The Epic in Miami is the name given to a
National Football LeagueThe National Football League is the largest 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 its name to the National Football League in 1922. The league currently consists of...
AFC divisional playoff gameThe NFL playoffs following the 1981 NFL season led up to Super Bowl XVI.-AFC: Buffalo Bills 31, New York Jets 27:at Shea Stadium, Flushing, Queens, New York*Game time: 12:00 p.m...
between the
San Diego ChargersThe San Diego Chargers are an American Professional Football team based in San Diego, California. They are currently members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . The club began play in 1960 as a charter member of the American Football League...
and the
Miami DolphinsThe Miami Dolphins are a professional football team based in the Miami, Florida metropolitan area. They play home games at Land Shark Stadium, in the suburb of Miami Gardens. They are headquartered at the Miami Dolphins Training Facility in Davie, Florida. The Dolphins belong to the Eastern...
that took place on January 2, 1982 in the
Miami Orange BowlThe Miami Orange Bowl was a stadium in the City of Miami, west of Downtown in Little Havana. Considered a landmark, it was the home stadium for the University of Miami Hurricanes football team and the temporary home of the Florida International University Golden Panthers for the 2007 football...
. The game is one of the most famous in
National Football League loreNational Football League lore is a collection of information that NFL fans retain and share.Since the NFL was founded in 1920, it has grown from an informal network of teams based mostly in small towns and cities into the most popular and successful sports league in the United States...
because of the conditions on the field, the performances of players on both teams, and the numerous records that were set. It was also referred to in the
Miami Herald as
The Miracle That Died, while
Sports IllustratedSports Illustrated is an American sports magazine owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. It has over 3 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men, 19% of the adult males in the United States. It was the first magazine with circulation over one...
dubbed it
The Game No One Should Have Lost. The game aired on
NBCNFL on NBC is the brand given to NBC Sports coverage of National Football League games until 1998, when NBC lost the NFL American Football Conference rights to CBS...
with
Don CriquiDon Criqui is an American sportscaster, currently employed as a play-by-play announcer for CBS Sports. Criqui's duties include television coverage of National Football League games, women's and men's college basketball, occasional college football and radio play-by-play of ISP Sports' coverage of...
and
John BrodieJohn Riley Brodie is a former professional American football quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, and had a second career as a Senior PGA Tour professional golfer.-Playing career:Brodie was born in San Francisco, California...
calling the action and
Bryant GumbelBryant Charles Gumbel is an American television journalist and sportscaster. He is best known for his 15 years as co-host of NBC's The Today Show. He is the younger brother of sportscaster Greg Gumbel.-Early life:...
serving as the anchor.
Background
The Dolphins finished the
1981The 1981 NFL season was the 62nd regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XVI when the San Francisco 49ers defeated the Cincinnati Bengals.-Major rule changes:...
regular season by winning the
AFC EastThe AFC East is a division of the National Football League's American Football Conference. It has four members: Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots , and New York Jets...
with an 11-4-1 record. Their offense was led by quarterbacks
David WoodleyDavid Eugene Woodley was an American football player and quarterback for Louisiana State University , the National Football League's Miami Dolphins , and the Pittsburgh Steelers...
and
Don StrockDon Strock was a former professional football player who was the head coach of the Florida International University football team from 2002-2006.-College:...
. Woodley had a rather mediocre year, throwing for only 2,470 yards and 12 touchdowns, with 13 interceptions, but he was a good scrambler, gaining 272 yards and four touchdowns on the ground. Strock was widely considered to be one of the best reserve quarterbacks in the league and had played in 15 of 16 regular-season games. Receivers
Jimmy CefaloJames Carmen Cefalo, , is an American sportscaster, game show host and former professional American football wide receiver.-Radio and television:...
