Super Bowl VIII was a professional
American footballAmerican football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
game played on January 13, 1974 at
Rice StadiumRice Stadium is a football stadium located on the Rice University campus in Houston, Texas. It has been the home of the Rice University football team since its completion in 1950 and hosted Super Bowl VIII in 1974....
. in Houston,
TexasTexas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
to decide the
National Football LeagueThe National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
(NFL) champion following the
1973 regular seasonThe 1973 NFL season was the 54th regular season of the National Football League. The season featured O.J. Simpson becoming the first man to rush for 2,000 yards in one season...
. The
American Football ConferenceThe American Football Conference is one of the two conferences of the National Football League . This conference and its counterpart, the National Football Conference , currently contain 16 teams each, making up the 32 teams of the NFL....
(AFC) champion
Miami DolphinsThe Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
(15-2) defeated the
National Football ConferenceThe National Football Conference is one of the two conferences of the National Football League . This conference and its counterpart, the American Football Conference , currently contain 16 teams each, making up the 32 teams of the NFL.-Current teams:Since 2002, the NFC has comprised 16 teams,...
(NFC) champion
Minnesota VikingsThe Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
(14-3), 24–7. Scoring the first 24 points of the game and leading 24-0 entering the fourth quarter, the Dolphins easily won their second consecutive
Super BowlThe Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
, and became the first team to appear in three consecutive Super Bowls.
Dolphins
Running BackA running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
Larry CsonkaLarry Richard Csonka is a former collegiate and professional American football fullback.-Childhood:One of six children, Csonka was born in Stow, Ohio where he was raised on a farm by his Hungarian family...
, who ran for 145 yards and two touchdowns, was named the game's
Most Valuable PlayerThe Super Bowl Most Valuable Player Award, or Super Bowl MVP, is an award presented annually to the most valuable player of the Super Bowl, the National Football League's championship game. The winner is chosen by a fan vote during the game and by a panel of 16 American football writers and...
. Both his 145 rushing yards and his 33 carries were Super Bowl records. Csonka became the first running back to earn Super Bowl MVP honors.
Miami Dolphins
Although the Dolphins were unable to match their 17-0 perfect season of 1972, many sports writers, fans, and Dolphins players themselves felt that the 1973 team was better. While the 1972 team faced no competition that possessed a better record than 8-6 in the regular season, the 1973 team played a much tougher schedule that included games against the
Oakland RaidersThe Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
,
Pittsburgh SteelersThe Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
, and
Dallas CowboysThe Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
(all playoff teams), plus two games against a resurgent
Buffalo BillsThe Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
squad that featured 2,000-yard rusher O.J. Simpson. Miami finished with a 12-2 regular season, including their opening game victory over the
San Francisco 49ersThe San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
that tied an NFL record with 18 consecutive wins. The Dolphins' winning streak ended in week two with a 12-7 loss to the Raiders in
Berkeley, CaliforniaBerkeley is a city on the east shore of the San Francisco Bay in Northern California, United States. Its neighbors to the south are the cities of Oakland and Emeryville. To the north is the city of Albany and the unincorporated community of Kensington...
.
Just like the last two previous seasons, Miami's offense relied primarily on their rushing attack. Fullback
Larry CsonkaLarry Richard Csonka is a former collegiate and professional American football fullback.-Childhood:One of six children, Csonka was born in Stow, Ohio where he was raised on a farm by his Hungarian family...
recorded his third consecutive 1,000 rushing yards season (1,003 yards), while running back
Mercury MorrisEugene Edward "Mercury" Morris , is a former American football player, nicknamed early on for his mercurial quickness when running with the ball. Morris was a running back and kick returner for 9 years, playing mostly for the Miami Dolphins...
rushed for 954 yards and scored 10 touchdowns. Running back
Jim KiickJames Forrest Kiick is a former professional American football running back, who is best known for playing halfback for the Miami Dolphins in the American Football League from 1968 to 1969 and in the National Football League from 1970 through 1974...
was also a key contributor, rushing for 257 yards, and catching 27 passes for 208 yards. Quarterback
Bob GrieseRobert Allen "Bob" Griese is a former American collegiate and Professional Football quarterback who earned All-American honors with the Purdue Boilermakers before being drafted in 1967 by the American Football League's Miami Dolphins...
, the AFC's second leading passer, completed only 116 passes for 1,422 yards, but threw more than twice as many touchdown passes (17) as interceptions (8), and earned an 84.3
passer ratingPasser rating is a measure of the performance of quarterbacks or any other passers in American football and Canadian football. There are at least two formulae currently in use: one officially used by the National Football League and the Canadian Football League, and one used in college football...
