1985 Miami Dolphins season

20th season in franchise history December 2013 March 2026 Miami Dolphins 1985 12–4 1st AFC East Don Shula Chuck Studley Mike Robbie Joe Robbie Miami Orange Bowl Won Divisional Playoffs(vs. Browns) 24–21Lost AFC Championship(vs. Patriots) 14–31 4 QB Dan Marino WR Mark Clayton G Roy Foster C Dwight Stephenson Dolphins seasons The 1985 Miami Dolphins season was the 20th season in franchise history. The club won their fourth consecutive AFC East championshipNumbelievable! 105 Michael X. Ferraro John Veneziano Triumph Books Chicago 2007 978-1-57243-990-0 and appeared in the AFC Championship Game. It was the first season since their undefeated 1972 season without offensive lineman Ed Newman. Due to Dan Marino's offseason holdout, and an injury to receiver Mark Duper, the Dolphins were only 5–4 through Week 9, and in third place in the AFC East, behind the 7–2 Jets and 6–3 Patriots. Their 220 points scored through Week 9 were fifth in the league,Pro-Football-Reference: In a single season, in 1985, in the regular season, from team's 1st game to 9th game, sorted by descending Points For and 85 points fewer, than in 1984 at the same point in the season.Pro-Football-Reference.com: In a single season, in 1984, in the regular season, from team's 1st game to 9th game, sorted by descending Points For The Dolphins righted the ship, however, and won their final seven games, including an upset of the then-undefeated Chicago Bears in a Week 13 Monday Night contest. This was the last time until 2021 that the Dolphins had won 7 games in a row. Miami won the division and defeated the AFC Central champion Cleveland Browns 24–21 in their first playoff game. Their season would end with a 31–14 home loss to division rival New England in the AFC Championship Game. Off-season Quarterback Dan Marino, coming off a record-shattering 1984 season, held out through training camp.Neft, David S.; Cohen, Richard M.; and Korch, Rich The Sports Encyclopedia: Pro Football, 12th Edition, p.506, Martin's Press, August 1994, 0-312-11073-1 This, and an injury to wide receiver Mark Duper, got the Dolphins out to a slow start. Draft 1985 NFL draft 1985 Miami Dolphins 1 27 Lorenzo Hampton Running back Florida yes 3 65 George Little Defensive tackle Iowa yes 3 83 Alex Moyer Linebacker Northwestern yes 4 91 Mike Smith Cornerback UTEP yes 4 111 Jeff Dellenbach Offensive tackle Wisconsin yes 6 145 George Shorthose Wide receiver Missouri no 6 167 Ron Davenport Fullback Louisville yes 7 195 Fuad Reveiz Kicker Tennessee yes yes 8 223 Dan Sharp Tight end TCU no 9 251 Adam Hinds Defensive back Oklahoma State no 10 279 Mike Pendleton Defensive back Indiana no 11 307 Mike Jones Running back Tulane no 12 335 Ray Noble Defensive back California no yes no Undrafted free agents + 1985 undrafted free agents of notePlayerPositionCollegeRay CondrenRunning backGettysburgRobert WeirDefensive endSMUMike WhiteCenterAlabama Personnel Staff / Coaches 1985 Miami Dolphins Owner – Joe Robbie General manager – Mike Robbie Head coach – Don Shula Quarterbacks – David Shula Running backs – Carl Taseff Wide receivers – David Shula Offensive line – John Sandusky Defensive coordinator – Chuck Studley Defensive line – Mike Scarry Linebackers – Bob Matheson Secondary – Mel Phillips Special teams – Tom Keane Strength and conditioning – Junior Wade Roster 1985 Miami Dolphins 13 Dan Marino 10 Don Strock 34 Woody Bennett 23 Joe Carter running back 30 Ron Davenport y 27 Lorenzo Hampton y 22 Tony Nathan 32 Tommy Vigorito 