Super Bowl power rankings: Who’s the best loser?
By John Buhler
17. 1982 Miami Dolphins, Super Bowl XVII
The 1982 Miami Dolphins went 7-2 in a strike-shortened 1982 NFL season. They would finish in second place in the AFC that year, beating the New England Patriots in the first round, the San Diego Chargers in the second and the New York Jets in the 1982 AFC Championship to make it to Super Bowl XVII.
Miami would face Joe Gibbs’ Washington Redskins that featured quarterback Joe Theismann and running back John Riggins. These two teams would meet in Super Bowl XVII in the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. with the Dolphins being a three-point favorite over Washington.
Miami would go on to lose Super Bowl XVII in an upset by 10 points, 27-17. That would stand as the second loss in a Super Bowl for Don Shula’s Dolphins. Though it was a strike-shortened year, it was impressive that the Dolphins made it to a Super Bowl with only one Hall of Fame player on their roster in Dwight Stephenson.
The Dolphins would go on to draft franchise quarterback Dan Marino later that spring and would get back to a Super Bowl only two years later with Marino under center. Just getting to the Super Bowl that season is a testament to how great of head coach Shula was when he was leading the Dolphins.
Next: 16. 1998 Atlanta Falcons