. He became the first quarterback to start three Super Bowls and is joined by
Jim KellyJames Edward Kelly is a former American football quarterback in the NFL for the Buffalo Bills and the USFL's Houston Gamblers....
as only quarterbacks to start at least three consecutive Super Bowls. Wide receiver
Paul WarfieldPaul Dryden Warfield is a former professional American football wide receiver in the 1960s and 1970s known for his speed, fluid moves, grace, jumping ability and hands.- Football career :...
remained the main deep threat on the team, catching 29 passes for 514 yards and 11 touchdowns. Also, the offensive line was strong, once again led by center
Jim LangerJames John Langer is a former American football center who played for the National Football League's Miami Dolphins and Minnesota Vikings. He is considered one of the greatest NFL centers of all time and a hard working and quick blocker...
and right guard
Larry LittleLawrence Chatmon Little is a former offensive guard in college and professional American football in the National Football League. He has been elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1993...
. Griese, Csonka, Warfield, Langer,
Bob KuechenbergRobert John Kuechenberg is a former National Football League offensive lineman for the Miami Dolphins for fourteen seasons between 1970 and 1983, spending the 1984 season on injured reserve...
,
Nick BuonicontiNicholas Anthony Buoniconti is a former American Football League and NFL Hall of Fame middle linebacker, who played for the Boston Patriots and Miami Dolphins....
and Little would all eventually be elected to the
Pro Football Hall of FameThe Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
.
Miami's "No Name Defense" continued to dominate their opponents. Future Hall of Fame linebacker
Nick BuonicontiNicholas Anthony Buoniconti is a former American Football League and NFL Hall of Fame middle linebacker, who played for the Boston Patriots and Miami Dolphins....
recovered three fumbles and returned one for a touchdown. Safety
Dick AndersonRichard Paul Anderson is a former American football safety for the AFL's and NFL's Miami Dolphins, where he played for his entire ten year career from 1968 to 1977 missing one of those seasons with a knee injury....
led the team with eight interceptions, which he returned for 163 yards and two touchdowns. And safety
Jake ScottJacob E. "Jake" Scott III is a former American football free safety and punt returner who played from 1970 to 1978 for the Miami Dolphins and Washington Redskins of the National Football League. Scott went to the Pro Bowl five consecutive times between 1971, and 1975...
, the previous season's Super Bowl MVP, had four interceptions and 71 return yards. The Dolphins were still using their "53" defense devised at the beginning of the 1971 season, where
Bob MathesonRobert Matheson was a linebacker who played thirteen seasons in the National Football League...
(#53) would be brought in as a fourth linebacker in a
3-4 defenseAmerican football strategy concerns the deployment of offensive, defensive, and special teams players in American football.-Offensive strategy:The goal of offensive strategy is to score points...
, with
Manny FernandezManuel Jose Fernandez is a former American football player of who played eight seasons for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League...
at nose tackle. Matheson could either rush the passer or drop back into coverage.
Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings also finished the regular season with a 12-2 record, winning their first nine games before a loss on
Monday Night FootballMonday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series...
to the
Atlanta FalconsThe Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. Minnesota's offense was led by 13-year veteran quarterback
Fran TarkentonFrancis Asbury "Fran" Tarkenton is a former professional football player, TV personality, and computer software executive....
. During the regular season, Tarkenton completed 61.7 percent of his passes for 2,113 yards, 15 touchdowns, and just seven interceptions. He also rushed for 202 yards and another touchdown. The team's primary deep threat was Pro Bowl wide receiver
John GilliamJohn Rally Gilliam was an American football wide receiver.Gilliam was a receiver out of South Carolina State University, and was drafted in the second round by the expansion New Orleans Saints. He played his first two seasons in New Orleans, and then had stints with the St...
, who caught 42 passes for 907 yards, an average of 21.6 yards per catch, and scored eight touchdowns. Tight End
Stu VoigtStu Voigt is a former NFL tight end.Voigt was born in 1948 in the rough and tumble Westmorland district of Madison, Wisconsin. He graduated from Madison West High School in 1966, where he was an all-state running back and track and field standout. His state record in shot put of 66 feet...
was also a key element of the passing game, with 23 receptions for 318 yards and two touchdowns.
The Vikings' main weapon on their rushing game was NFL Rookie of the Year running back
Chuck ForemanChuck Foreman is a retired NFL football player.He was a running back during his NFL career, although he often caught passes out of the backfield.-Early career:...
, who rushed for 801 yards, caught 37 passes for 362 yards, and scored six touchdowns. The Vikings had four other significant running backs:
Dave OsbornDave Osborn is a former professional American football player who played running back for twelve seasons for the Minnesota Vikings and the Green Bay Packers....
,
Bill BrownWilliam Dorsey Brown is a former American football player. Brown was a running back in the National Football League for 14 seasons, including 13 seasons with the Minnesota Vikings, and was named to the Pro Bowl four times.Brown attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign...
,
Oscar ReedOscar Reed is a former professional American football player who played running back for eight seasons for the Minnesota Vikings and Atlanta Falcons. He currently resides in Minneapolis, Minnesota....
, and
Ed MarinaroEd Marinaro is an American former football player turned actor.-Football career:Marinaro played high school football in New Milford, New Jersey, for the New Milford High School Knights....
combined for 1,469 rushing/receiving yards and 11 touchdowns. The Vikings offensive line was also very talented, led by
Ron YaryAnthony Ronald "Ron" Yary is a former professional American football offensive tackle, playing primarily for the Minnesota Vikings and also for the Los Angeles Rams. He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2001...
and six-time Pro Bowl player
Mick TingelhoffHenry Michael "Mick" Tingelhoff is a former football center who played for the Minnesota Vikings from 1962-1978.-College career:...
