NFL History: It was 50 years ago this season (1974)
2. A dynasty ends...
Under head coach Don Shula, the Miami Dolphins were a playoff team in each of his first five seasons with the franchise. The club earned a wild card berth in 1970, then went on to capture four consecutive AFC East titles. The team reached Super Bowl VI in 1971, a 24-3 loss to the Dallas Cowboys, then went on to prevail in back-to-back Super Bowls. The 1972 season was one of perfection (17-0), while the ’73 edition of Shula’s club was more dominant—especially in the postseason.
In hopes of a third straight NFL title, the Dolphins were vying for a fourth consecutive game on Super Sunday. The 1974 Dolphins were a so-so 3-2 after five weeks, but the club won eight of its final nine outings to finish 11-3 and first place in the division for the fourth straight year.
The hopes of a three peat were dashed by the Oakland Raiders in the divisional round. The Silver and Black rallied for a 28-26 victory in a classic playoff matchup. As it has turned out, that ’73 team was the Dolphins’ last Super Bowl title club.
1. And a dynasty begins
From 1933-71, the Pittsburgh Steelers (originally dubbed the Pirates) played in one postseason game. They lost to the Eagles, 21-0, in 1947 Eastern Divisional Playoffs. They went through head coaches like the Cookie Monster went through a bag of Oreos.
In 1969, the organization hired Colts’ assistant Chuck Noll to be their newest sideline leader. By 1972, thanks to some amazing drafting and development, the team won a division title and stunned the Raiders in the playoffs via the “Immaculate Reception.” A week later, the Steelers fell to the Dolphins in the AFC title game.
Two years later, the Steelers and Oakland Raiders would meet in the playoffs for the third consecutive season. John Madden’s club had dethroned the champion Miami Dolphins a week earlier and appeared to be primed to beat the Steelers for the second time in ’74. Noll’s club came up with a 24-13 victory at Oakland, and it was on to Super Bowl IX. The Pittsburgh defense dominated the Vikings, 16-6, at Tulane Stadium.
It was the first of four Super Bowl titles in a six-year span for the Black and Gold. The Steelers repeated in 1975 (X), then won back-to-back championships again in 1978 (XIII) and ’79 (XIV). From Noll to Joe Greene to Terry Bradshaw to Jack Ham to Jack Lambert to Franco Harris, etc. The list of Hall of Famers from those rosters is seemingly endless.