1972 Miami Dolphins - Week 16 - AFC Championship - MIAMI at PITTSBURGH Radio Edit

December 31, 1972 - After Franco Harris' Immaculate Reception the week earlier, the Pittsburgh Steelers figured their charmed life would be sufficient to derail Don Shula's hopes of continuing the undefeated streak that now stood at 15 games.
(Note: many plays are reverse angle to the radio call).
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[@mondo851]

Wow, this is an outstanding rendering of a classic matchup, with the excellent Dolphins' radio commentary synced with the TV footage. I watched this game on live television when I was a kid (5th grader). I had forgotten just how close this contest was, with several big momentum swings. Great game. Great video.

[@richarddurr7724]

As far as we know, no actual TV video exists from this game or most of the games from the 1970's for that matter. Because videotape was so expensive at that time, the TV networks would reuse the videotape. All we have are the movie film archives of the plays. To save film, movie camera operators would stop filming between plays. That is why we show the field graphics and game info between plays. And since most filming was done close-up, the sense of where the ball is on the field is difficult to determine, so we thought adding the field and info graphics would help you get a better sense of where the ball is, the down and distance, and time remaining.

[@ZeusDragon]

Agreed

[@kjkuta1]

NFL's crazy days..... You go undefeated and have to go on the road for a playoff game....

[@davidboda1640]

Playoff rotation rules

[@andrewpadaetz5549]

VERY sad last day of 1972 in Pittsburgh...first the Steelers lose the AFC title to the Dolphins, then a real tragedy happened later that night as Pirates OF Roberto Clemente perished in a plane crash off Puerto Rico.

[@rashard4]

Very sad. I didn't know Clemente passed same day. I appreciate the history.

[@ZeusDragon]

Tragedy

[@frankdenardo8684]

Pirates legend Roberto Clemente died in a plane crash. He was inducted into the baseball hall of Fame in 1973.

[@spconrad9612]

Yes, Clemente dying was tragic. The other event was amazing. 😂

[@paulchoudhury2573]

Watched this game as an 11 year in 1972, so many memories of that season. Thank you for producing this excellent video.

[@ZeusDragon]

Awesome

[@birdzilla106]

Dolphins were undefeated, but were the visiting team in this game. A very different playoff schedule back in those days.

[@erichodge567]

It's easy to forget after all these years just how great these teams were.

[@richarddurr7724]

Though the Dolphins had a better regular-season record (14-0) than the Steelers (11-3), the game was played in Pittsburgh. In the first four seasons after the AFL-NFL merger, from 1970 to '74, home playoff teams were determined by a preset divisional rotation, not regular-season results, as is the case today. That year, it was the AFC Central, the Steelers' division, that had home-field advantage in the rotation.

[@john4psu]

And then in two years the Steelers would add FIVE future Hall of Famers: Lambert, Webster, Shell, Swann and Stallworth.

[@timothyhines9800]

I was 10yrs old at this time in Miami this game really excited me and my family

[@starlesssteelers2882]

This is nothing short of a masterpiece of editing.

[@richarddurr7724]

Thanks, very nice of you to say so. Comments like yours are what makes the time invested in doing these very rewarding.

[@ZeusDragon]

Absolutely agree

[@Heisenberg-src]

This is pure gold ....thanks for these great memories!

[@ZeusDragon]

Agreed

[@roblatham6265]

Look at all those Hall of Famers going head to head. After the Vikings game in the regular season, this was the hardest win for the '72 Fins.

[@brando7266]

Weren't they losing in the fourth qt v the browns,?( playoffs)

[@roblatham6265]

W.I.O.D., the soundtrack of my childhood in South Florida.

[@robertthomas1569]

Rick Weaver and Henry Barrow on the call.

[@stevefowler2112]

My favorite Dolphin player, the original #13, Jake Scott knocked Bradshaw out of the game with that goal line tackle with a concussion for one quarter and beyond saving a touchdown played a big part in winning the game. Jake was the free safety but as you can see he played with reckless abandon of his body when a tackle had to be made...but his primary responsibility was covering the deep pass. he still holds to Dolphins interception record to this day.

[@timothymeehan181]

Wow. The film quality is absolutely amazing. An NFL Films footage, obviously, not what the nation saw on network tv at the time. Beautiful….🙏🏈

[@axiom-xse]

Great video! Dolphins defense made the difference in this game. Seeing Bradshaw throwing picks is always fun.

[@styven77]

Outstanding play by play commentary

[@kmshark12]

Really awesome what you've done with this production - I was only 2 so I'm a Marino\Woodley\Strock era. I can't believe I get to view such a quality presentation of these great Dolphins moments from the past.