.
Their defense was once again anchored by a defensive line nicknamed the "
Purple People EatersPurple People Eaters is a term for the defensive line of the Minnesota Vikings from the late 1960s to the late 1970s. The term is a reference to a popular song from 1958, the superb efficiency of the defense, and the color of their uniforms...
", consisting of defensive tackles
Gary LarsenGary Larsen was a defensive tackle in the NFL and played college football at Concordia College, Moorhead, Minnesota. He started his NFL career in 1964 with the Los Angeles Rams and then became a part of the famous Purple People Eaters for the Minnesota Vikings from 1965 through 1974...
and
Alan PageAlan Cedric Page is a justice on the Minnesota Supreme Court and a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He graduated from Central Catholic High School in 1963, received his B.A. in political science from the University of Notre Dame in 1967, and received his J.D. from the University of...
, and defensive ends
Jim MarshallJames "Jim" Lawrence Marshall played college football at the Ohio State University. He left school before his senior year, and played for the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League. He was then drafted in the 4th round of the 1960 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns...
and
Carl EllerCarl Eller is a former professional American football player in the National Football League who played from 1964 through 1979. He was born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina and attended the University of Minnesota...
. Behind them, cornerback
Bobby BryantBobby Bryant was a cornerback for the Minnesota Vikings during the days of the Purple People Eaters . Bryant was a fierce competitor despite his size leading to the nickname "Bones"...
(seven interceptions, 105 return yards, one touchdown), and safety Paul Krause (four interceptions) led the defensive secondary.
Playoffs
The Vikings earned their second appearance in the Super Bowl after defeating the
wild cardThe term wild card refers broadly to a tournament or playoff berth awarded to an individual or team that has not qualified through normal play.-International sports:...
Washington RedskinsThe Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
, 27-20, and the NFC Eastern Champion
Dallas CowboysThe Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
27-10, in the playoffs. Meanwhile, the Dolphins defeated the AFC Central Champion
Cincinnati BengalsThe Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
34-16 in the divisional round, and the AFC Western Champion
Oakland RaidersThe Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, 27-10 for the AFC Championship. The Dolphins were the first team to appear in three consecutive Super Bowls.
Super Bowl pregame news and notes
This was the first Super Bowl in which a former
AFLThe American Football League was a major American Professional Football league that operated from 1960 until 1969, when the established National Football League merged with it. The upstart AFL operated in direct competition with the more established NFL throughout its existence...
franchise was the favorite. The 1970 AFC Champion Baltimore Colts had been the favorite in
Super Bowl VSuper Bowl V was an American football game played on January 17, 1971, at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida, to decide the National Football League champion following the 1970 regular season...
, but they were an original NFL franchise prior the 1970 merger.
This was also the first Super Bowl played in a stadium that was not the current home to an NFL or AFL team, as no team had called Rice Stadium home since the Houston Oilers moved into the Astrodome.
The Vikings complained about their practice facilities at a Houston high school, a 20-minute bus ride from their hotel. They said the locker room was cramped, uncarpeted, had no lockers, and that most of the shower heads didn't work. The practice field had no blocking sleds. "I don't think our players have seen anything like this since junior high school," said Vikings head coach
Bud GrantHarry Peter "Bud" Grant, Jr is the former longtime American football head coach of the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League for eighteen seasons. Grant was the second and fourth head coach of the team...
.
There were reports of dissension among the Dolphin team arising from owner Joe Robbie's decision to allow married players to bring their wives at the club's expense. The single players were reportedly angry that they couldn't bring their girlfriends or mothers.
Paul WarfieldPaul Dryden Warfield is a former professional American football wide receiver in the 1960s and 1970s known for his speed, fluid moves, grace, jumping ability and hands.- Football career :...
entered the game with a well-publicized hamstring injury in his left leg. Minnesota Vikings defensive tackle Alan Page and Miami Dolphins left guard
Bob KuechenbergRobert John Kuechenberg is a former National Football League offensive lineman for the Miami Dolphins for fourteen seasons between 1970 and 1983, spending the 1984 season on injured reserve...
were former teammates at the
University of Notre DameThe University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
. Kuechenberg would be blocking Page in Super Bowl VIII. Kuechenberg entered the game with a broken arm which was injured in a game played against the Baltimore Colts and wore a cast on that arm throughout the game.
On television before the game,
New York JetsThe New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
quarterback
Joe NamathJoseph William "Joe" Namath , nicknamed "Broadway Joe" or "Joe Willie", is a former American football quarterback. He played college football for the University of Alabama under coach Paul "Bear" Bryant and his assistant, Howard Schnellenberger, from 1962–1964, and professional football in the...
said, "If Miami gets the kickoff and scores on the opening drive, the game is over.". Indeed, the Dolphins became the first team score a touchdown after receiving the game's opening kickoff.