83 Mark Clayton American football, born 1961 85 Mark Duper 11 Jim Jensen wide receiver 89 Nat Moore 84 Bruce Hardy 87 Dan Johnson American football 80 Joe Rose American football 76 Steve Clark American football, born 1960 G 65 Jeff Dellenbach y T 61 Roy Foster American football G 79 Jon Giesler T 74 Cleveland Green T 63 Larry Lee American football G/C 72 Ronnie Lee American football T/G 57 Dwight Stephenson C 70 Bill Barnett NT 75 Doug Betters DE 58 Kim Bokamper DE 71 Mike Charles NT 99 George Little defensive lineman y DE 91 Mack Moore DE 51 Mark Brown linebacker, born 1961 ILB 53 Jay Brophy ILB 59 Bob Brudzinski OLB 55 Hugh Green American football OLB 54 Alex Moyer y OLB 52 Robin Sendlein OLB 50 Jackie Shipp ILB 47 Glenn Blackwood SS 42 Lyle Blackwood FS 43 Bud Brown American football FS 49 William Judson CB 44 Paul Lankford CB 28 Don McNeal CB 18 Mike Smith Defensive back y CB/S  7 Fuad Reveiz K y  4 Reggie Roby P 73 Bob Baumhower NT IR 56 Charles Bowser LB IR 88 Vince Heflin WR IR 40 Mike Kozlowski S IR 64 Ed Newman G IR 42 Robert Sowell CB IR 60 Jeff Toews G IR Regular season Schedule Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance 1 September 8 at Houston Oilers L 23–26 0–1 Houston Astrodome 47,656 2 September 15 Indianapolis Colts W 30–13 1–1 Miami Orange Bowl 53,693 3 September 22 Kansas City Chiefs W 31–0 2–1 Miami Orange Bowl 69,791 4 September 29 at Denver Broncos W 30–26 3–1 Mile High Stadium 73,614 5 October 6 Pittsburgh Steelers W 24–20 4–1 Miami Orange Bowl 72,820 6 October 14, 1985 at New York Jets L 7–23 4–2 Giants Stadium 73,807 7 October 20 Tampa Bay Buccaneers W 41–38 5–2 Miami Orange Bowl 62,335 8 October 27 at Detroit Lions L 21–31 5–3 Pontiac Silverdome 75,291 9 November 3 at New England Patriots L 13–17 5–4 Sullivan Stadium 58,811 10 November 10 New York Jets W 21–17 6–4 Miami Orange Bowl 73,965 11 November 17 at Indianapolis Colts W 34–20 7–4 Hoosier Dome 59,666 12 November 24 at Buffalo Bills W 23–14 8–4 Rich Stadium 50,474 13 December 2, 1985 Chicago Bears W 38–24 9–4 Miami Orange Bowl 75,594 14 December 8 at Green Bay Packers W 34–24 10–4 Lambeau Field 52,671 15 December 16, 1985 New England Patriots W 30–27 11–4 Miami Orange Bowl 69,489 16 December 22 Buffalo Bills W 28–0 12–4 Miami Orange Bowl 64,811 Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text. Week 13 Miami Dolphins 1985 2; text-align:center collapsed Chicago Bears (12–0) at Miami Dolphins (8–4) December 2 9:00 p.m. EST Bears 7 3 14 0 Dolphins 10 21 7 0 Orange Bowl • Miami, Florida 76 F • Wind 8 mph on Gordon McCarter ABC Frank Gifford, Joe Namath, OJ Simpson Pro-Football-Reference.com Bears Steve Fuller11/21, 169 Yds, TD, 2 INT Walter Payton23 Rush, 121 Yds Willie Gault2 Rec, 79 Yds Dolphins Dan Marino14/27, 270 Yds, 3 TD, INT Tony Nathan15 Rush, 74 Yds Mark Duper5 Rec, 107 Yds Miami finished 12–4 in 1985 and, in an epic Monday Night Football showdown on December 2, 1985, handed the previously-undefeated Chicago Bears their only defeat of the season. Several members of the 1972 Dolphins were in attendance at the game. CHI MIA collapsed 1 Dolphins RecTD Moore Marino 33 good Reveiz run/pass good/failed/incomplete 0 7 1 Bears RushTD Fuller 1 good Butler run/pass good/failed/incomplete 7 7 1 Dolphins FG 47 Reveiz 7 10 2 Dolphins RushTD Davenport 1 good Reveiz run/pass good/failed/incomplete 7 17 2 Bears FG 30 Butler 10 17 2 Dolphins RushTD Davenport 1 good Reveiz run/pass good/failed/incomplete 10 24 2 Dolphins RecTD Moore Marino 6 good Reveiz run/pass