(29 receptions, 631 yards, three touchdowns) and
Duriel HarrisDuriel LaDon Harris, Jr. is a former professional American football wide receiver in the National Football League for the Miami Dolphins, Cleveland Browns, and the Dallas Cowboys. He played college football at New Mexico State University and was drafted in the third round of the 1976 NFL Draft....
(53 receptions, 911 yards, two touchdowns) provided the main deep threat on the team. Halfback
Tony NathanTony Curtis Nathan is an American football coach and former running back.Nathan was a running back from Alabama who was selected in the third round of the 1979 NFL Draft by the Miami Dolphins, with whom he played from 1979-1987...
was the top rusher on the Dolphins with 782 yards on just 147 carries, giving him a league-leading 5.3-yards-per-carry average, while also catching 50 passes for 432 yards and scoring eight touchdowns. Fullback
Andra FranklinAndra Bernard Franklin was an American running back in the National Football League from 1981 to 1984 for the Miami Dolphins. Franklin played collegiately at the University of Nebraska. Franklin died from heart failure in 2006....
provided the team with good blocking, and he was also a good ball carrier, rushing for 711 yards and seven touchdowns. Miami’s offensive line was anchored by
Pro BowlIn professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC-NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
guard
Ed NewmanEd Newman is a former American football guard who played 12 seasons from 1973 to 1984 for the Miami Dolphins in the National Football League....
and center
Dwight StephensonDwight Eugene Stephenson is a former Miami Dolphins offensive lineman and a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame's class of 1998...
.
Miami’s defense ranked fifth in the NFL in fewest points allowed (275). Pro Bowl defensive tackle
Bob BaumhowerRobert Glenn Baumhower is a former American football player who played college football for the University of Alabama and professional football for the Miami Dolphins of the NFL.-Collegiate and NFL awards:...
anchored the line, while linebackers
A. J. DuheAdam Joseph Duhe is a former American football linebacker who played eight seasons for the Miami Dolphins from 1977 to 1984 in the National Football League....
and
Earnie RhoneEarnest "Earnie" Rhone is a former American football linebacker who played ten seasons in the National Football League for the Miami Dolphins....
excelled at blitzing and pass coverage, combining for four interceptions. The Dolphins' secondary, consisting of
Mike KozlowskiMichael John Kozlowski was a safety for the Miami Dolphins . Kozlowski was a tailback at Colorado before switching to defense in the pros. Mike's brother, Glen Kozlowski played wide receiver at BYU and for six years with the Chicago Bears. Glenn's son, Tyler is a freshman wide receiver at BYU....
,
Fulton WalkerFulton Luther Walker is a former professional American football defensive back who played for the Miami Dolphins and Los Angeles Raiders in the NFL. Before his NFL career, he played for the West Virginia Mountaineers.On defense, Walker recorded 5 interceptions during his career, which he...
and brothers
LyleLyle Vernon Blackwood played safety position in the National Football League and is best known for teaming alongside his brother, Glenn Blackwood with the Miami Dolphins as part of the notorious "Killer B's" defense...
and
Glenn BlackwoodGlenn Allen Blackwood was a safety who played nine seasons in the National Football League. Blackwood attended the University of Texas. His brother Lyle Blackwood also played in the NFL, and they were teammates from 1981 through 1986 with the Miami Dolphins...
was also extremely talented.
San Diego finished the season with a 10-6 record. The Chargers' high-powered offense led the NFL in scoring (478 points), passing yards (4,873), and total yards (6,878). Quarterback
Dan FoutsDaniel Francis "Dan" Fouts is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League. Fouts played for the San Diego Chargers from 1973 through 1987, and is famous for being one of the most prolific quarterbacks of the Super Bowl Era...
made the Pro Bowl for the third year in a row, completing 360 of 609 passes for an NFL record 4,802 yards and 33 touchdowns, with only 17 interceptions. His favorite targets were receivers
Charlie JoinerCharles Joiner Jr. is a former football player who starred in Professional Football for eighteen seasons, virtually exclusively at the position of wide receiver. He was elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1996. Joiner is currently the wide receivers coach of the San Diego Chargers...