For this game, the Miami Dolphins were assigned the home team. The Dolphins wear white jerseys at home typically for day games, but due to a (since changed) uniform policy, the Dolphins were obligated to wear their aqua jerseys as the designated home team, although Miami wore its aqua jerseys for its final regular season home game (on a Saturday afternoon) that season vs. the
Detroit LionsThe Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
. Also, many Dolphin players wore a slightly different helmet decal than the rest...starting with the final regular season game of the 1973 season (and continuing throughout the playoffs) many players, mostly linemen, wore the decal that the team would adopt in 1974 (with the mascot dolphin leaping through the sun), while others wore helmets with the 1969-1973 decal (with the mascot dolphin halfway through the sun).
Famed "Gonzo" writer
Hunter S. ThompsonHunter Stockton Thompson was an American journalist and author who wrote The Rum Diary , Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail '72 .He is credited as the creator of Gonzo journalism, a style of reporting where reporters involve themselves in the action to...
covered the game for
Rolling StoneRolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
magazine, and his exploits in Houston are legendary.
This was the only Super Bowl in which the game ball had stripes. Until the late 1970s, stripes were permissible for NFL footballs for night games and other special situations.
Television and entertainment
The game was televised in the
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
by
CBSThe NFL on CBS is the brand name of the CBS television network's coverage of the National Football League's American Football Conference games, produced by CBS Sports.-Market coverage and television policies:...
with play-by-play announcer
Ray ScottRay Scott , was an American sportscaster, best known for his broadcasts for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League. His brother Hal Scott was also a sportscaster.-Early life and career:Scott began his broadcasting career on local radio in the late 1930s...
and
color commentatorA color commentator is a sports commentator who assists the play-by-play announcer, often by filling in any time when play is not in progress. The color analyst and main commentator will often exchange comments freely throughout the broadcast, when the play-by-play announcer is not describing the...
s
Pat SummerallGeorge Allen "Pat" Summerall is a former American football player and television sportscaster, having worked at CBS, Fox, and ESPN.Summerall is best known for his work with John Madden on NFL telecasts for CBS and Fox.-High school:...
and
Bart StarrBryan Bartlett "Bart" Starr is a former professional American football player and coach. Wearing #15, he was the quarterback for the Green Bay Packers from 1956 to 1971 and head coach from 1975 to 1983, compiling a record of 52–76–3 ....
. This was Scott's final telecast for CBS. The following season Summerall would take Scott's place as the network's lead play-by-play announcer, holding that position through
1993The 1993 NFL season was the 74th regular season of the National Football League. For the first time in league history, all NFL teams played their 16-game schedule over a span of 18 weeks. After the success of expanding the regular season to a period of 17 weeks in 1990, the league hoped this new...
, when CBS lost rights to the NFC television package to
FoxNFL on Fox is the brand name of the Fox Broadcasting Company's coverage of the National Football League's National Football Conference games, produced by Fox Sports...
.
The Longhorn Band from the
University of Texas at AustinThe University of Texas at Austin is a state research university located in Austin, Texas, USA, and is the flagship institution of the The University of Texas System. Founded in 1883, its campus is located approximately from the Texas State Capitol in Austin...
performed during the pregame festivities. Later,
country musicCountry music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
singer
Charley PrideCharley Frank Pride is an American country music singer. His smooth baritone voice was featured on thirty-nine number-one hits on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts. His greatest success came in the early- to mid-1970s, when he became the best-selling performer for RCA Records since Elvis...
sang the national anthem.
The halftime show also featured the Longhorn Band, along with Judy Mallett,
Miss Texas 1973The Miss Texas competition was founded in 1936 as a scholarship contest for young women. The winner represents Texas in the Miss America pageant; three winners have gone on to be crowned Miss America ....
, playing the fiddle, in a tribute to American music titled "A Musical America".
Game summary
The Dolphins' game plan on offense was to use misdirection, negative-influence traps, and cross-blocking to exploit the Vikings defense's excellent pursuit. (The
Kansas City ChiefsThe Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
had used similar tactics against the same Vikings defensive line in
Super Bowl IVSuper Bowl IV was the fourth AFL-NFL World Championship Game in professional American football, and the second one to officially bear the name "Super Bowl"...
). Wrote Jim Langer, "All this was successful right away. We kept ripping huge holes into their defense and Csonka kept picking up good yardage, especially to the right. We'd hear Alan [Page] cussing because those negative-influence plays were just driving him nuts. He didn't know what the hell to do." On defense the Dolphins' goal was to neutralize Chuck Foreman by using cat-quick
Manny FernandezManuel Jose Fernandez is a former American football player of who played eight seasons for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League...
at nose tackle and to make passing difficult for Tarkenton by double-teaming John Gilliam and knocking down his receivers. They were also depending on defensive ends
Bill StanfillWilliam Thomas Stanfill is a former defensive end for the Miami Dolphins of the American Football League and then the NFL after the AFL-NFL merger of 1970.-High school years:...
and
Vern Den HerderVern Wayne Den Herder was an American football player who played twelve seasons for the Miami Dolphins of the NFL. He played in three Super Bowls for the Dolphins. In 1996 he was selected to the College Football Hall of Fame.-High school:Den Herder attended high school in Sioux Center, Iowa...
to contain Tarkenton's scrambling.
