'Epic in Miami': Chargers vs. Dolphins | 1981 AFC Divisional Round Playoffs | NFL Classic Highlights

The 1981 AFC Divisional Game between the San Diego Chargers and Miami Dolphins is often referred to as the "Epic in Miami", or "The Kellen Winslow Game" unofficially, for the many records set within the game and its incredible overtime finish.

[@marcinfo3099]

Was 10 years old , watched this at My Parents friends house, there was a housefull of Giant fans but this game had everyone's attention. Great game, wonderful memories!

[@rickanduiza186]

I remember watching this game when I was a kid. It was 24-0 before the fins put up 17 in the 2nd qtr. Awesome game!

[@bernardstyles7608]

I remember this game like yesterday, pure classic!

[@christiancolossus5165]

As a pre-teen kid and after a long day of jumping off the second story roof of my friend's house into snow piles in Jordan, MN on Christmas vacation my friend and I went inside to watch this game. You would think we would get tired but this was the absolute BEST game ever played. We stayed up and loved every minute. I'll never forget that day. So Awesome!

[@jimlechtenberg8684]

I remember watching this game and being so excited for the Dolphins! That last play before halftime was one I will never forget!

[@davidzabel5195]

The greatest game in NFL history.

[@kevinblanch]

Amen

[@hazelwood55]

I remember watching this game and thinking it was the greatest game I ever saw. The next week the Chargers played Cincinnati and it was -20F with a -62F wind chill factor. I watched the game in my parents basement(Columbus, Ohio) wearing a winter coat and froze my ass off.

[@johnyurick8785]

hazelwood55 Ahh good times!!!!

[@stealthiscool]

To say this San Diego offence was high powered would be an understatement, they pretty much lead the way with this pass happy culture

[@kennethneal8480]

But, as they say, defense wins championships

[@daved1535]

Their head coach wasn't named Don "Air" Coryell for nothing

[@spinner9057]

The quality is beautiful.

[@jorgeespinosa4829]

If only the Chargers woulda had a slightly better defense during the Fouts years, they could've won a few SB's.

[@clam1fish1]

As a Miami Dolphins fan (who really WAS at this game...Section 32 in the Orange Bowl, Row 5, Seat 13). I am REALLY going to miss the San Diego Chargers. The RAMS should have been the team going there. What an epic game this was and what a TRUE AFL pioneer the Chargers were. Miami loves you, San Diego. And every TRUE Dolphins fan will always save a seat for you and buy you a beer. Bolts forever!!

[@Official5Joey5Brooks]

It's probably going to end up chargers and Rams

[@randolphpaige5446]

You're a class act, my friend, truly. As a life-long Charger fan, I'll take you up on that beer and spot you one. I was 10 years old, watching this masterpiece of American football at home. In all my years, I've never seen more drama in a live sporting event, specially considering the heroic efforts of Fouts and Winslow, and Strock. How they had to carry Winslow off the field, truly epic. You watch today's generation of ballers, how often do they leave EVERYTHING on the field in a game of this magnitude, ala the great Kellen Window. San Diego would be a very sad place without its beloved Chargers. What a black-eye that would be for the city of San Diego and the NFL.

[@ericradford2142]

The chargers are staying in San Diego for 2016.

[@randolphpaige5446]

+madcapper6 ... Beautifully put, every word. I cried a river of years the following week in Cincinnati. I was literally crushed, mostly I felt horrible for the players (Winslow, Joiner, Chandler, and Fouts, etc.). Muncie and James Brooks were great too. They had given everthing they had all season long that year! They were really great team players, always tried to win, gave everything they had on every play. I was so depressed after the Cincinnati game, for some 7 months until the following pre-season. Life is so simple for a 10-year-old. I always thought that was the coldest game ever, but there may have been another. And you're eight. After the Miami game, the Chargers were so spent, so exhausted. And the excruciating cold just made it impossible. Too much to overcome. No excuses, Cincinnati deserved to win that day. But the Miami game... what an epic this was. By the way, the following season we did get a taste of a regular season Chargers-49ers match-up. Montana vs. Fouts. The defending champs, 49ers, lost to the Chargers 41-38. As you rightly said, the Chargers scored at will, but they couldn't stop anybody. Somebody once said that it was the offense's fault in that they always scored too fast and the defense did not have a chance to rest. I always thought that was a lame excuse by someone on the defense or a defensive coordinator type. On a side note, I was very sad when David Woodley died so young. He started this game at quarterback for the Dolphins. What a damn shame.

[@madcapper6]

+Randolph Paige I always thought the Freezer Bowl was the coldest ever too until very recently when the Seahawks and Vikings played in the first round this year. They mentioned it was the 3rd coldest in NFL history and they listed the Freezer Bowl at #2 and the Ice Bowl NFL championship game between the Packers and Cowboys at #1. Yeah, that was too bad to hear about David Woodley. You remember David Overstreet? Another Dolphin who got taken way before his time.

[@kevinblanch]

Still in 2023 the Greatest NFL Game ever !!

[@SeanGrady90]

My dad was at this game, as a Dolphins fan, but he was so impressed by Kellen Winslow and became a fan of his through the years. He even wanted to name me Kellen but my mom vetoed it haha 😂

[@zevongrie1402]

Best game I’ve ever seen.