(70 receptions, 1,188 yards, seven touchdowns) and
Wes ChandlerWesley Sandy "Wes" Chandler is an American football coach and former wide receiver. He is currently the offensive coordinator for the New York Sentinels of the United Football League.-College career:...
(69 receptions, 1,142 yards, six touchdowns), along with Pro Bowl tight end
Kellen WinslowKellen Boswell Winslow is a former professional American football tight end with the Missouri Tigers and the San Diego Chargers. He is widely recognized as one of the greatest tight ends in the history of the game...
(88 receptions, 1,070 yards, 10 touchdowns). San Diego also had an outstanding rushing attack, led by Pro Bowl running back
Chuck MuncieHarry Vance "Chuck" Muncie is a former American football running back who played for the New Orleans Saints and San Diego Chargers in the National Football League from 1976 to 1984...
, who rushed for 1,144 yards and a league-leading 19 touchdowns, while also catching 46 passes for 362 yards. Rookie running back
James BrooksJames Brooks is a retired NFL football running back.-High school & college career:His young career started with success in high school. He lead the Warner Robins High School Demons to a State championship and a National Championship ranking in 1976...
was also a major contributor, rushing for 525 yards, catching 46 passes for 329 yards, and adding another 1,239 yards returning punts and kickoffs. Up front, their line was anchored by Pro Bowl guard
Doug WilkersonDouglas Wilkerson is an American football player who was a guard in the National Football League for the San Diego Chargers. Wilkerson attended North Carolina Central University...
.
However, San Diego's defense ranked only 26th in the league (at the time there were only 28 teams) in points allowed (390) and 27th in total yards allowed (6,520). Only defensive tackle Gary Johnson from the Chargers defense made the Pro Bowl. One of the few other bright spots on their defense was defensive back
Willie BuchanonWillie James Buchanon was a graduate of Oceanside High School and San Diego State University....
, who led the team with five interceptions.
First Quarter
San Diego started out the game by marching down the field on the opening drive and scoring with kicker
Rolf BenirschkeRolf Joachim Benirschke is a former American football placekicker in the National Football League for the San Diego Chargers from 1978 to 1987.-Early career:...
's 32-yard field goal. The Chargers' defense then forced Miami to punt on their ensuing possession, and receiver
Wes ChandlerWesley Sandy "Wes" Chandler is an American football coach and former wide receiver. He is currently the offensive coordinator for the New York Sentinels of the United Football League.-College career:...
returned the ball 56 yards for a touchdown, increasing his team's lead to 10-0. Then on the ensuing kickoff, the Chargers caught another break when the ball surprisingly bounced back in their direction and was recovered by San Diego. Several plays later,
Chuck MuncieHarry Vance "Chuck" Muncie is a former American football running back who played for the New Orleans Saints and San Diego Chargers in the National Football League from 1976 to 1984...
scored on a 1-yard touchdown run. Then on the Dolphins' next drive,
David WoodleyDavid Eugene Woodley was an American football player and quarterback for Louisiana State University , the National Football League's Miami Dolphins , and the Pittsburgh Steelers...
was intercepted by Chargers safety Glen Edwards, who returned the ball 35 yards, setting up
Dan FoutsDaniel Francis "Dan" Fouts is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League. Fouts played for the San Diego Chargers from 1973 through 1987, and is famous for being one of the most prolific quarterbacks of the Super Bowl Era...
' 8-yard touchdown pass to
James BrooksJames Brooks is a retired NFL football running back.-High school & college career:His young career started with success in high school. He lead the Warner Robins High School Demons to a State championship and a National Championship ranking in 1976...
. By the time the first quarter ended, San Diego had a commanding 24-0 lead. It looked like the outcome of the game was already decided.