As they had the two previous Super Bowls, the Dolphins won the coin toss and elected to receive. The Dolphins dominated the Vikings right from the beginning, scoring touchdowns on two 10-play drives in the first quarter. Said Jim Langer, "It was obvious from the beginning that our offense could overpower their defense." First, Dolphins defensive back
Jake ScottJacob E. "Jake" Scott III is a former American football free safety and punt returner who played from 1970 to 1978 for the Miami Dolphins and Washington Redskins of the National Football League. Scott went to the Pro Bowl five consecutive times between 1971, and 1975...
gave his team good field position by returning the opening kickoff 31 yards to the Miami 38-yard line. Then
Mercury MorrisEugene Edward "Mercury" Morris , is a former American football player, nicknamed early on for his mercurial quickness when running with the ball. Morris was a running back and kick returner for 9 years, playing mostly for the Miami Dolphins...
ran right for four yards,
Larry CsonkaLarry Richard Csonka is a former collegiate and professional American football fullback.-Childhood:One of six children, Csonka was born in Stow, Ohio where he was raised on a farm by his Hungarian family...
crashed through the middle for two, and quarterback
Bob GrieseRobert Allen "Bob" Griese is a former American collegiate and Professional Football quarterback who earned All-American honors with the Purdue Boilermakers before being drafted in 1967 by the American Football League's Miami Dolphins...
completed a 13-yard pass to tight end
Jim MandichJames Michael "Mad Dog" Mandich was a professional American football tight end with the Miami Dolphins. Mandich was an All-American at the University of Michigan. In 2004 he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. As color commentator for the Miami Dolphins , he was teamed with Jimmy...
to advance the ball to the Vikings 43-yard line. Csonka then ran on second down for 16 yards, then Griese completed a six-yard pass to receiver
Marlin BriscoeMarlin Oliver Briscoe is a former American collegiate and Professional Football wide receiver/quarterback who played professionally for nine years...
to the 21-yard line. Three more running plays, two by Csonka and one by Morris moved the ball to the Vikings 5-yard line. Csonka then finished the drive with a five-yard touchdown run.
Then after forcing Minnesota to punt after three plays, the Dolphins went 56 yards in 10 plays (aided with three runs by Csonka for eight, 12, and eight yards, and Griese's 13-yard pass to Briscoe) to score on running back
Jim KiickJames Forrest Kiick is a former professional American football running back, who is best known for playing halfback for the Miami Dolphins in the American Football League from 1968 to 1969 and in the National Football League from 1970 through 1974...
's one-yard run (his only touchdown of the season) to give them a 14-0 lead.
By the time the first quarter ended, Miami had run 20 plays for 118 yards and eight first downs, and scored touchdowns on their first two possessions. Meanwhile the Miami defense held the Minnesota offense to only 25 yards, six
plays from scrimmageA play from scrimmage is the activity of the games of Canadian football and American football during which one team tries to advance the ball or to score, and the other team tries to stop them or take the ball away. Once a play is over, and before the next play starts, the football is considered...
and one first down. The Vikings did not cross their own 23-yard line.
The situation never got much better for the Vikings the rest of the game. After each team traded punts early in the second period, Miami mounted a seven-play drive starting from their own 35-yard line, culminating in a 28-yard field goal from kicker
Garo YepremianGarabed Sarkis "Garo" Yepremian is an Armenian-American former football placekicker in the National Football League for the Detroit Lions, Miami Dolphins, New Orleans Saints, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers during a career that spanned from 1966 to 1981. -Career:Yepremian was born in Larnaca, Cyprus to...
to make the score 17-0 midway through the second quarter. On the first play of the drive, Minnesota was penalized 15 yards for unsportsmanlike conduct on linebacker
Wally HilgenbergWalter Hilgenberg was a professional American football player.Hilgenberg was born in Marshalltown, Iowa in 1942. His family moved to Wilton where he grew up and graduated from Wilton High School....
, who threw an elbow through Csonka's facemask, cutting Csonka above the eye.
The Vikings then had their best opportunity to score in the first half on their ensuing drive. Starting at their own 20-yard line, Minnesota marched to the Miami 15-yard line in nine plays, aided by
Fran TarkentonFrancis Asbury "Fran" Tarkenton is a former professional football player, TV personality, and computer software executive....
's completions of 17 and 14 yards to tight end
Stu VoigtStu Voigt is a former NFL tight end.Voigt was born in 1948 in the rough and tumble Westmorland district of Madison, Wisconsin. He graduated from Madison West High School in 1966, where he was an all-state running back and track and field standout. His state record in shot put of 66 feet...
and wide receiver
John GilliamJohn Rally Gilliam was an American football wide receiver.Gilliam was a receiver out of South Carolina State University, and was drafted in the second round by the expansion New Orleans Saints. He played his first two seasons in New Orleans, and then had stints with the St...
