362 | 5084 | 48 | 17 | 108.9 |
Postseason
Divisional
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seahawks | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| • Dolphins | 7 | 7 | 14 | 3 | 31 |
- Date: December 29
- Location: Orange Bowl
- TV announcers (NBC): Marv Albert, John Brodie
A year after being upended in the playoffs by the Seattle Seahawks the Dolphins routed Seattle 31–10. Dan Marino threw for 264 yards and three touchdowns despite being intercepted twice by Seahawks defensive back John Harris. The Dolphins rushed for 143 yards and a Tony Nathan rushing score as well.
Conference Championship
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steelers | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 28 |
| • Dolphins | 7 | 17 | 14 | 7 | 45 |
- Date: January 6
- Location: Orange Bowl
- Game start: 12:30 p.m. EST
- Game weather: Sunny; 64 °F (18 °C)
- Referee: Jerry Markbreit
- TV announcers (NBC): Dick Enberg and Merlin Olsen
| Q1 | 7:45 | MIA | Clayton 40 yard pass from Marino (von Schamann kick) | MIA 7–0 |
| Q1 | 3:30 | PIT | Erenberg 7 yard run (Anderson kick) | Tie 7–7 |
| Q2 | 9:04 | MIA | von Schamann 26 yard field goal | MIA 10–7 |
| Q2 | 3:52 | PIT | Stallworth 65 yard pass from Malone (Anderson kick) | PIT 14–10 |
| Q2 | 2:30 | MIA | Duper 41 yard pass from Marino (von Schamann kick) | MIA 17–14 |
| Q2 | 0:36 | MIA | Nathan 2 yard run (von Schamann kick) | MIA 24–14 |
| Q3 | 13:12 | MIA | Duper 36 yard pass from Marino (von Schamann kick) | MIA 31–14 |
| Q3 | 7:55 | PIT | Stallworth 19 yard pass from Malone (Anderson kick) | MIA 31–21 |
| Q3 | 1:40 | MIA | Bennett 1 yard run (von Schamann kick) | MIA 38–21 |
| Q4 | 11:05 | MIA | Moore 6 yard pass from Marino (von Schamann kick) | MIA 45–21 |
| Q4 | 0:25 | PIT | Capers 29 yard pass from Malone (Anderson kick) | MIA 45–28 |
In a shootout, quarterback Dan Marino led the Dolphins to a victory by throwing for 421 yards and four touchdowns with one interception. Steelers quarterback Mark Malone recorded 312 yards and 3 touchdowns, but was intercepted three times. With their 3rd ever victory in the Conference Championship, the Dolphins were able to advance to Super Bowl XIX. As of 2025, this remains the Dolphins last win in the AFC Championship.
Super Bowl XIX (Sunday, January 20, 1985): vs. San Francisco 49ers
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dolphins (16–3) | 10 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 16 |
| 49ers (18–1) | 7 | 21 | 10 | 0 | 38 |
at Stanford Stadium • Stanford, California
- Date: January 20, 1985
- Game time: 6:19 p.m. EST
- Game weather: 53 °F (12 °C), cloudy, fog for much of the second half[25]
- Game attendance: 84,059
- Referee: Pat Haggerty
- TV announcers (ABC): Frank Gifford (play-by-play), Don Meredith (color commentator) and Joe Theismann (color commentator)
- [26]
The Dolphins season ended with an overall record of 16-3. As of 2025, this remains the Dolphins last appearance in the Super Bowl.
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|---|---|---|
| MIA | Passing | Dan Marino | 29/50, 318 YDS, 1 TD, 2 INTs |
| Rushing | Tony Nathan | 5 CAR, 18 YDS | |
| Receiving | Tony Nathan | 10 REC, 83 YDS | |
| SF | Passing | Joe Montana | 24/35, 331 YDS, 3 TDs |
| Rushing | Wendell Tyler | 13 CAR, 65 YDS | |
| Receiving | Roger Craig | 7 REC, 77 YDS, 2 TDs |
| Scoring summary | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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- Point spread: 49ers by 3
- Over/under: 53.5 (over)
- Time of game: 3 hours, 13 minutes
| Dolphins | Game statistics | 49ers |
|---|---|---|
| 19 | First downs | 31 |
| 9–25 | Rushes–yards | 40–211 |
| 318 | Passing yards | 331 |
| 29–50–2 | Passes | 24–35–0 |
| 4–29 | Sacked–yards | 1–5 |
| 289 | Net passing yards | 326 |
| 314 | Total yards | 537 |
| 155 | Return yards | 91 |
| 6–39.3 | Punts | 3–32.7 |
| 1–0 | Fumbles–lost | 2–2 |
| 1–10 | Penalties–yards | 2–10 |
| 22:49 | Time of Possession | 37:11 |
Super Bowl XIX was played on January 20, 1985, and featured the San Francisco 49ers and the Miami Dolphins. The 49ers won their second Super Bowl, defeating the Dolphins 38–16. Dan Marino, the Dolphins quarterback passed for one touchdown and two interceptions, while Joe Montana, the 49ers quarterback passed for 3 touchdowns and rushed for another.
Awards and honors
- Dan Marino, 1984 NFL MVP
- Dan Marino, 1984 PFWA MVP
- Dan Marino, 1984 NEA MVP
- Dan Marino, 1984 NFL Offensive Player of the Year
- Dan Marino, 1984 UPI AFL-AFC Player of the Year
- Dan Marino, Bert Bell Award[27]
Personnel
Coaches / Staff
|
Front office
Head coaches
Offensive coaches
|
Defensive coaches
Special teams coaches
Strength and conditioning
|
Final roster
Notes
- As of the 2022 season
- as of 2015 season