Second Quarter
But the Dolphins didn't give up. Coach
Don ShulaDonald Francis "Don" Shula is a former professional American football coach for the National Football League....
replaced Woodley with
Don StrockDon Strock was a former professional football player who was the head coach of the Florida International University football team from 2002-2006.-College:...
early in the second quarter to see whether he could spark Miami's offense, and that's precisely what he did, leading them down the field to score their first points of the game on a 34-yard field goal from
Uwe von SchamannUwe Detlef Walter von Schamann is a former professional American football placekicker. He played for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League, from 1979 to 1984.-Early life:...
. This seemed to fire up the Dolphins defense, who forced and recovered a fumble from San Diego on the ensuing drive, giving the ball back to the offense with great field position on the Chargers' 39-yard line. Several plays later, Strock converted the turnover into points with a 1-yard touchdown pass to tight end
Joe RoseJoe Rose may refer to:*Joe Rose , American football player*Joe Rose , actor best known for his part in Scrubs*Joe Rose, fictional character in Ian McEwan's novel Enduring Love and its subsequent film adaptation...
, cutting their deficit to 24-10. Later in the quarter, San Diego faced a fourth down on the Dolphins 37-yard line. The Chargers decided to send in Benirschke to attempt a 55-yard field goal, but he missed, giving the ball back to the Dolphins near midfield. Three plays later, the Dolphins moved the ball to San Diego's 40-yard line with only 6 seconds left in the quarter and attempted one last play to score before halftime. In a play known as the "hook and lateral", Strock took the snap and threw a pass intended for Duriel Harris at the 20-yard line. Harris caught the ball and immediately lateraled it to
Tony NathanTony Curtis Nathan is an American football coach and former running back.Nathan was a running back from Alabama who was selected in the third round of the 1979 NFL Draft by the Miami Dolphins, with whom he played from 1979-1987...
, who then took it 25 yards to the end zone, cutting the deficit to 24-17 at halftime.
Third and Fourth Quarters
The Dolphins' momentum continued into the next quarter. Early in the third quarter, Strock led the Dolphins 74 yards down the field and finished the drive with a 15-yard touchdown pass to Rose, tying the game at 24. But this time, San Diego managed to counter with a score of their own. Fouts led the Chargers 60 yards in six plays, scoring on a 25-yard touchdown pass to
Kellen WinslowKellen Boswell Winslow is a former professional American football tight end with the Missouri Tigers and the San Diego Chargers. He is widely recognized as one of the greatest tight ends in the history of the game...
to regain the lead. However, Miami stormed right back with Strock completing six consecutive passes, the last one a 50-yard scoring strike to tight end
Bruce HardyBruce Alan Hardy , is a former professional American football player who was selected by the Miami Dolphins in the 9th round of the 1978 NFL Draft. A 6'5", 232 lbs. tight end from Arizona State University, Hardy played his entire NFL career with the Dolphins from 1978-1989...
, tying the game again at 31.
With less than a minute left in the third period,
Lyle BlackwoodLyle Vernon Blackwood played safety position in the National Football League and is best known for teaming alongside his brother, Glenn Blackwood with the Miami Dolphins as part of the notorious "Killer B's" defense...
intercepted a pass from Fouts and returned it eight yards to the Chargers 15-yard line, setting up Nathan's 12-yard touchdown run of the first play of the fourth quarter and giving Miami their first lead of the game. Later in the quarter, with Miami just trying to maintain their lead and run out the clock, Chargers safety
Pete ShawKenneth Edward "Pete" Shaw is a former American football safety who played eight seasons in the National Football League for the San Diego Chargers and the New York Giants. He played college football at Northwestern University and was drafted in the sixth round of the 1977 NFL Draft...
recovered a fumble from
Andra FranklinAndra Bernard Franklin was an American running back in the National Football League from 1981 to 1984 for the Miami Dolphins. Franklin played collegiately at the University of Nebraska. Franklin died from heart failure in 2006....
on San Diego's 18-yard line with 4:39 left in regulation. Fouts then led his team down to Miami's nine-yard line. With only 58 seconds left in the game, a heavy Dolphins pass rush forced Fouts to throw a blind pass intended for Winslow in the end zone. The pass sailed over Winslow's head, but went right into the arms of Brooks for a touchdown to tie the game.