[@richarddurr7724]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@FLYEAL]

I remember watching this game as an 8yo with my #39 jersey on. And my Dad and his buddies losing their minds (in a good way) to such an extent that my Mom ran in and watched. Never forget it. Great times! Love the fuselage Chryslers in the end zone, fans with ties and hats, and the relatively subdued player celebrations. More of a team game in the 70s.

[@SnowyNightFlyer]

Great contest. Miami was at their peak and the Steelers were an ingredient or two away from their dynasty.

[@john4psu]

In two years, the Steelers would add FIVE future Hall of Famers: Webster, Swann, Stallworth, Lambert and Shell.

[@markneff1143]

Running, passing, and defense. Classic NFL.

[@drbonesshow1]

The Dolphins were on their way to losing this game. A game played in Pittsburgh due to ridiculous playoff rules at the time.

[@marcusanderson933]

Horrible day losing the AFC Championship and the tragic loss of The Great One!

[@danielboom72]

You did a really good job putting things all together my friend. Thank you! Classic game. Great job 👍

[@steveprestegard5151]

24:10 NBC first used this music for the 1973 AFC championship. It is, however, the best sports music NBC ever had.

[@frankdenardo8684]

This game was filled with Hall of Fame players and coaches Pittsburgh Steelers Art Rooney Dan Rooney Terry Bradshaw Joe Greene Jack Ham Franco Harris Mel Blount Miami Dolphins Don Shula Bob Greise Larry Csonka Paul Warfield Nick Buonaconte Larry Little Jim Langer

[@stephenramsey7930]

Amazing that you unearthed this footage…and fantastic job of putting this together. This was the first year that I really followed the NFL as a kid and I greatly enjoyed watching this. This was truly the golden era for the NFL; defenses dominated and it was hard to pass the football but I prefer the old-school brand of football.

[@azadmajors2098]

Wow!! They took some big hits back then..

[@2095yourstruly]

Richard - first of all, THANK YOU for unearthing much sought after footage of an overlooked classic close game that nobody up till now for the last 50 years has game footage of, beyond NFL Films!! And also for compiling and organizing this footage with the green field markers in between plays. You've done a professional job. First question that came to mind, also echoed here by others - Where and how( if you are able to reveal ) did you obtain this footage obviously taken from the opposite side of the field from the network angle? And even being from Pittsburgh, I can also say that the Dolphins announcers are excellent covering this game! Thank you again for bringing this game to light

[@richarddurr7724]

Mark - thanks for the compliments. Sorry, can't reveal our sources. Our first edit of this game with radio play-by-play was that of Steeler's broadcast team Jack Fleming and Myron Cope which is also an excellent broadcast. We had their audio long before we were able to get the Miami audio. We were happy when this game was played in Pittsburgh because the legislation lifting the blackout rule had not been passed yet even though we knew the Steelers would have home-field advantage. Even the Dolphins playoff the week earlier was blacked out here in south Florida. It was due to the blackout of all home games that we began to chart the games. At the time there was no public access to the gamebooks or play-by-play record.

[@ZeusDragon]

Absolutely agree my friend totally a fan now and subbed

[@jefflouis3113]

Steelers special teams were absolutely horrendous for this game. Blocked field goal, Fake punt, and failure to down punt at 5 yard line with numerous steelers around.

[@jefflouis3113]

Upon further review, Preston Pearson did have some nice kick off returns to set the Steelers up in good field position.

[@pearldrumguy1]

This is fantastic!!

[@mhlaw229]

Another reason NFL football was better back then, this is the AFC championship game in week 16, in December! Now they drag the season out 21 weeks to get to the same game a month later.

[@rayehill9578]

Old school prevails ,,again🎉

[@42NORRIS]

I love how you do this with old games! It's so imaginative!

[@richarddurr7724]

Thank you! And we enjoy putting them together. Join us on July 26, 2023, when we kick off the "Miami Dolphins 50 Years Ago This Week" series with the 1973 season.

[@user-yo5lk9cp8y]

@@richarddurr7724 1973 Dolphins are the most overlooked and forgotten champions ever. They were every bit as good as the '72 team, and were more dominant in the post-season. It always kills me when you see the "10 greatest teams ever" etc, and the '73 Dolphins are never included.

[@richarddurr7724]

You are correct. In the three playoff games, the '73 Dolphins offense scored 10 touchdowns (at least 3 in each game) and the defense gave up just two touchdowns, one each in the AFC Championship and Super Bowl. Even the players on that team who also played on the '72 team believed they were better in '73.

