Hi there! My name's Sean! I'm 25 years old, and I've got autism. Even though I'm not really a football fan (because the only sports team I like are the St. Louis Cardinals), but since I like the nostalgia of both the 1980's and the 1990's, what memories do you have from the 1984 AFC Championship Game between the Dolphins and the Steelers (even though the Dolphins lost Super Bowl 19 to the 49ers), with Hall of Famer Head Coach Don Shula and players like Hall of Famers Dan Marino and Dwight Stephenson? Thanks! Sean By the way, this may sound very weird, but because like I said that even though I'm not really a football fan (since I'm a St. Louis Cardinals fan), but since NBC is my all time favorite television network (I like ABC, CBS, FOX, and the other television networks, but NBC is my all time favorite television network), and since I like the television shows that were on NBC from September 1, 1982 to May 31, 1994 (except for "The Cosby Show" because Dr. Cliff Huxtable himself is such a creep, and that's all I'll say about that jerk, because of my autism I don't want to use profanity) before both "Friends" and "ER" both premiered on NBC in September of 1994, while Johnny Carson and Jay Leno were hosting "The Tonight Show" (before anybody even heard of Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers), I like the NFL football games that were on NBC from week 1 of the NFL Football season on September 12, 1982 to Super Bowl 28 on January 30, 1994! So that's why I asked about your memories of the 1984 AFC Championship Game, since the 1984 AFC Championship Game aired on NBC on Sunday, January 6, 1985 while Johnny Carson was hosting "The Tonight Show" on NBC!
Those were the days I thought the future was bright and championships would follow.In those days the Dolphins were expected to contend unlike the 21st century version.
Hi Sean. welcome to our board and kudos to you for reaching out like that. Having a child with autism, I know that it can be difficult, but that's what makes the internet great. Easier to get to know people without the awkwardness. TO your question, I think many of us fell in love with the dolphins in the mid-80s. 1984, I started watching football and Chicago and Miami were the two most shown games on local TV (and the saints - but they were unbearable to watch back then). In 1985 I started really following the Bears - their team was so amazing. Then the fateful 1985 monday night game when Dan Marino sliced them apart. It's been loyalty to Miami ever since (and unfortunately, a steady decline for the next 30 years). Here's to hoping Gase is finally the one to turn this ship around
I remember being convinced by the end of that game that Dan was the greatest QB ever, so far, only Aaron Rodgers has made me think that may not be true anymore, but still not entirely convinced. If I could choose out of all the QBs in NFL history, to start a franchise, it would still be Marino, no QB since the merger has equaled the "astounding" like Marino, he did the impossible. No one in the NFL was wondering when someone would throw 48 TDs, that was not possible, 36 TDs had been the record for about 30 years, so no one was even talking about who would get 40, just speculating who might eventually get 37, and set a new record, but Dan shatters the old record by 12 TDs, quite literally doing what was thought to be impossible. 30 years later, after numerous rule changes, Brady breaks the record by one, Manning has thrown for 7 more TDs in a season, breaking his own record by 5, Marino broke a 30 year old record by 12, and 12 TDs was good enough for 20th in the league in 1984. Marino also broke the 5000 yd barrier, 20 years later, 2004, Dan is still the only 5000 yd passer, it took multiple rule changes for QBs to break the 5000 yard barrier again. Then there was that AFC championship game, 420yds, 4 TDs, Duper= 5 rec 148yds 2TDs, Clayton= 4 rec 95yds 1TD.... DAN MARINO IS A FOOTBALL GOD is exactly what the 1984 AFC championship game was for me.
That was a great game. Particularly since I was in PA at the time and hated the Steelers. But like a previous poster said, I figured that was the first of many superbowls. Who knew?
I sat in the NE corner of the OB. Had one of those old marine air horns that I let bellow pretty regularly in that game. I went to the divisional playoff game against Seattle the week before. After that game, we headed straight to SPECs music on US1 across from UM. The line had already formed outside waiting for tix to go on sale for the AFC title game. Good memories. A lot of amazing Dolphin moments in that stretch from 82-84. Two super bowl trips. Killer Bs, the AJDuhe mud game vs the Jets, the dawn of the Marino- Marks brothers era and of course, probably the greatest NFL game ever played, with the Chargers Dolphins hook and lateral slugfest. Hard not to fall in love with the Fins when you're 10 yrs old and this is your introduction to the NFL.