The 1972 Miami Dolphins remain the only National Football League team to win every game in the regular season and the postseason, including the Super Bowl. Miami compiled a 14-0 regular season record and defeated the Washington Redskins in Super Bowl VII. Since the Super Bowl era that began in 1965 sixteen teams have been undefeated after at least 10 games, but none of those teams could accomplish the feat of the 1972 Dolphins. Rumor has it that surviving members of the 1972 team pop open a champagne bottle and give a toast to that undefeated campaign once the final NFL team takes its first loss every season. According to George Diaz in a November 22, 2005 story in The Orlando Sentinel, Don Shula, the coach of the 1972 team, stated that the rumor is nothing more than a myth.
The following is a list of teams that started a season at least 10-0 and the team that ended the chance for an undefeated season.
10-0
1975 Minnesota Vikings Washington Redskins
1990 San Francisco 49ers Los Angeles Rams
1990 New York Giants Philadelphia Eagles
2008 Tennessee Titans New York Jets
2015 New England Patriots Denver Broncos
11-0
1969 Los Angeles Rams Minnesota Vikings
1984 Miami Dolphins San Diego Chargers
1991 Washington Redskins Dallas Cowboys
12-0
1985 Chicago Bears Miami Dolphins
13-0
1998 Denver Broncos New York Giants
2005 Indianapolis Colts San Diego Chargers
2009 New Orleans Saints Dallas Cowboys
2011 Green Bay Packers Kansas City Chiefs
14-0
2009 Indianapolis Colts New York Jets
2015 Carolina Panthers Atlanta Falcons
18-0
New England Patriots New York Giants in Super Bowl XLII
If surviving members of the 1972 Dolphins do indeed make champagne toasts, they popped the bubbly after the Falcons defeated the Panthers on Sunday. Cheers!
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