good/failed/incomplete 10 31 3 Bears RushTD Fuller 1 good Butler run/pass good/failed/incomplete 17 31 4 Dolphins RecTD Clayton Marino 42 good Reveiz run/pass good/failed/incomplete 17 38 4 Bears RecTD Margerum Fuller 19 good Butler run/pass good/failed/incomplete 24 38 24 38 After rallying from a 21–3 third quarter deficit in the divisional playoffs to beat the Cleveland Browns 24–21, many people were looking forward to a rematch with Chicago in Super Bowl XX. The Cinderella New England Patriots, the Dolphins' opponents in the AFC Championship, had different plans. New England forced six turnovers on the way to a 31–14 win – the Patriots' first in Miami since 1966. The Patriots had lost 18 games in a row at the Orange Bowl. In 1969, the Boston Patriots had beaten the Dolphins at Tampa Stadium. Standings Final roster 1985 Miami Dolphins 45 6 0 13 Dan Marino 10 Don Strock 34 Woody Bennett FB 20 Joe Carter running back RB 30 Ron Davenport FB y 27 Lorenzo Hampton RB y 22 Tony Nathan RB 32 Tommy Vigorito RB 83 Mark Clayton American football, born 1961 85 Mark Duper 11 Jim Jensen wide receiver WR/RB/QB 89 Nat Moore 84 Bruce Hardy 87 Dan Johnson American football 80 Joe Rose American football 76 Steve Clark American football, born 1960 G 65 Jeff Dellenbach C/G y 61 Roy Foster American football G 79 Jon Giesler T 74 Cleveland Green T 63 Larry Lee American football G y 72 Ronnie Lee American football G/T 57 Dwight Stephenson C 75 Doug Betters DE 58 Kim Bokamper DE 71 Mike Charles NT 99 George Little defensive lineman DE y 71 Mike Charles DE y 53 Jay Brophy MLB 51 Mark Brown linebacker born 1961 ILB 59 Bob Brudzinski OLB 55 Hugh Green American football OLB 54 Alex Moyer OLB y 52 Robin Sendlein ILB 50 Jackie Shipp ILB 47 Glenn Blackwood SS 42 Lyle Blackwood FS 43 Bud Brown American football SS 49 William Judson CB 40 Mike Kozlowski FS 44 Paul Lankford CB 28 Don McNeal CB 18 Mike Smith defensive back, born 1962 DB y 7 Fuad Reveiz K y 4 Reggie Roby P 70 Bill Barnett DE IR 73 Bob Baumhower NT IR 56 Charles Bowser OLB IR 82 Duriel Harris WR IR 64 Ed Newman G IR 60 Jeff Toews C IR Player stats Passing Player Att Comp Yds TD Int Rating Dan Marino 567 336 4137 30 21 84.1 Playoffs Schedule Round Date Opponent Result Venue Attendance Divisional January 4, 1986 Cleveland Browns W 24–21 Miami Orange Bowl 75,128 AFC Championship Game January 12 New England Patriots L 14–31 Miami Orange Bowl 74,978 AFC divisional playoff Miami Dolphins 24, Cleveland Browns 21 text-align:center; Miami Dolphins 1985 Browns 7 7 7 0 Dolphins 3 0 14 7 Miami Orange Bowl, Miami, Florida 12:30 p.m. EST 77 °F °C, mostly cloudy NBC Don Criqui and Bob Trumpy Pat Haggerty 75,128 The game is known as 'Marino's 18-point comeback.' AFC Championship Game New England Patriots 31, Miami Dolphins 14 text-align:center; Miami Dolphins 1985 Patriots 3 14 7 7 Dolphins 0 7 0 7 Miami Orange Bowl, Miami, Florida 4:00 p.m. EST 65 °F °C, rain NBC Dick Enberg and Merlin Olsen Gene Barth 74,978 In an upset, the Patriots converted 6 Dolphins turnovers into 24 points. Awards and honors Dan Marino, 1985 1st Team All-Pro and AFC Pro Bowl selection Mark Duper, franchise record, most receiving yards in one game, 217 yards on November 10.NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book, Workman Publishing Co, New York, 0-7611-2480-2, p. 60. References External links 1985 Miami Dolphins on Pro Football Reference Miami Dolphins on jt-sw.com Miami Category:AFC East championship seasons Category:Miami Dolphins seasons Miami Dolphins