1980 Miami Dolphins season | |
---|---|
Head Coach | Don Shula |
Home Field | Miami Orange Bowl |
Results | |
Record | 8–8 |
Place | 3rd AFC East |
Playoff Finish | did not qualify |
Timeline | |
Previous Season | Next Season |
1979 | 1981 |
The 1980 Miami Dolphins season was the 15th year of existence for the Miami Dolphins franchise. Quarterback Bob Griese retired after the season, following a 14-year career with the Dolphins. However, in Griese's final season the Dolphins would only play mediocre football finishing in third place with an 8-8 record. This was also the first season since 1969 that the Dolphins lost to the Buffalo Bills. For the season, the Dolphins switched the color of the facemasks on their helmets from gray to teal.
No Dolphins made it to the Pro Bowl for the second consecutive season. Griese was the highest-paid quarterback in the league at just over $400,000.[1]
Offseason[]
NFL Draft[]
- Main article: 1980 NFL Draft
1980 Miami Dolphins draft | |||||
Round | Pick | Player | Position | College | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 21 | Don McNeal | Cornerback | Alabama | |
2 | 48 | Dwight Stephenson * † | Center | Alabama | |
3 | 75 | Bill Barnett | Defensive end | Nebraska | |
4 | 100 | Elmer Bailey | Wide receiver | Minnesota | |
6 | 158 | Eugene Byrd | Wide receiver | Michigan State | |
7 | 185 | Joe Rose | Tight end | California | |
8 | 212 | Jeff Allen | Defensive back | UC Davis | |
8 | 214 | David Woodley | Quarterback | LSU | |
9 | 239 | Mark Goodspeed | Offensive tackle | Nebraska | |
10 | 271 | Doug Lantz | Center | Miami (OH) | |
10 | 272 | Ben Long | Linebacker | South Dakota | |
11 | 279 | Phil Driscoll | Defensive end | Mankato State | |
12 | 325 | Chuck Stone | Guard | North Carolina State | |
Made roster † Pro Football Hall of Fame * Made at least one Pro Bowl during career |
- Source:[2]
Season summary[]
The 1980 NFL season would see the Dolphins drop to an 8–8 record, from their 10–6 showing the previous year.
Quarterback Bob Griese, who struggled with leg problems during 1979, lost the starting job to longtime backup Don Strock, but he did poorly in two games, leading the Dolphins to return to Griese for Week 3. In Week 5, however, Griese suffered a career-ending shoulder injury against the Baltimore Colts and was succeeded by David Woodley, a rookie fresh from LSU.
The final game of the season was played against the New York Jets on December 20. NBC tried a novel experiment by broadcasting the game with no commentators, and with none of the players or staff wearing microphones. The effect was to give television viewers the feel of actually being in the stadium. To date, this was the only NFL game ever aired on TV without commentaries. The Jets won by a score of 24–17, costing the Dolphins a chance at a playoff berth.
It was during the Monday Night Football game on December 8, 1980 against the Patriots that Howard Cosell announced that John Lennon has been shot and killed.
Personnel[]
Coaches / Staff[]
1980 Miami Dolphins final staff | |||||||||||||||||||
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Front Office
Head Coaches
Offensive Coaches
|
Defensive Coaches
Special Teams Coaches
Strength and Conditioning
|
Roster[]
1980 Miami Dolphins final roster | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Quarterbacks
Running backs
Wide receivers
Tight ends
|
Offensive linemen
Defensive linemen
|
Linebackers
Defensive backs
Special teams
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Reserve lists
|
Regular season[]
Schedule[]
Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Attendance |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | September 7 | at Buffalo | L 17–7 | 0-1 | |
2 | September 14 | Cincinnati | W 17–16 | 1-1 | |
3 | September 21 | at Atlanta | W 20–17 | 2-1 | |
4 | September 28 | New Orleans | W 21–16 | 3-1 | |
5 | October 5 | Baltimore | L 30–17 | 3-2 | |
6 | October 12 | at New England | L 34–0 | 3-3 | |
7 | October 19 | Buffalo | W 17–14 | 4-3 | |
8 | October 27 | at NY Jets | L 17–14 | 4-4 | |
9 | November 2 | at Oakland | L 16–10 | 4-5 | |
10 | November 9 | at Los Angeles | W 35–14 | 5-5 | |
11 | November 16 | San Francisco | W 17–13 | 6-5 | |
12 | November 20 | San Diego | L 27–24 | 6-6 | |
13 | November 30 | at Pittsburgh | L 23–10 | 6-7 | |
14 | December 8 | New England | W 16–13 | 7-7 | |
15 | December 14 | at Baltimore | W 24–14 | 8-7 | |
16 | December 20 | NY Jets | L 24–17 | 8-8 |
Game Summaries[]
Week 11: vs. San Francisco 49ers[]
Week 11: San Francisco 49ers at Miami Dolphins;– Game summary
|
Standings[]
AFC East | ||||||
Team | W | L | T | PCT | PF | PA |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Buffalo Bills | 11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | 320 | 260 |
New England Patriots | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | 441 | 325 |
Miami Dolphins | 8 | 8 | 0 | .500 | 266 | 305 |
Baltimore Colts | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 355 | 387 |
New York Jets | 4 | 12 | 0 | .250 | 302 | 395 |
Notes and references[]
- ↑ "Payton tops salary list of NFL players", Schenectady Gazette, February 13, 1981, p. 29.
- ↑ 1980 Miami Dolphins draftees. Pro-Football-Reference.com.