In a spirited defense of the 1972 Miami Dolphins’ unparalleled legacy, NFL icon Larry Csonka emphatically rejected the notion that their status as the greatest team in league history is anything but earned. The intensity of his response caught attention at a recent event when a conversation about how the team was “named” the greatest escalated.
The encounter started with a seemingly innocent inquiry into the process by which the ’72 Dolphins were officially recognized as the NFL’s pinnacle squadron. The question, however, struck a nerve with Csonka.
“Named the greatest team? We took the goddamn thing, that’s how it happened.
I’m tired of people telling me how they ‘named’ us. They named us nothing.
We took it,” Csonka asserted, his statement peppered with strong language to underscore his point.
The 1972 Dolphins are the only team in NFL history to complete an entire season undefeated and untied, boasting a 14-0 regular-season record before securing their championship victory in the Super Bowl to cap off a 17-0 season. This unparalleled achievement has set them apart as an extraordinary ensemble in the annals of professional football, a fact Csonka and his teammates fiercely protect.
Following the heated moment, Csonka addressed the incident on X, expressing regret for his outburst but not for the sentiment behind it. “I did lose my cool here but I stand by my point – we achieved perfection and are the only team to do so in the first 100+ years of professional football.
My teammates and I already knew this whether the NFL recognized it or not. That said, I am grateful the NFL finally ratified our historic achievement,” Csonka stated.
The insistence on their distinction remains unwavering among Csonka and the 1972 Dolphins. They argue that unless a team can replicate or surpass their 17-0 championship season, their claim to the title of the greatest NFL team will stand uncontested. The pride and conviction in their accomplishment are evident, supported not just by their unmatched record but by the impassioned voices of its champions like Larry Csonka.