Miami took over on their own 40-yard line following Benirschke's
squib kickA squib kick is a term used in American football meaning a short, low, line drive kickoff that usually bounces around on the ground before it can be picked up by a member of the receiving team. The ball is kicked so short that it forces the receiving team's slower players to recover the ball first...
, needing only a field goal to win. Strock then led the Dolphins to the Chargers 26-yard line where Von Schamann attempted a 43-yard field goal, but at the last second, Winslow broke through the Dolphins offensive line and blocked the kick, sending the game into overtime.
Overtime
With the players of both teams exhausted and dehydrated, everyone was hoping for a quick end in the extra period, but that would not be the case. San Diego won the coin toss and marched down the field, driving inside the Dolphins' ten-yard line. Benirschke then attempted a game winning 27-yard field goal, but a bad snap and poor hold threw off his timing and the kick sailed wide left. Miami then drove deep into Chargers territory, setting up a 34-yard field goal attempt for Von Schamann, but his kick was low, and defensive lineman
Leroy JonesLeroy Jones was an American football defensive end for the San Diego Chargers in the National Football League.In 1980, Jones teamed with All-Pro's Fred Dean, Gary "Big Hands" Johnson, and Louie Kelcher on the defensive frontline as the Chargers led the NFL in sacks...
managed to leap in the air and block it.
San Diego took over at their own 16-yard line after the blocked field goal. Aided by a pair of receptions by
Charlie JoinerCharles Joiner Jr. is a former football player who starred in Professional Football for eighteen seasons, virtually exclusively at the position of wide receiver. He was elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1996. Joiner is currently the wide receivers coach of the San Diego Chargers...
for gains of 20 and 29 yards, Fouts led his team 74 yards to Miami's ten-yard line, where Benirschke attempted a 29-yard field goal. This time, his kick was good, giving the Chargers a 41-38 win after 13 minutes and 52 seconds of overtime play.
Post-game quotes
Said Chargers coach
Don CoryellDon Coryell is a former American football coach, who coached in the NFL first with the St. Louis Cardinals from 1973-1977 and then the San Diego Chargers from 1978-1986. He is well-known for his innovations to football's passing offense. Coryell's offense today is commonly known as "Air Coryell"....
after the game:
"I have coached for 31 or 32 years and this is tremendous...There has never been a game like this. It was probably the most exciting game in pro football history."
Shula agreed:
"A great game...Maybe the greatest
ever."
Chargers running back
Hank BauerHenry John Bauer was an American football running back.Signed as a free agent in 1977 by the San Diego Chargers out of California Lutheran University, Bauer was forced to retire in 1983 due to a broken neck...
:
"The locker-room celebration was more low key than other locker rooms I’d been in. It was more of "Thank God that’s over. Thank God we got out alive."
Miami QB Don Strock on the hook and lateral used in the second quarter:
“We called it 87 Circle Curl Lateral, and, believe me, the damn thing never worked in practice.”
Scoring summary
- SD - FG Benirschke 32 SD 3-0
- SD - Chandler 56 punt return (Benirschke kick) SD 10-0
- SD - Muncie 1 run (Benirschke kick) SD 17-0
- SD - Brooks 8 pass from Fouts (Benirschke kick) SD 24-0
- MIA - FG von Schamann 34 SD 24-3
- MIA - Rose 1 pass from Strock (von Schamann kick) SD 24-10
- MIA - Nathan 25 lateral pass from Harris (von Schamann kick) SD 24-17
- MIA - Rose 15 pass from Strock (von Schamann kick) 24-24
- SD - Winslow 25 pass from Fouts (Benirschke kick) SD 31-24
- MIA - Hardy 50 pass from Strock (von Schamann kick) 31-31
- MIA - Nathan 12 run (von Schamann kick) MIA 38-31
- SD - Brooks 9 pass from Fouts (Benirschke kick) 38-38
- SD - FG Benirschke 29 SD 41-38
Records and Individual Performances
The game featured many new records by players of both teams. By the time it was over Miami and San Diego had set playoff records for the most points scored by both teams (79), most total yards by both teams (1,036), and most passing yards by both teams (836).