's 30-yard reception. Tarkenton's eight-yard run on first down then advanced the ball to the 7-yard line. But on the next two plays, Vikings running back
Oscar ReedOscar Reed is a former professional American football player who played running back for eight seasons for the Minnesota Vikings and Atlanta Falcons. He currently resides in Minneapolis, Minnesota....
gained only one yard on two rushes, bringing up a fourth-down-and-one with less than a minute left in the half. Instead of kicking a field goal, Minnesota attempted to convert the fourth down with another running play by Reed. However, Reed lost the ball while being tackled by linebacker
Nick BuonicontiNicholas Anthony Buoniconti is a former American Football League and NFL Hall of Fame middle linebacker, who played for the Boston Patriots and Miami Dolphins....
, and Scott recovered the fumble.
Jim Langer wrote that at halftime, "We definitely knew that this game was over."
Gilliam returned the second half kickoff 65 yards, but a holding penalty on the play moved the ball all the way back to the Minnesota 11-yard line. Two plays later, Tarkenton was sacked for a six-yard loss by defensive tackle Manny Fernandez on third down, forcing Minnesota to punt from their own 7-yard line. Scott then returned the punt 12 yards to the Minnesota 43-yard line.
Miami then marched 43 yards in eight plays to score on Csonka's two-yard touchdown run through Hilgenberg to increase their lead to 24-0 with almost nine minutes left in the third quarter. The key play was Griese's third-and-five, 27-yard pass to wide receiver
Paul WarfieldPaul Dryden Warfield is a former professional American football wide receiver in the 1960s and 1970s known for his speed, fluid moves, grace, jumping ability and hands.- Football career :...
to the Minnesota 11-yard line. It was Griese's last pass of the game and only Warfield's second, and last, catch of the game. (Because of his hamstring injury, Warfield had earlier been limping through primarily decoy routes.) After an exchange of punts, Minnesota got the ball back at their 43-yard line. They mounted a nine-play drive, running the ball only twice. On second-and-one at the Miami 4, Tarkenton himself ran it in around right end, and the extra point made it 24-7 with 13 minutes left in the game.
Minnesota recovered their ensuing onside kick, but an offsides penalty on the Vikings nullified the play, and they subsequently kicked deep. Miami went three-and-out, and Minnesota got the ball back at their own 3-yard line. Eight plays later the Vikings reached the Miami 32-yard line. After two incomplete passes, Tarkenton's pass intended for wide receiver
Jim LashJames Verle "Jim" Lash is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League in the 1970s and played on three Super Bowl teams. He attended Garfield High School in Akron, Ohio, the same high school that fellow NFL wide receiver Steve Craig attended...
was intercepted by Dolphins cornerback
Curtis JohnsonCurtis Wise Johnson is a former American football cornerback in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the fourth round of the 1970 NFL Draft. He played college football at Toledo and high school football for Waite.-Professional career:Johnson was drafted by the...
at the goal line. Miami got the ball back at their 10-yard line with 6:24 left in the game, and Csonka and Kiick then ran out the clock. With less than four minutes to play, a frustrated
Alan PageAlan Cedric Page is a justice on the Minnesota Supreme Court and a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He graduated from Central Catholic High School in 1963, received his B.A. in political science from the University of Notre Dame in 1967, and received his J.D. from the University of...
was called for a personal foul for a late hit on Griese, and then one play later both Page and Kuechenberg were given offsetting personal fouls after getting in a scuffle with each other.
Wrote Jim Langer, "We just hit the Vikings defense so hard and so fast that they didn't know what hit them. Alan Page later said he knew we would dominate them after only the first couple of plays."
Griese finished the game with just six out of seven pass completions for 73 yards. Miami's seven pass attempts were the fewest ever thrown by a team in the Super Bowl. The Dolphins rushed for 196 yards, did not have any turnovers, and were not penalized in the first 52 minutes. Tarkenton set what was then a Super Bowl record for completions, 18 out of 28 for 182 yards, with one interception, and rushed for 17 yards and a touchdown. Reed was the leading rusher for the Vikings, but with just 32 yards. Tight end Stu Voigt was the top receiver of the game with three catches for 46 yards. The Vikings' lethargic performance was very similar to their performance in their loss to the
Kansas City ChiefsThe Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
in Super Bowl IV.
Box score
Super Bowl postgame news and notes
In the Dolphins' locker room after the game, Csonka was asked about his battered face. Without naming Hilgenberg, he said, "It was a cheap shot, but an honest cheap shot. He came right at me and threw an elbow right through my mask. I could see the game meant something to him."
