Super Bowl power rankings: Who’s the best loser?
By John Buhler
19. 1984 Miami Dolphins, Super Bowl XIX
The 1984 Miami Dolphins were the last team that head coach Don Shula sent to a Super Bowl. It would also be the only team quarterbacked by Hall of Famer Dan Marino that would play for a Lombardi Trophy. It’s kind of shocking this was only his second season in the NFL after being drafted in the late first round of the legendary 1983 NFL Draft out of Pittsburgh.
The 1984 Dolphins cruised during the regular season, going 14-2 and winning the AFC East. They would easily beat the Seattle Seahawks in the AFC Divisional Round and the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 1984 AFC Championship to make it to Super Bowl XIX in Palo Alto, Calif. in Stanford Stadium.
This was Marino’s finest season as a passer, throwing for then records of 5,084 yards and 48 touchdowns. Those two passing records would stand for well over 20 years until broken by Drew Brees and Tom Brady, respectively.
Despite dominating the AFC, 1984 Dolphins were a 3.5-point underdog to the NFC-champion San Francisco 49ers. Miami would go on to lose Super Bowl XIX by 22 points, 38-16. It wasn’t a close game against the 49ers by any means, but the 1984 Dolphins would stand the test of time as one of the first teams in NFL history to move the football aerially this well. Maybe not complete, but one that had enough firepower offensively to win a Super Bowl had they not played Joe Montana and the 49ers.
Next: 18. 2006 Chicago Bears