What NFL Team Has a Perfect Season?
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The answer to this question may surprise you – it’s the New England Patriots! The Pats have gone undefeated in the regular season a total of three times, most recently in 2007.
The 1972 Miami Dolphins
The 1972 Miami Dolphins were the only NFL team to have a perfect season. They finished the regular season with a record of 14-0 and won all three of their playoff games, including the Super Bowl. The Dolphins were led by their head coach, Don Shula, and their starting quarterback, Bob Griese.
The only team to have a perfect season
The 1972 Miami Dolphins were the only team in NFL history to have a perfect season. They finished the regular season with a 14-0 record and won all three of their playoff games, including Super Bowl VII.
The Dolphins defense was one of the best in NFL history, giving up just 173 points (an average of 10.8 per game) during the regular season and allowing only two touchdown passes all year. Their offense was also very good, scoring 382 points (an average of 23.9 per game).
Quarterback Bob Griese was the team’s leader, but he missed five games due to injury. Backup quarterback Earl Morrall stepped in and played well, leading the team to four wins. Running back Larry Csonka was the Dolphins’ top offensive player, rushing for 1,051 yards and eight touchdowns.
The 1972 Miami Dolphins are considered one of the best teams in NFL history and their perfect season is one of the most impressive accomplishments in all of sports.
Undefeated and untied
The 1972 Miami Dolphins season was the perfect season. The team became the first and only NFL team to go undefeated and untied in a 14-game regular season and win the Super Bowl.
Under first-year head coach Don Shula, the Dolphins compiled a regular season record of 14–0,and then won all three post-season games, including Super Bowl VII against the Washington Redskins, to finish 17–0.
The dolphins’ defensive team was nicknamed the “No-Name Defense” because Shula had traded away or released all of the team’s starting defenders from the previous season.
Offensively, quarterback Bob Griese led an attack that featured future Hall of Fame members Larry Csonka and Paul Warfield at running back and wide receiver, respectively. Other starters included center Jim Langer, guard Bob Kuechenberg, offensive tackles Norm Evans and Wayne Moore, and tight end Jim Mandich.
The 1972 Dolphins defense featured six future Hall of Famers: end Bill Stanfill; tackle Manny Fernandez; linebackers Nick Buoniconti, Larry Little, and Doug Swift; and safety Dick Anderson.
Other starters included defensive end Vern Den Herder, defensive tackle Eddie Edwards, nose tackle Jim Keyes (who replaced an injured Stanfill for much of the season), cornerback Tim Foley, and safeties Jake Scott and Bill Hardee.
Miami also had a superb special teams unit that was led by kicker Garo Yepremian and punter Larry Seiple.
The 1972 Dolphins are considered one of the best teams in NFL history and are often cited as one of the league’s greatest dynasties
The 2007 New England Patriots
The 2007 New England Patriots went undefeated in the regular season with a record of 16-0. They were the first team in NFL history to do so. They went on to win the Super Bowl that year, making them the only team to ever have a perfect season and win the Super Bowl.
Came close to a perfect season
The 2007 New England Patriots came close to a perfect season. They went undefeated in the regular season, winning all sixteen of their games. They then won their first two playoff games, before losing to the eventual Super Bowl champion, the New York Giants, in the Super Bowl.
Lost in the Super Bowl
The 2007 New England Patriots went undefeated in the regular season, finishing with a record of 16-0. They became the first team in NFL history to do so. The Patriots then went on to lose to the New York Giants in the Super Bowl, finishing the season with a record of 18-1.
The 2015 Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers had a stellar 2015 season. They went 15-1 in the regular season, and then went on to win the NFC Championship. They narrowly lost to the Denver Broncos in the Super Bowl. It was a great season for the Panthers, but they weren’t the only team to have a perfect season.
Came close to a perfect season
In 2015, the Carolina Panthers came close to a perfect season. They went 15-1 in the regular season, losing only to the Atlanta Falcons. In the playoffs, they defeated the Seattle Seahawks and then the Arizona Cardinals to reach the Super Bowl. However, they lost to the Denver Broncos in the Super Bowl by a score of 24-10.
Lost in the Super Bowl
The Carolina Panthers season was nothing short of miraculous, as they went 15-1 in the regular season and secured the top seed in the NFC playoffs. They then proceeded to beat the Seattle Seahawks and the Arizona Cardinals en route to their second ever Super Bowl appearance. However, they would ultimately fall short, as they lost 24-10 to the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl 50.