With their 32-2 record over two years, the still-young Dolphins appeared to have established a dynasty. In 1974, however, their offense was hurt by injuries to Csonka and the offensive line, and the defense was hurt by the departure of defensive coordinator
Bill ArnspargerWilliam Stephen "Bill" Arnsparger is a former American college and professional football coach.- Early years :Arnsparger was born in Paris, Kentucky in 1926. He attended Paris High School, and became connected with the school's longtime football and basketball coach, Blanton Collier...
to become the
New York GiantsThe New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
head coach. The Dolphins finished 11-3 but lost a dramatic playoff game to the Oakland Raiders. In 1975 Csonka, Kiick, and Warfield left to join the
World Football LeagueThe World Football League was a short-lived gridiron football league that played in 1974 and part of 1975. Although the league's proclaimed ambition was to bring American football onto a worldwide stage, the farthest the WFL reached was placing a team – the Hawaiians – in Honolulu, Hawaii. The...
. The Dolphins would not win another playoff game until 1982.
Starting lineups
Source:
| Miami | Position | Minnesota |
| OFFENSE |
| Paul Warfield Paul Dryden Warfield is a former professional American football wide receiver in the 1960s and 1970s known for his speed, fluid moves, grace, jumping ability and hands.- Football career :...
|
WR |
John Gilliam John Rally Gilliam was an American football wide receiver.Gilliam was a receiver out of South Carolina State University, and was drafted in the second round by the expansion New Orleans Saints. He played his first two seasons in New Orleans, and then had stints with the St...
|
| Wayne Moore |
LT |
Grady Alderman Grady Alderman was an offensive lineman who played sixteen seasons in the NFL. He played most of his career with the Minnesota Vikings, and he played in three Super Bowls and was selected to five Pro Bowls...
|
| Bob Kuechenberg Robert John Kuechenberg is a former National Football League offensive lineman for the Miami Dolphins for fourteen seasons between 1970 and 1983, spending the 1984 season on injured reserve...
|
LG |
Ed White Edward White may refer to:*Edward John White , Anglo-Australian meteorologist and astronomer*Edward Douglass White , Chief Justice of the U.S.*Edward Douglass White, Sr. , Governor of Louisiana and U.S...
|
| Jim Langer James John Langer is a former American football center who played for the National Football League's Miami Dolphins and Minnesota Vikings. He is considered one of the greatest NFL centers of all time and a hard working and quick blocker...
|
C |
Mick Tingelhoff Henry Michael "Mick" Tingelhoff is a former football center who played for the Minnesota Vikings from 1962-1978.-College career:...
|
Larry LittleLawrence Chatmon Little is a former offensive guard in college and professional American football in the National Football League. He has been elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1993...
|
RG |
Frank Gallagher Frank Gallagher is a former professional American football player who played guard in the National Football League for eight seasons for the Detroit Lions, the Atlanta Falcons and the Minnesota Vikings....
|
| Norm Evans Norman Evans is a former American Professional Football offensive tackle who played fourteen seasons, ten of those with the Miami Dolphins, first in the American Football League, later in the NFL. He was selected to two Pro Bowls and played in three Super Bowls.-External links:*...
|
RT |
Ron Yary Anthony Ronald "Ron" Yary is a former professional American football offensive tackle, playing primarily for the Minnesota Vikings and also for the Los Angeles Rams. He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2001...
|
| Jim Mandich James Michael "Mad Dog" Mandich was a professional American football tight end with the Miami Dolphins. Mandich was an All-American at the University of Michigan. In 2004 he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. As color commentator for the Miami Dolphins , he was teamed with Jimmy...
|
TE |
Stu Voigt Stu Voigt is a former NFL tight end.Voigt was born in 1948 in the rough and tumble Westmorland district of Madison, Wisconsin. He graduated from Madison West High School in 1966, where he was an all-state running back and track and field standout. His state record in shot put of 66 feet...
|
| Marlin Briscoe Marlin Oliver Briscoe is a former American collegiate and Professional Football wide receiver/quarterback who played professionally for nine years...
|
WR |
Carroll Dale Carroll Wayne Dale is a former American football wide receiver. He played college football at Virginia Tech from 1956–59. Dale was named second-team All American in 1958 and 1959....
|
| Bob Griese Robert Allen "Bob" Griese is a former American collegiate and Professional Football quarterback who earned All-American honors with the Purdue Boilermakers before being drafted in 1967 by the American Football League's Miami Dolphins...
|
QB |
Fran Tarkenton Francis Asbury "Fran" Tarkenton is a former professional football player, TV personality, and computer software executive....
|
Larry CsonkaLarry Richard Csonka is a former collegiate and professional American football fullback.-Childhood:One of six children, Csonka was born in Stow, Ohio where he was raised on a farm by his Hungarian family...
|
FB |
Oscar Reed Oscar Reed is a former professional American football player who played running back for eight seasons for the Minnesota Vikings and Atlanta Falcons. He currently resides in Minneapolis, Minnesota....
|
| Mercury Morris Eugene Edward "Mercury" Morris , is a former American football player, nicknamed early on for his mercurial quickness when running with the ball. Morris was a running back and kick returner for 9 years, playing mostly for the Miami Dolphins...
|
RB |
Chuck Foreman Chuck Foreman is a retired NFL football player.He was a running back during his NFL career, although he often caught passes out of the backfield.-Early career:...
