1981 Miami Dolphins season

16th season in franchise history December 2013 March 2026 Miami Dolphins 1981 11–4–1 1st AFC East Don Shula Mike Robbie Bill Arnsparger Orange Bowl Lost Divisional Playoffs(vs. Chargers) 38–41 (OT Overtime) 2 DT Bob Baumhower G Ed Newman Dolphins seasons thumb|right|The Dolphins facing the Chargers in the AFC Divisional Playoff known as the "Epic in Miami". The 1981 Miami Dolphins season was the 16th year of existence for the Miami Dolphins franchise and 12th in the National Football League (NFL). After a mediocre season in 1980, where the team finished at 8–8 and missed the playoffs, the Dolphins made a return to the playoffs, winning the AFC East with an 11–4–1 record. Season summary With the retirement of Bob Griese, not much was expected out of the Dolphins. The Dolphins Defense became known as the Killer Bees because of the number of players whose last name began with the letter B; Bill Barnett, Bob Baumhauer, Lyle Blackwood, Kim Bokamper, and Bob Brudzinski anchored a strong team. Don Shula reached a milestone by winning his 200th game of his coaching career. In the Divisional Playoffs against the San Diego Chargers the Dolphins fell behind 24–0 early in front of a sold-out crowd at the Orange Bowl. With time running out in the first half, the Dolphins desperately needed a score to get back in the game. Out of nowhere the Dolphins ran the old schoolyard hook and lateral play to success. On the play, Quarterback Don Strock threw a pass over the middle to WR Duriel Harris, who lateraled to HB Tony Nathan, who ran the ball in for a touchdown. The play sparked the Dolphins, who came back and took a lead in the 4th Quarter. However, the Killer Bees could not contain Chargers QB Dan Fouts, who tied the game and forced overtime, where the Chargers won the game 41–38 on a Rolf Benirschke field goal in the 14th minute of overtime. If it had not been for the player's strike of the following season (where they went 7–2, which would have put them at the top of the AFC East), this would have been the first of five consecutive AFC East titles for the Dolphins. The Dolphins and Jets played to a 28–28 tie in week five, Miami's most recent draw as of 2025. The Jets tied the Chiefs 17–17 seven years later. Offseason July 1, 1981: Linebacker Rusty Chambers, the Miami Dolphins leading tackler in 1978 and 1979, died in an automobile accident in Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana.100 Things Dolphins Fans Should Know and Do Before They Die, Armando Salguero, Triumph Books, Chicago, 2020, ISBN 978-1-62937-722-3, p.185 Miami players wore a memorial helmet decal with Chambers' No. 51 throughout the season. NFL draft 1981 NFL draft 1981 Miami Dolphins 1 13 David Overstreet Running back Oklahoma yes 2 56 Andra Franklin Running back Nebraska yes yes 4 84 Sam Greene Wide receiver UNLV 4 96 Brad Wright Quarterback New Mexico 5 126 Ken Poole Defensive end Louisiana–Monroe yes 5 138 Tommy Vigorito Running back Virginia yes 6 152 Mack Moore Defensive end Texas A&M yes 6 154 Fulton Walker Defensive back West Virginia yes 7 179 Mike Daum Offensive tackle Cal Poly 8 208 William Judson Defensive back South Carolina State yes 9 235 John Noonan Wide receiver Nebraska 10 261 Steve Folsom Tight end Utah 11 291 Jim Jensen Wide receiver Boston University yes 12 318 John Alford Defensive tackle South Carolina State no https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/mia/1981_draft.htm 1981 Miami Dolphins draftees Pro-Football-Reference.com December 26, 2014 Personnel Coaches / Staff 1981 Miami Dolphins Team Owner / President – Joe Robbie Executive vice president/general manager – Mike Robbie Vice president – Don Shula Director of player personnel – Chuck Connor Director of pro scouting – Charley Winner Head coach – Don Shula Assistant head coach - Bill Arnsparger Quarterbacks/receivers – Wally English Assistant Quarterbacks - Bob GrieseWhy Brian Griese left