[@amusement420]

As a graphic designer I have to say the informative graphics are outstanding and don't break up the flow of the game. I have to add about the undefeated season, a lot of people forget they had to play the AFC Championship game on the road.

[@richarddurr7724]

From one graphic designer to another, we appreciate your comments. Then we have achieved what we hoped to accomplish.

[@curtisjoseph]

The Dolphins were 15-0. How was this a home game for the Steelers?

[@richarddurr7724]

1972 was only the third year of the AFL-NFL merger. At that time, there was a rotation schedule for where the playoff games were to be played. It wasn't until 1975 that the seeding system considering best-record as the home team went into effect, with certain exceptions.

[@camoss3724]

@@richarddurr7724 The NFL had always used such a formula dating back to the first NFL championship game in 1933. From there, they just rotated the home venue from East to West each season. When the NFL broke into two conferences and four divisions in 1967, they still used the same formula for playoffs. That's why the 11-1-2 Rams had to go on the road to play 9-4-1 Green Bay for the Western Conference championship despite a better record and having beaten Green Bay during the season. As a side note, 1967 was also the first year the NFL went to a tiebreak system to determine division winners. Thus, the 11-1-2 Baltimore Colts (my favorite team) lost the Coastal Division title and missed the playoffs due to the head-to-head tiebreaker with the Rams. That's still the highest winning percentage for a playoff non-qualifier.

[@danielburt7849]

It was because of the Miami Dolphins success at this time that the city grew like a weed, and the multi-culture make-up of the whole of South Florida began to live more peaceably together.

[@user-du2sk7pc9e]

Three Rivers Stadium, warching the Steeers play in the 70s, was special, especially in yhe playoffs.

[@mhlaw229]

All Bradshaw's offensive teammates just ran off the field and left him laying at the goal line knocked out

[@stevenzimmerman4057]

Larry Seiple caught the Steelers flat-footed

[@cwilkes32]

awesome!

[@bjchit]

That fumble recovery in the endzone for a touchdown might be an even bigger fluke play than The Immaculate Reception.

[@jkat57]

Learn the game.

[@bjchit]

@@jkat57 What's to learn? The starting QB gets knocked unconscious, fumbles, and it's recovered by his left tackle for a touchdown. How many times does something like that happen? Maybe learn not to be a dick to total strangers.

[@legrandfromage6450]

Hard to get much flukier than the immaculate reception

[@jkat57]

Once in a million, yes probably. Legitimate paly, definitely. It's been looked at a trillion times including by physicist. @@legrandfromage6450

[@bjchit]

@@jkat57 What's to learn? Learn to not be an ass.

[@nflhighlights8672]

23:51 Nice Hit at this play!! , good tackle 8:10

[@CarolinaPoet]

Thanks for the post but I'm curious as to why the undefeated Dolphins were playing on the road at Pittsburgh???

[@richarddurr7724]

Won-loss record was not implemented for location of playoff games until 1975. Before that the NFL used a rotating system to assign the home location.

[@lawrencecaplan6446]

if Shula hadn't pulled Morrall at halftime the perfect season doesn't happen.

[@camoss3724]

True. Shula wasn't going to make the same mistake with Morrall this time around that he did in Super Bowl III.

[@davidpridham9859]

Gerela had no business attempting a 49 yd FG.- which was blocked. In those days 50 yds was crazy rare. 47 yds was a long range FG. nolll should have punted. Points were hard to come by on this day. A great day for dolphins.

[@richarddurr7724]

Funny you should mention that. Most people contend the turning point of the game was Seiple's run from punt formation in the first half. But that only brought the teams even and the first half ended 7-7. I have always felt the turning point was the blocked field goal you comment on. The Steelers were ahead 10-7 and this play gave Miami the ball on a short field where they then scored a touchdown to take the momentum and the lead for good.

[@spacefunk77]

Where did you find the non-Game of the Week footage?

[@fromthefarside]

Nice work👍

[@stew6662]

Thank you for posting this. Any chance you have the 1977 thanksgiving game where Griese, threw six touchdowns?

[@richarddurr7724]

Sorry, at this time, we do not.

[@russellguercio3904]

​@@richarddurr7724Any chance this can be done with Cowboys Redskins playoff from same year?

[@richarddurr7724]

@@russellguercio3904 That would be fun to do but I do not have the audio broadcast for that game. If I could get it, I would do it.

[@ZeusDragon]

Epic my friend thank you

[@richarddurr7724]

Are you catching our "50 Years Ago This Week" series for the 1973 season? The regular season videos will start in two weeks.

[@starshiptrooper7670]

I wish they would stop showing the Electric Football Field that we played with as kids.

