It’s the kind of trivia that feels like it should be more complicated, but the answer is etched in NFL history: the Miami Dolphins won Super Bowl 7. They didn't just win a game, though. They finished a 17-0 run that hasn't been matched in over fifty years.
On January 14, 1973, at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, the Dolphins beat the Washington Redskins (now the Commanders) with a final score of 14-7. Honestly, the score makes it look a lot closer than it actually felt for most of the afternoon.
Why Super Bowl 7 Was a Mathematical Miracle
People forget that even though Miami was undefeated going into the game, they were actually one-point underdogs. It sounds crazy now. You’ve got a team that literally hasn't lost a single game, and the oddsmakers in Vegas still think the other guys are going to take it.
The reasoning? Critics thought Miami had a "soft" schedule. They also hadn't forgotten how the Dolphins got pushed around by the Dallas Cowboys in the Super Bowl just a year earlier.
The Heat and the "No-Name Defense"
It was a sweltering day in LA. We’re talking 84°F at kickoff, which remains the warmest Super Bowl ever played. Miami’s "No-Name Defense" thrived in it. They were led by linebacker Nick Buoniconti and defensive tackle Manny Fernandez, who basically spent the entire afternoon in Washington’s backfield.
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Fernandez had a legendary game that many people think should have earned him the MVP. He recorded 17 tackles. That’s an insane number for a defensive lineman. However, the official MVP honors went to safety Jake Scott, who snagged two interceptions, including one in the end zone to kill a Washington scoring threat.
The Most Famous Blooper in NFL History
You can’t talk about who won Super Bowl 7 without mentioning Garo’s Gaffe.
Miami was up 14-0 late in the fourth quarter. They were about to kick a field goal to make it 17-0—a perfect score for a perfect 17-0 season. Kicker Garo Yepremian’s kick was blocked. Instead of just falling on the ball like a normal person, Garo picked it up and tried to throw it.
It was bad. The ball slipped out of his hand, he batted it back up into the air, and Washington’s Mike Bass caught it and ran 49 yards for a touchdown.
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Suddenly, a blowout turned into a 14-7 nail-biter. Miami's coach, Don Shula, was famously livid on the sidelines. He wanted that 17-0 shutout.
Key Players and Stats
While the Redskins had the league MVP in running back Larry Brown, Miami’s ball-control offense was just too much.
- Larry Csonka: Rushed for 112 yards on only 15 carries. He was a human bowling ball.
- Bob Griese: He had missed most of the season with a broken leg, but he started this game and kept things efficient, completing 8 of 11 passes.
- Billy Kilmer: The Washington QB had a rough day, throwing three interceptions against that suffocating Miami secondary.
What Most People Get Wrong About Super Bowl 7
A common misconception is that Bob Griese led the team through the whole "Perfect Season." He didn't. Veteran backup Earl Morrall actually started nine of the regular-season games and the first playoff game. Shula made the gutsy call to go back to Griese during the AFC Championship game against Pittsburgh, and he stuck with him for the big one in Los Angeles.
Another weird fact? The Dolphins are the only team to ever win a Super Bowl while being shut out in the second half. They scored all 14 of their points before halftime and just sat on the lead.
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Why This Game Still Matters Today
Every year, when the last undefeated NFL team finally loses a game, the surviving members of the '72 Dolphins famously (supposedly) pop champagne. Whether the "Champagne Toast" is a literal event or just a sports myth, the accomplishment is real.
The 1985 Bears tried to catch them. The 2007 Patriots got within one game of it. But when we look back at who won Super Bowl 7, we’re looking at the final stamp on the only perfect record in the history of the modern league.
Actionable Insights for Football History Buffs
- Watch the Highlights: If you ever get the chance to watch the original NBC broadcast, pay attention to the "No-Name Defense." Their pursuit angles and discipline were decades ahead of their time.
- Check the Hall of Fame: Eight members of that 1972 Miami team, including Coach Don Shula, are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
- Compare the Eras: Super Bowl 7 had a total of 21 points scored. It was the second-lowest-scoring Super Bowl ever until the Patriots and Rams turned Super Bowl 53 into a defensive slog decades later.
The victory solidified Don Shula’s legacy and proved that a team without "superstars" (at least in the eyes of the media at the time) could achieve something that the greatest dynasties in history haven't been able to repeat.