television booth to become 49ers' quarterbacks coach https://www.espn.in/nfl/story/_/id/34691504/why-brian-griese-left-television-booth-become-49ers-quarterbacks-coach https://web.archive.org/web/20221003160747/https://www.espn.in/nfl/story/_/id/34691504/why-brian-griese-left-television-booth-become-49ers-quarterbacks-coach 2026-08-01 2022-10-03 Offensive backs – Carl Taseff Offensive line/running game – John Sandusky Defensive coordinator/linebackers – Bill Arnsparger Defensive line/run defense – Mike Scarry Defensive backs – Tom Keane Special teams – Steve Crosby, Carl Taseff Punting – Tom Keane Roster 1981 Miami Dolphins 45 6 11 Jim Jensen wide receiver y 10 Don Strock 16 David Woodley 37 Andra Franklin y 31 Eddie Hill American football 33 Bo Matthews 22 Tony Nathan 32 Tommy Vigorito y 88 Elmer Bailey 81 Jimmy Cefalo 82 Duriel Harris 89 Nat Moore 84 Bruce Hardy 86 Ronnie Lee American football 80 Joe Rose American football 63 Mark Dennard C 79 Jon Giesler T 74 Cleveland Green T 67 Bob Kuechenberg G 68 Eric Laakso T 64 Ed Newman G 57 Dwight Stephenson C 60 Jeff Toews G 70 Bill Barnett DE 73 Bob Baumhower NT 75 Doug Betters DE 58 Kim Bokamper DE 83 Vern Den Herder DE 78 Ken Poole y NT 59 Bob Brudzinski OLB 77 A. J. Duhe ILB 50 Larry Gordon American football OLB 54 Steve Potter American football y ILB 55 Earnie Rhone ILB 52 Steve Shull OLB 46 Don Bessillieu FS 47 Glenn Blackwood SS 42 Lyle Blackwood FS 40 Mike Kozlowski SS 28 Don McNeal CB 43 Ricky Ray defensive back CB 48 Gerald Small CB 41 Fulton Walker y CB  3 Tom Orosz y P  5 Uwe von Schamann K 34 Woody Bennett RB IR 56 Thomas Henderson American football LB IR 38 Steve Howell RB IR 49 William Judson y CB IR 38 Terry Robiskie RB IR 45 Ed Taylor American football CB IR Regular season The Dolphins won the AFC East title behind second-year quarterback David Woodley and a running attack that managed 2,173 yards and 18 touchdowns. In their eight divisional games they swept the Colts and Patriots but split with Buffalo and went winless against a resurgent Jets squad; they tied the Jets 28–28 at Miami then lost at Shea Stadium 16–15. They won their last four games of the season to finish 11–4–1. Schedule Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance 1 September 6 at St. Louis Cardinals W 20–7 1–0 Busch Memorial Stadium 50,351 2 September 10, 1981 Pittsburgh Steelers W 30–10 2–0 Miami Orange Bowl 75,059 3 September 20 at Houston Oilers W 16–10 3–0 Houston Astrodome 47,379 4 September 27 at Baltimore Colts W 31–28 4–0 Memorial Stadium 41,630 5 October 4 New York Jets T 28–28 (OT) 4–0–1 Miami Orange Bowl 68,723 6 October 12, 1981 at Buffalo Bills L 21–31 4–1–1 Rich Stadium 78,576 7 October 18 Washington Redskins W 13–10 5–1–1 Miami Orange Bowl 47,367 8 October 25 at Dallas Cowboys L 27–28 5–2–1 Texas Stadium 64,221 9 November 1 Baltimore Colts W 27–10 6–2–1 Miami Orange Bowl 46,061 10 November 8 at New England Patriots W 30–27 (OT) 7–2–1 Schaefer Stadium 60,436 11 November 15 Oakland Raiders L 17–33 7–3–1 Miami Orange Bowl 61,777 12 November 22 at New York Jets L 15–16 7–4–1 Shea Stadium 59,962 13 November 30, 1981 Philadelphia Eagles W 13–10 8–4–1 Miami Orange Bowl 67,797 14 December 6 New England Patriots W 24–14 9–4–1 Miami Orange Bowl 50,421 15 December 13 at Kansas City Chiefs W 17–7 10–4–1 Arrowhead Stadium 57,407 16 December 19, 1981 Buffalo Bills W 16–6 11–4–1 Miami Orange Bowl 72,956 Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text. Standings Playoffs The Dolphins returned to the playoffs after a one-year absence, hosting the "Air Coryell" Chargers in one of the greatest playoff games in NFL history. Round Date Opponent (seed) Result Record Venue Attendance Divisional January 2, 1982 San Diego Chargers (3) L 38–41 (OT) 0–1 Miami Orange Bowl 73,735 References External links 1981 Miami Dolphins at Pro-Football-Reference.com Miami Category:Miami Dolphins seasons Category:AFC East championship seasons Miami Dolphins