[@richarddurr7724]

What would you prefer to see between plays?

[@esroot12]

Of course, the Steelers should not have been there. The game was serious justice for the week earlier. Really nicely edited vid!

[@davidmitchell6873]

Still crying 52 years later.

[@alanstrong55]

I never rooted much for the Steelers. Likely because an unfriendly character at Camp Pendleton came from that city. James ended up at Leavenworth x 5 years, followed by DD. Hope he learned from that ordeal.

[@cnyweathertainment5075]

The steelers came closest to ruining the perfect season. And the Steelers Curtain dynasty was born.

[@robd2721]

Funny seeing "DOLPHINS" end zone marking in black & gold!

[@richarddurr7724]

That is one of the rare if not only times, except for the Super Bowl, that both teams were identified in the endzone.

[@robd2721]

@@richarddurr7724 It would be unthinkable today, except for SB like you say. Off the top of my head, the only other games it happened was the Ice Bowl and the 1970 AFC title game in Baltimore--but not the end zones, there were helmet designs of the Colts & Raiders at midfield.

[@stevefowler2112]

Csonka said leading up to the game in watching tape of the Steelers it was like looking in the mirror, they were both loaded with latent on both sides of the ball and played the same mistake free hard nosed football.

[@johnyurick8785]

Why is this game in Pittsburgh?????

[@richarddurr7724]

Excellent question. Before the playoff system was changed to have the team with the better record host the playoff, for a time, the NFL had a set schedule of where the playoffs would be played regardless of record.

[@johnyurick8785]

@@richarddurr7724 ok thanks Rich 😎🌴🐬🏈

[@frankrizzo4460]

Yes you would think that the Dolphins would have home field advantage all throughout the playoffs going undefeated all season long 🤔

[@zxccxz164]

Why doesn't Miami have home advantage??

[@richarddurr7724]

This was before home field advantage went to best record. At that time there was a rotation schedule of where the playoffs would be played.

[@redsmets]

Greatest fake punt of all time.

[@rileyjackfansmithandjones8238]

I will always Hate Larry Sieple....he destroyed my 9 yr old sense of fair play!....on the other hand, I will always love the Philly Special....so maybe I evolved?

[@robd2721]

Since this game was in Pittsburgh, why not recreate the Three Rivers Stadium scoreboard, rather than the Orange Bowl's?

[@richarddurr7724]

We actually had created a version with the Pittsburgh scoreboard but then decided since we used the OB scoreboard through the entire season, we should be consistent in our presentation. We had looked at trying to recreate each away stadium scoreboard, but most did not have the detail we show on the OB scoreboard. But we did give it a thought and thanks for your comment.

[@stevenzimmerman4057]

Rick Weaver announcing

[@TeddyBelcher4kultrawide]

17:55 backup Qb

[@30RonJon]

Why did undefeated Miami play at Pitt?

[@robertthomas1569]

The Dolphins were undefeated...why was this game in Pittsburg?

[@mauricetaylor1711]

How this game at Pittsburgh if the dolphins undefeated and this a playoff game

[@richarddurr7724]

Though the Dolphins had a better regular-season record (14-0) than the Steelers (11-3), the game was played in Pittsburgh. In the first four seasons after the AFL-NFL merger, from 1970 to '74, home playoff teams were determined by a preset divisional rotation, not regular-season results, as is the case today. That year, it was the AFC Central, the Steelers' division, that had home-field advantage in the rotation.

[@vincentdigennaro6592]

Miami should not gone to Pittsburgh to begin with they were 16wins and 0 losses by by Pittsburgh

[@greggergen9104]

Was the graphic with the grid iron added after the fact or did they do that back then? I find it very annoying.

[@VinnyXwolf]

It was added for this video, The uploader putt a lot of time and effort into making this video for us, Sorry you find his hard work annoying.

[@brucedavis3816]

Im 6 yrs old yelling at tge TV fake fake fake fake watch the fake!!!! Man oh man I was like ahhhhhhhhhhgggggggggrreeeee

[@rileyjackfansmithandjones8238]

Does Anyone know, if The Dolphins were in more Serious Jeopardy than this game, during their unbeaten Season? ....Man, unknown,never playoff team hung in there, and the Vikings just sucked against the same team. It's all different starting with next Season.....Steeler Nation Comes Alive!

[@richarddurr7724]

The third game against the Vikings was probably the greatest opportunity for Miami to lose. With 1:50 left in the game, the Dolphins had to score a touchdown to go ahead in the game.

[@rileyjackfansmithandjones8238]

Thanks for filling me in.....I gotta start studying that perfect season......it is the only one.....

