The feature photo on this article shows former Miami Dolphins Hall of Fame running back Larry Csonka making a toast to the Buffalo Bills’ recent victory over the Kansas City Chiefs. The now 77-year-old was celebrating the Bills handing Kansas City Chiefs their first loss of the season for one simple reason. Now that the Chiefs will not finish the season undefeated, it preserves Miami’s record setting 1972 campaign when they became the only team in NFL history to finish a season without a loss and win the league championship.
Sadly, Csonka could not celebrate with other teammates from that 17-0 team that defeated the Washington Redskins in the Super bowl because many have passed away. In that group of deceased teammates are:
- Garo Yepremian, age 70 who died in 2015.
- Billy Lothridge, a defensive back tragically suffering a fatal heart attack at the age of 54 in 1996.
- Marlin Brisco passing in 2022.
- The great Nick Buoniconti (2019)
- Csonka’s running mate Jim Kiick (2020)
- Bob Kuechenberg (2019)
- Earl Morral (2014)
- Jim Mandich (2011)
- Jim Langer (2019)
- Jake Scott (2020)
While the Chiefs may end up suffering just that one loss when the playoffs approach, the 2007 New England Patriots had former Dolphins holding onto their champagne bottles until the very last moment when that season’s Super Bowl took place. That’s because New England cruised through the entire regular season without taking a loss. They advanced to the Super Bowl with an 18-0 record and took on the NFC champion New York Giants.
I clearly remember the look on Tom Brady’s face when he came out of the tunnel at the start of the game. He had the look of being nervous and “I’m about to lose.” Lose New England did and thus they could not equal the feat of the 1972 Dolphins.
In 1934 the Chicago Bears finished their season 13-0 but in the league title game, they lost ironically enough to the New York Giants. Therefore the ‘Gints spoiled two teams’ opportunity to finish a season undefeated. Chicago did it again in 1942 with an 11-0 record but again lost the title game. This time it was the Washington Redskins that same team that the Dolphins upended to become that only team to finished undefeated.
In 1929 the Green Bay Packers went 12-0-1 but did not make the playoffs. That’s because there were no playoff games that year instead Green Bay was awarded the league title for having the best record. The same can be said for the 1923 Canton Bulldogs who went 11-0-1.
There are a handful of teams that lost just one game during the regular season and they include:
- 2015 Carolina Panthers (15-1) but lost in the Super Bowl
- 1985 Chicago Bears 15-1 and won the Super Bowl highly regarded as one of the greatest teams ever.
- 2011 Green Bay Packers finished 15-1 but lost in the divisional playoffs.
- 1988 Minnesota Vikings won 15 of 16 games only to lose in the conference championship game.
- 2004 Pittsburgh Steelers behind rookie Ben Roethlisberger who had taken over for the injured Tommy Maddox went 15-1 winning 14 straight before being upended in the championship game by eventual Super Bowl champions the New England Patriots.
- 1984 San Francisco 49ers (15-1) and Super Bowl champions
- 1968 Baltimore Colts (13-1) losers to the Joe Namath guaranteed Super Bowl win.
- 1962 Green Bay Packers (13-1) and league champions
- 1967 Oakland Raiders finished 13-1 but lost in the Super Bowl
- 1976 Raiders also won 13 of 14 but this time won the Super Bowl
- 1948 Chicago Cardinals, 1951 and 1953 Cleveland Browns all finished 11-1 but all lost the league championship game.
- 1949 Philadelphia Eagles (11-1) won league title.
- 1922 Canton Bulldogs finished with the best record at 10-0-2 and without a postseason they were named league champions.
- 1941 Chicago Bears 10-1, league champions
- 1942 Green Bay Packers lost in the division title game.
- 1942 Washington Redskins (10-1) won the league championship.
- 1929 New York Giants (13-1-1) did not have a playoff game.
- 1945 Los Angeles Rams (9-1) and won the league title.
- 1969 Oakland Raiders (12-1-1) but lost in the AFC championship.
- 1982 Raiders (8-1) a strike shortened season Oakland lost in the divisional round of the playoffs.
- 1927 New York Giants (11-1-1) but no playoff game won the title with best record.
- 1926 Frankford Yellow Jackets (14-1-2) same result as the 1927 Giants
There you have it. Just one team in history is still in the record books for having won every game of the season including the league championship. The 1972 Miami Dolphins are that team and while the 2007 New England Patriots gave Larry Csonka and his comrades a scare, no team has come close since. Most experts believe undefeated seasons won’t happen because of the parity in the league so chances are one day Csonka will be laid to rest and will take with him the thought that he was a part of the only truly undefeated team in the history of pro football.