|
| DEFENSE |
| Vern Den Herder Vern Wayne Den Herder was an American football player who played twelve seasons for the Miami Dolphins of the NFL. He played in three Super Bowls for the Dolphins. In 1996 he was selected to the College Football Hall of Fame.-High school:Den Herder attended high school in Sioux Center, Iowa...
|
LE |
Carl Eller Carl Eller is a former professional American football player in the National Football League who played from 1964 through 1979. He was born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina and attended the University of Minnesota...
|
| Manny Fernandez Manuel Jose Fernandez is a former American football player of who played eight seasons for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League...
|
LDT |
Gary Larsen Gary Larsen was a defensive tackle in the NFL and played college football at Concordia College, Moorhead, Minnesota. He started his NFL career in 1964 with the Los Angeles Rams and then became a part of the famous Purple People Eaters for the Minnesota Vikings from 1965 through 1974...
|
| Bob Heinz Robert Kenneth Heinz is a former American football defensive tackle. He played college football at the University of the Pacific and in the National Football League for the Miami Dolphins and the Washington Redskins...
|
RDT |
Alan PageAlan Cedric Page is a justice on the Minnesota Supreme Court and a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He graduated from Central Catholic High School in 1963, received his B.A. in political science from the University of Notre Dame in 1967, and received his J.D. from the University of...
|
| Bill Stanfill William Thomas Stanfill is a former defensive end for the Miami Dolphins of the American Football League and then the NFL after the AFL-NFL merger of 1970.-High school years:...
|
RE |
Jim Marshall James "Jim" Lawrence Marshall played college football at the Ohio State University. He left school before his senior year, and played for the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League. He was then drafted in the 4th round of the 1960 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns...
|
| Doug Swift Doug Swift is a former American football linebacker who played six seasons in the National Football League for the Miami Dolphins. Swift moved into the starting lineup as a rookie and held the strongside linebacker position for the next six seasons, including the Dolphins' Super Bowl victories...
|
LOLB |
Roy WinstonRoy Charles Winston is a former professional American football player.Roy Winston graduated from Louisiana State University, where he starred as an offensive guard...
|
| Nick Buoniconti Nicholas Anthony Buoniconti is a former American Football League and NFL Hall of Fame middle linebacker, who played for the Boston Patriots and Miami Dolphins....
|
MLB |
Jeff Siemon Jeffrey Glenn Siemon is a former professional American football player and an inductee in the College Football Hall of Fame....
|
| Mike Kolen 'John Michael Kolen' is a former American football linebacker who played eight seasons in the National Football League for the Miami Dolphins...
|
ROLB |
Wally Hilgenberg Walter Hilgenberg was a professional American football player.Hilgenberg was born in Marshalltown, Iowa in 1942. His family moved to Wilton where he grew up and graduated from Wilton High School....
|
| Lloyd Mumphord Lloyd N. Mumphord was a cornerback who played collegiately for Texas Southern University and ten seasons in American Pro Football. He played professionally for the Miami Dolphins of the American Football League and the Dolphins and Baltimore Colts of the National Football League...
|
LCB |
Nate Wright -Professional career:Wright earned All-Pro honors at defensive back in 1974 and 1976. His career consisted mostly of time as a defensive back with the great Minnesota Vikings teams of the 1970s...
|
| Curtis Johnson Curtis Wise Johnson is a former American football cornerback in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the fourth round of the 1970 NFL Draft. He played college football at Toledo and high school football for Waite.-Professional career:Johnson was drafted by the...
|
RCB |
Bobby Bryant Bobby Bryant was a cornerback for the Minnesota Vikings during the days of the Purple People Eaters . Bryant was a fierce competitor despite his size leading to the nickname "Bones"...
|
| Dick Anderson Richard Paul Anderson is a former American football safety for the AFL's and NFL's Miami Dolphins, where he played for his entire ten year career from 1968 to 1977 missing one of those seasons with a knee injury....
|
LS |
Jeff Wright Jeff Ralph Wright is an American football player.He played safety for the Minnesota Vikings from 1971-1977....
|
| Jake Scott |
RS |
Paul Krause Paul James Krause is a former American football defensive back who played in the National Football League...
|
Officials
- Referee: Ben Dreith
Ben Dreith is a former American professional football on-field official who worked from 1960 to 1969 in the American Football League and from 1970 to 1990 in the NFL. Prior to his teaching and officiating career, he was a three-sport athlete at the University of Northern Colorado.Dreith developed...
(#12)
- Umpire: Ralph Morcroft (#15)
- Head Linesman: Leo Miles (#35)
- Line Judge: Jack Fette (#39)
- Field Judge: Fritz Graf (#34)
- Back Judge: Stan Javie
Stanley "Stan" Javie was an American football official in the National Football League for 30 years until the conclusion of the 1980 NFL season. Working as a back judge, Javie was assigned four Super Bowls; Super Bowl II, Super Bowl VIII, Super Bowl X, and Super Bowl XIV; one of the first...
(#29)
Note: A seven-official system was not used until the 1978 season.
Leo Miles was the first African-American to officiate in a Super Bowl.