[@homiedclown2623]

@@richarddurr7724 The Cleveland Browns the week prior to the Steelers game gave them a scare also

[@user-yo5lk9cp8y]

@@richarddurr7724 That one and the playoff game against Cleveland- they had to come back to win that one late too

[@camoss3724]

@@richarddurr7724 The Dolphins trailed the Jets, 24-21, in the fourth quarter in Week 9 before winning 28-24. But you're right, the Vikings' game was the closest call they had that year. Before their game-winning TD drive against Minnesota, the Dolphins pulled to within 14-9 on a 51-yard field goal by Garo Yepremian. It was Yepremian's first-ever field goal of 50+ yards in his career.

[@TheDolfan2010]

How did a 4 loss team have home field over an undefeated team? 😂

[@richarddurr7724]

Though the Dolphins had a better regular-season record (14-0) than the Steelers (11-3), the game was played in Pittsburgh. In the first four seasons after the AFL-NFL merger, from 1970 to '74, home playoff teams were determined by a preset divisional rotation, not regular-season results, as is the case today. That year, it was the AFC Central, the Steelers' division, that had home-field advantage in the rotation.

[@michellegivens-oo3mm]

why is this game in Pittsburg?

[@jefflouis3113]

They alternated by division who gets home field. In 1972, it was the Central Division turn to get it.

[@andrewpadaetz5549]

@@jefflouis3113 indeed. Had the pass for the Immaculate Reception dropped incomplete, the Raiders would have traveled to Miami for the championship as they had hosted a divisional playoff game against the Dolphins in 1970.

[@camoss3724]

@@andrewpadaetz5549 Not exactly. Had the Raiders won the Immaculate Reception game, they would have hosted the Dolphins in the AFC Championship. Playoff matchups were determined before the season started, at least in terms of which division hosted respective playoff games. The AFC playoff schedule that year would have read like this (with the eventual qualifiers in parentheses): Division Playoffs Wildcard (Cleveland) @ AFC East Winner (Miami) AFC West Winner (Oakland) @ AFC Central Winner (Pittsburgh) AFC Championship Winner AFC East/Wildcard @ Winner AFC West/AFC Central In those days, a wildcard team could not host a playoff game, therefore in a pre-determined playoff schedule, whoever hosted the wildcard team in the first round could not host host the conference championship afterward. Miami hosted Oakland the following year in the AFC championship after beating Central Division champion Cincinnati in the divisional round, while Oakland defeated the wildcard Steelers.

[@TeddyBelcher4kultrawide]

I watch

[@danholm4952]

personal foul? for what? jezzz

[@mikecally5720]

Why is this game is at PIT? MIA has the better record.

[@starlesssteelers2882]

rotated differently then. It was by division

[@rayehill9578]

I HATE MIAMI,BRADSHAW, HURT😂

[@davidmitchell6873]

This play by play guy is not good.

[@joelluongo7419]

WTF? WHY IS THERE A NEED TO PUT THIS GREEN FOOTBALL FIELD ON THE SCREEN??? WHY DON'T PEOPLE JUST LEAVE IT ALONE.. THE WAY IT IS? IT THROWS OFF THE WHOLE PACE OF THE VIDEO!!!

[@richarddurr7724]

The full game is not available on any media we have access to. The plays are only available on film and the person filming the game stopped the camera at the end of each play and did not start it until the offense was at the line of scrimmage. Otherwise, we would have liked to do as you suggest, but have nothing to fill in between plays. The field showing the current drive with the scoreboard, also serves as a way to know what the current drive plays are, where precisely on the field the current line of scrimmage is, and the scoreboard shows remaining time, down, distance, and ball location. Other KZbin posting of old games typically just show a blank screen with maybe some statistical information. We felt this format offered a better presentation of games from this era that are only on film.

[@jefflouis3113]

@@richarddurr7724 I appreciate the effort that you put forth to display this game on youtube. It was great to watch. Maybe someday the full game with every play will appear on here.

[@DannyKaffee]

@joelluango7419 PLEASE DIRECT ME TO THE VIDEOS YOU HAVE POSTED AFTER HOURS OF PAINSTAKING EDITING (DONE FOR ZERO COMPENSATION). I'D LIKE TO NEEDLESSLY AND OBNOXIOUSLY CRITICIZE YOUR WORK.

[@VinnyXwolf]

If you don't like the hard work and effort that @richarddurr7724 put's into this, there is a radio broadcast available, perhaps use your ability to search and find that. I for one appreciate what he has done for us.

[@wadeboyful]

111423 Bismarck North Dakota USA