[@nathaniellevesque2782]

I believe this was one of the games selected by the NFL Fan poll. So the full game should be up on this channel in the near future.

[@glory2christcmj702]

Proud to be a Chargers fan! #BoltUp #KeepTheChargersInSanDiego

[@mr.rufasi2729]

Amen

[@PatriotsEmpireEst]

Winslow dunked the football. According to Goodell that's a $30,000 fine. No Fun League.

[@ImaginaryNate]

Bruh, this was in freaking 1982 man, 34 years ago

[@MysteryXbox]

Nathan Cady it's a joke

[@spinner9057]

Roger Goodell saw Kellen Winslow dunk the football and said "I'm fining that man when I become the commissioner sometime in the next 30 years!"

[@slipnorris5882]

that game was so fun to watch live

[@texasstadium]

As an old Landry/Cowboy fan....I always thought Wes Chandler was one of the best receivers ever. He was smooth as glass.

[@randolphpaige5446]

He was so smooth, you're right, with great hands.

[@finddeniro]

This Game was totally flat -out the CraZiest game --Ever... ! the crowd screamed the whole game.. Ariel -the passing was terrific...

[@carterparsons940]

I watched this game when I was 8. This is the game that made me a huge fan of the NFL. Cool story bro......

[@Ariamaluum]

What a great a game from both teams tight ends. But that hook and lateral from Duriel Harris to Tony Nathan gives me chills. Sorry Merc, but Tony Nathan had your number that day. As well as NBC over NFL Films because of live video cutaways of players and coaches and the announcing of Don Criqui and John Brodie.

[@rickblack3538]

this game was play Jan 2, 1982 1982

[@mr.rufasi2729]

It's from the 1981 season

[@thesavagelife1575]

Good Vid

[@joesakic91]

The 'Air Coryell' Chargers were a fun bunch to watch because of their innovative offensive tactics with Don Coryell and Dan Fouts leading the way. However, the only thing that prevented them from making a Super Bowl and winning it all is defense especially when they traded their best pass rusher in Fred Dean to the 49ers. I'm surprised that Coryell has yet to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. 2016 should be the year he gets in.

[@stevendreifach7737]

As a Dolphins fan, it would have been great to see them pull it out at the end, but realistically the defeat spared them a cold, disappointing trip to Cincinnati. No other team that year, and very few in NFL history, would have had a chance to prevail as the visiting underdog in the following week's climate.

[@ernieb.7766]

I have this game recorded on VHS somewhere in storage. I wonder if it’ll still play 😃

[@johnyurick8785]

Ernie B. You still have a vcr???😅

[@espinosalexis]

Ernie, could you recover it and post the second block by Kellen WInslow? (Or at least watch it and let us know why the NFL removed that second block from every movie/dcoumentary?) Probably Winslow cheated and stood on top of a team mate, and now they are hiding the footage from us!

[@thunderbolts2438]

@@espinosalexis I don’t think I will be able to make that happen anytime soon but he said he blocked that kick with only 2 fingers. You would think we’d win a championship by now. How 50 years just flew by. 👍😃😢 We got Herb now so hopefully Guyton stays healthy this year and Johnston turns out to be dawg. 😃

[@onemillion10]

I dont understand one thing about this coverage. Why would you end the video when some of the greatest film captured of NFL playoff footage would leave out the Chargers walking off the field with Winslow totally spent as in almost dead ?

[@briankay4229]

2023 update: Congratulations to San Diego Chargers ledgendary Coach, Don Coryell. They finally put you in the NFL Hall of Fame. Sadly, you can't be here to be inducted, but your family and fans will do you right to represent. Air Coryell lives eternal.⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡⚡

[@davecarr414]

Until today!

[@Nitromessiah]

There was no loser in this game, only a slight delay for the Chargers who suffered the greatest indignity the NFL ever laid down on a team that should've won it all. After watching this game at the age of 13, I lost all interest in football. Because I knew, without a shadow of a doubt, I had just witnessed the greatest game ever to be played and anything else would just be a let down. (full disclosure - I never got back into like I did as a kid, but I did start watching some in the Favre and Brady games. At times, they both reminded me of my beloved 1981 Bolts)

[@joseab12]

San Diego Super CHARGERS

[@erickonasis]

i watched this game

[@Mike-fx7hg]

Watch the movie Woodlawn #22 Tony Nathan.

[@dom5883]

Finkle did miss a kick to win the game at the 1:50 mark, tied 38 all, he got it blocked and SD ended up winning in OT - Miami fumbled late in that game also near SD Goal Line before the missed FG by Finkle (Von Schamann) 2 years b4 Marino

[@bensantiago4557]

the greatest game ever nothing else like it.But dolphins HAD it won and should have won and I am still angry after 35 years:(

[@stratdaddy]

Ben Santiago how so? I’ve only seen the highlights

[@jgrj52]

@@stratdaddy the dolphins missed two game winning field goals

[@Christianntaylor]

Tony Nathan the goat

[@cw5312]

Poor defense on both sides

[@mbunny87]

hmm many records?

[@arthurkyriazis]

i believe that Brady and Gronk are a pale imitation of Fouts, Winslow, