Sacks were not an official stat back in Stanfill and Den Herder's day. I'd be curious to know how many unofficially either of them got.
With all due respect to Manny Fernandez, who is also top 25 for me btw, the best DT we ever had was Tim Bowens and he belongs in any serious top 25 list somewhere.
Ooops! Not swayed, just getting old. I knew I was leaving somebody out because I had fewer names. I can't be swayed out of Greise. He was on my wall as a kid. Let's squeeze him in at 5, after Langer and before Thomas. Too important to put any lower. Can't believe I forgot to put him in. Senior moment while moving names around. I had Duper at 22, before Cox and Morris. I think the other 3 were better. Baumhower and Betters led that defense. Offerdaul was about the only good player on his defense. Would Duper have been that good without Marino tossing balls to him?
Stanfill had 68 1/2 unofficial sacks according to his wikipedia page... which I don't know how accurate they are because the 68 1/2 total comes from how many he got each year but at the end it says his total was 67 1/2. He is also tied for 4th in playoff sacks with 4 (Dolphins).
Come on to what? If you lived thru it, you should know Griese did something Marino never did. He led them to 4 great seasons, and 2 SB wins. I loved Marino playing for the Dolphins but I felt he was very selfish and extremely harsh to his teamates. Even if it looked like it was his fault, he would yell, kick and scream at them. I loved it when Fryer got up in his face, telling him to stfu. They could have had Jim Brown in the backfield and Marino would just audible out of running plays anyway. He even said something very similar to that....
List of Dolphins with three or more All-Pro teams made (oddly 25 names) - Note - these are not my top 25 phins of all time. 1. Marino - 9 2. Griese - 8 (2 AFL) 3. Thomas - 7 4. Webb - 7 5. Langer - 6 6. Taylor - 6 7. Keuchenberg - 6 8. Csonka -5 9. Stanfill - 5 (1 AFL) 10. Little - 5 (1 AFL) 11. Warfield - 5 12. Scott - 5 13. Offerdahl - 5 14. Baumhower - 5 15. Stephenson - 5 16. Clayton - 5 17. Madison - 4 18. Newman - 4 19. Anderson - 3 20. Surtain - 3 21. Duper - 3 22. Sims - 3 23. Marion - 3 24. Cox - 3 25. Buoniconti - 3 (1 AFL)
OK, here are my top 25 in order: 1. Marino 2. Griese 3. D Stephenson 4. Czonka 5. Larry Little 6. Bob Kuechenburg 7. Richmond Webb 8. Mark Clayton 9. Tim Bowens 10. Jason Taylor 11. Bill Stanfill 12. Ricky Williams 13. Jake Scott 14. Keith Sims 15. Dick Anderson 16. Langer 17. AJ Duhe 18. Mark Duper 19. Pat Surtain 20. Kim Boukamper 21. Doug Betters 22. Sam Madison 23. Manny Fernandez 24. Paul Warfield (would have been higher but for his limited tenure with the Fins) 25. Vern Den Herder Honorable mention 1. John Offerdahl 2. Bob Baumhower 3. Nick Buoniconti 4. Zach Thomas 5. Nat Moore 6. Larry Gordon (passed too soon) 7. Reggie Roby 8. Roy Foster 9. Jeff Cross that is it!
Dan Marino held out, I think even demanded be traded. For something worse than loyalty. money. Larry csonka left the team. Define top dolphins. Best players and role models, or just players. If so, JT belongs at the top of the list.
The ones who come to mind off the top of my head, in no particular order, except for the first Don Shula Dan Marino Mark Clayton Mark Duper Nat Moore Larry Csonka Mercury Morris Bob Griese Nick Bonnecotti Manny Fernandez Zach Thomas Jason Taylor Don Strock Earl Morrell Keith Byers Richmond Webb Keith Sims Jim Kick
If you remember Marino was damn near traded to the Bears in the late 80's. The compensation was Mike Singletary and Neal Anderson. The deal fell through.
The starting lineup of the 1973 Dolphins. Throw whoever else you want on the list. Maybe some special teamers from the 1972 team.
Bill Stanfill had 18 1/2 sacks in a 14 game season in 1973. He deserves to be at or near the top of the defenders listed.
I come up with 21 names that should be on any list, leaving four spots open to fill by personal preference. Marino Griese Csonka Stephenson Thomas Keuchenberg Langer Taylor Webb Stanfill Little Warfield Scott Offerdahl Baumhower Clayton Madison Anderson Surtain Duper Buoniconti
I wouldn't say he belongs on a top 25 list, but I want to give a shout out to someone I don't see mentioned often... Terrell Buckley. 24 interceptions in 6 seasons as a Dolphin, four defensive touchdowns, a starter on the 1998 defense #1 in points allowed, and most importantly he was the veteran corner when the beloved Madison and Surtain were drafted. Before the days of Madison & Surtain, there was Madison & Buckley. Also he is one of only five Dolphins (someone correct me if I'm wrong) to play with Shula and JJ and Wanny... T Buck, McDuffie, Tony Martin, Trace Armstrong, and Tim Bowens.
Wow, hating on Danny. That's hard to do as a Dolphins fan. I'll give you respect for that, but no way can you consider a consensus Top 5 QB of all time a notch below Griese. I liked Griese, he was a good QB, but he wasn't the cog of those SuperBowls. The defense, Zonk, and Morris will testify to that.
There is not one bit of hating on Marino. I clearly said, I loved him playing for my favorite team and yes there is a way I can say Griese was the main Cog. He was the leader of the team that went to 3 straight Super Bowls, and were on there way to a 4th straight if not for a last desperation throw by an in the grasp, Stabler. I'm not arguing that Marino was the better passer. Who could? I'm saying Griese was higher on my list of top 25 alltime Dolphins!
Guys that probably wont make the list but deserve a mention would be Jim Jensen, OJ McDuffie, Bob Brudzinski, Tony Paige and Louis Oliver
Ummmm...no. Ever heard of a QB by the name of Earl Morrall? You do realize that he was the QB for more than half the "Perfect" Season, right? Most people were PISSED that Shula pulled him and started Griese after Griese was out for nearly the entire season. Griese was a good QB, but his "leading" of those teams stopped at the greatness of the defense.
Ummmm yeah.... You're incorrect. Shula pulled him because they had a lead, and he wanted Griese to get some reps in before the SB. Why? Because he was the leader of that team. Shula has always called him that. BUT I'm not talking about just one season. By most people, you mean most fans were pissed right? Because no one on that team was going to complain except maybe Morrall. I realize every single thing about those seasons. I was at every single home game and never ever missed watching the away games. I've followed the Dolphins long time now... Loved what Morrall did that season but don't worry, I won't put him ahead of Marino. My alltime top 25 Dolphins players has Griese ahead of Marino. So what? It's not like I would put Marino at number 25. I'd have him top 5 or 6
You can choose your list anyway you want. However, to claim that Griese was anywhere near the QB that Dan was is insane. Using Super Bowl wins to judge ONE player is crazy. If Griese hadn't of played on teams good enough to win the Super Bowl he would have never made it to the HoF. Even then it took him 5 tries to get there. Marino made the Hall all on his own. (Also, you were at all the home games from '72-'75? Is that you in your avatar? How old are you? You look to be around 40. That would make you 2 years old in 1972. Even if you're 50 you were only 8yrs old in 1972. Sorry, I gotta call BS on that statement of your's claiming you were at all the home games.)
The bolded part is incorrect. The phins came from behind in that game after Morrall was replaced by Griese.
Read what I said. I said Marino was the better passer. Who could argue that? But as a Qb, on a team that went to 3 straight Super Bowls, winning two, Griese was the leader. He was the one, Shula himself, called the leader. Not me! Every single home game! That's right!! Furthermore, to be 50 (I'm 49) and be at all the home games in 72 makes you either 11 or 12 (not 8) so instead of spending the time trying to call someone a bull ####er because you think he dissed your hero, spend some time with the math first! I live (to this day) directly behind an orphanage, and they had tickets donated to them for every single game. Not just for the 72-75 seasons, but from 1970-1979. I played football with their kids almost every day so they invited me to go right along with them. Every single game, every single season! Now Shhhhh
You're correct. The lead was only 10-7 but Shula had debated starting Griese for that game and had intended to give him some reps before the game ended. Griese came in a threw a 50 yard strike to Warfield that led to the go ahead score. My bad......but good still.
I was just about to post this. He is the most underated Dolphin as well. I was late to the thread but, 42 posts before the best DL in team history (node to JT but he did a lot as a LB too, so not sure where to put him.) gets mentioned?
While I really like Fernandez and would place both he and Bowens right aroud the 22-30 area, IMO the best DT we have ever had would be Bob Baumhower.
That's why Morrall was benched in the second half of the AFC Champhionship Game. Morrall did his job well, but Griese was a better quarterback and the one who won the Super Bowl for us.