Strock had the best single game performance of his career, completing 29 of 43 passes for 403 yards and four touchdowns. Harris caught six passes for 106 yards. Nathan rushed for 48 yards, caught nine passes for 114 yards, and scored two touchdowns. Hardy caught five passes for 89 yards and a touchdown.
Fouts finished the game completing 33 of 53 passing attempts for a franchise record 433 yards and three touchdowns. His attempts, completions, and passing yards were all NFL postseason records. Joiner caught seven passes for 108 yards. Muncie rushed for 124 yards and a touchdown. In addition to his 56-yard punt return touchdown, Chandler caught six passes for 106 yards. Brooks recorded 143 all-purpose yards (19 rushing, 31 receiving, 85 kickoff return, eight punt return) and a pair of touchdown catches.
But perhaps the best performance of the game was put in by Kellen Winslow. In addition to his blocked field goal, he recorded an NFL playoff record 13 receptions for 166 yards and a touchdown, despite suffering numerous injuries. During the contest, he was treated for a pinched nerve in his shoulder, dehydration, severe cramps, and a gash in his lower lip that required three stitches. A picture of an exhausted Winslow being helped off the field by two teammates after the game is an enduring image in NFL lore and has been replayed constantly ever since.
San Diego Chargers
One week after their victory over the Dolphins in Florida's scorching heat, the Chargers traveled to Cincinnati to face the
Cincinnati BengalsThe Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Their first two seasons, 1968 and 1969, were as an American Football League franchise...
in the AFC championship game in the coldest game in NFL history based on the wind chill. The air temperature was -9 degrees Fahrenheit (-23 °C), and wind chill was -59 °F (-51 °C). This ended up being another famous game in NFL lore
http://www.bengals.com/news/news.asp?story_id=1148, and has since became known as the
Freezer BowlIn NFL lore, the Freezer Bowl was the 1981 AFC Championship Game between the San Diego Chargers and the Cincinnati Bengals. The game was played in the coldest temperature in NFL history in terms of wind chill...
. But this time, it did not end well for the Chargers. The Bengals defeated San Diego 27-7, eliminating their hopes for a Super Bowl.
The
following seasonThe 1982 NFL season was the 63rd regular season of the National Football League. Before the season, a verdict was handed down against the league in the trial brought by the Oakland Raiders and the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum back in 1980...
, which was shortened to nine games because of a players strike, Fouts led the Chargers to a 6-3 record and back to the divisional playoffs with a 31-28 wildcard win over the
Pittsburgh SteelersThe Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are currently a member of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, throwing for 333 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions. But this time, they could not make it to the AFC title game, losing a divisional game to the Dolphins 34-13.
The loss to Miami in the playoffs after the 1982 season was the last postseason game that Fouts, Winslow, Joiner, and coach Coryell would ever participate in, as the Chargers did not return to the postseason again until
1992The 1992 NFL season was the 73rd regular season of the National Football League.Due to the damage caused by Hurricane Andrew, the New England Patriots–Miami Dolphins game that was scheduled for September 6 at Joe Robbie Stadium was rescheduled to October 18...
. Fouts, Winslow and Joiner all went on to be enshrined in the
Pro Football Hall of FameThe Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, United States, on September 7 1963 with 17 charter inductees...
