Top 50 Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins entered the world of Pro Football in 1966 when they joined the AFL. Once the leagues merged, the Dolphins emerged as one of the first elite powers of the conference in the early 70s, something that seemed incomprehensible based on their early struggles.
The Dolphins went to Super Bowl VI, losing to Dallas, but they would then put forth an undefeated season in 1972 and would win Super Bowl VII, which to date is the only time a team has gone an entire year without a loss. The Dolphins repeated as Super Bowl Champions the following year.
That was the last Super Bowl win for the Dolphins, but they did appear in the big game twice in the 1980s.
This list is up to the end of the 2024 season.
Note: Football lists are based on an amalgamation of tenure, traditional statistics, advanced statistics, playoff statistics, and post-season accolades.
Maurkice Pouncey's twin brother, Mike Pouncey, joined the Dolphins as the 15th overall pick in 2011, a center from Florida. He started all 16 games as a rookie and earned All-Rookie honors, quickly establishing himself as a solid presence at center. He settled in as the team’s primary center and earned three consecutive Pro Bowl selections from 2013 to 2015…
Not many punters get drafted, but Reggie Roby did in 1983, when the Dolphins selected the Iowa product in the sixth round. He quickly established himself as one of the league’s better punters, using a powerful leg and a distinctive two-step approach to boom kicks with consistency. As a rookie, he already averaged over 43 yards per punt, and he…
Roy Foster made the coast-to-coast jump from USC to the Dolphins as the 24th overall pick in 1982, a consensus All-American guard who had won the Morris Trophy twice as the Pac-10’s top lineman. He saw limited action as a rookie in the strike-shortened season and started only once the following year, but by 1984 he had locked down the…
Brock Marion won two Super Bowls with the Dallas Cowboys, but when he signed with the Dolphins as a free agent in 1998, he took on a much bigger role. He started every game he played in Miami as the free safety and never came off the bench. The Dolphins wanted someone who could cover the deep middle and make…
A.J. Duhe's rookie season could be argued as the best of his eight-year career. The 13th overall pick in 1977 became an instant fan favorite in Miami, where he earned Defensive Rookie of the Year honors. Playing linebacker or defensive end depending on the scheme, Duhe was a strong interior run stuffer who helped the Dolphins build one of the…
National Football League teams passed on Utah’s Manny Fernandez, but he landed a job with the Miami Dolphins, who signed him in 1968, and he would go on to make the team. He started as a defensive end as a rookie before moving to the more natural position of left defensive tackle, where he became a steady presence on the…
The Kansas City Chiefs traded Tyreek Hill to the Miami Dolphins in March 2022 for five draft picks, and he earned a $120 million contract. Any doubt that Hill would bring his trademark high-octane speed and deep-threat, game-changing ability was instantly erased as soon as he wore Dolphin green. The first two seasons in Miami were as good as anyone…
Randy Starks began his NFL career with four seasons with the Tennessee Titans, and, in matter-of-fact terms, they were not extraordinary. The Dolphins signed him as a free agent in 2008, and after a year as a defensive role player who started only four games, he found his niche. Without much fanfare, he earned a larger role once the coaching…
As a Miami Dolphin for the first six years of his career, Chris Chambers had an underrated run. A second-round pick from Wisconsin, Chambers was an All-Rookie wide receiver, and in that debut campaign he led the NFL in yards per reception. He brought good speed and the ability to get downfield, which showed up right away in his rookie…
Reshad Jones played the entire 2010s with the Miami Dolphins, and the Georgia Bulldog was arguably one of the more underrated defensive backs during that time. A fifth-round pick in 2010, he became a starting safety for the Fins in his second season and settled into a regular role on the back end. While his play could be inconsistent, he…
Brent Grimes had already spent six seasons with the Atlanta Falcons, including a Pro Bowl nod in 2010, before he signed with the Miami Dolphins as a free agent in 2013. Few expected him to become the team’s clear top corner, but that is exactly what happened once he settled into the defense. He made the Pro Bowl in each…
The Miami Dolphins selected O.J. McDuffie 25th overall in the 1993 draft, and like so many wide receivers, he was used mostly as a returner as a rookie. He handled both kick and punt returns early on while working his way into a larger role on offense. As he saw more playing time at wide receiver, McDuffie was used less…