, but they never got to play in a Super Bowl. The only significant contributors in
The Epic in Miami who did go to a Super Bowl were Brooks, who made it to
Super Bowl XXIIISuper Bowl XXIII was an American football game played on January 22, 1989 at Joe Robbie Stadium in Miami, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 1988 regular season. This was the first Super Bowl hosted in the Miami area in 10 years, and the first in Miami not held...
as a member of the Bengals, and Chargers guard Ed White, who was a Minnesota Viking for four Super Bowls.
Miami Dolphins
Woodley recovered from his poor performance in
The Epic in Miami and regained his position as the Dolphins starting quarterback in the following season. In the strike shortened 1982 NFL season, David Woodley led Miami to a 7-2 record and 3 playoff wins to lead the Miami Dolphins to a NFL championship appearance in
Super Bowl XVIISuper Bowl XVII was an American football game played on January 30, 1983 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 1982 regular season...
. One of the playoff wins was a 34-13 divisional win against the Chargers, avenging their loss from the previous season. This time, Woodley was a key contributor for his team, completing 17 of 22 passes for 195 yards and two touchdowns, with one interception, while also rushing for 14 yards and a touchdown on the ground. Miami's defense also dominated Fouts, limiting him to 15 of 34 completions and intercepting him five times. However, Miami ended up losing Super Bowl XVII to the
Washington RedskinsThe Washington Redskins are a professional American football team based in the Washington, D.C. area. The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, which is in Prince George's County, Maryland. The team's headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn, Virginia, a community...
, 27-17. With the exception of a 76-yard touchdown pass to Jimmy Cefalo in the first quarter, Woodley had a poor performance, completing only 4 of 14 passes for 97 yards and one touchdown, with one interception.
The
following seasonThe 1983 NFL season was the 64th regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XVIII when the Los Angeles Raiders defeated the Washington Redskins.-Major rule changes:...
, Woodley lost his starting spot to rookie
Dan MarinoDaniel Constantine Marino, Jr. is an American Hall of Fame quarterback who played for the Miami Dolphins in the National Football League...
. Woodley was traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers in
1984The 1984 NFL season was the 65th regular season of the National Football League. The Colts relocated from Baltimore, Maryland to Indianapolis, Indiana....
and spent the rest of his career as a backup before retiring after the
1985The 1985 NFL season was the 66th regular season of the National Football League. The season ended with Super Bowl XX when the Chicago Bears defeated the New England Patriots.-Major rule changes:...
season. Don Strock's incredible performance in
The Epic in Miami ended up being the main highlight of his career. He spent the rest of his career as a backup and retired after
1988The 1988 NFL season was the 69th regular season of the National Football League. The Cardinals relocated from St. Louis, Missouri to the Phoenix, Arizona area becoming the Phoenix Cardinals but remained in the NFC East division....
as a backup to the Cleveland Browns.
Miami made it back to the Super Bowl in
1984The 1984 NFL season was the 65th regular season of the National Football League. The Colts relocated from Baltimore, Maryland to Indianapolis, Indiana....
, but they lost
Super Bowl XIXSuper Bowl XIX was an American football game played on January 20, 1985 at Stanford Stadium, on the campus of Stanford University in Stanford, California, to decide the National Football League champion following the 1984 regular season...
to the
San Francisco 49ersThe San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team. The team plays its home games in San Francisco, California, while the club's headquarters and practice facility are located in Santa Clara...
38-16. None of the primary players in
The Epic in Miami ever won a
Super Bowl ringThe Super Bowl ring is an award in the National Football League given to the members of the winning team of the league's annual championship game, the Super Bowl....
, except for left guard Bob Kuechenberg, who was a member of the Dolphins' Super Bowl-winning teams in 1972 and 1973. Two participants, coach Don Shula and center
Dwight StephensonDwight Eugene Stephenson is a former Miami Dolphins offensive lineman and a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame's class of 1998...
were enshrined in the
Hall of FameThe Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, United States, on September 7 1963 with 17 charter inductees...
.
External links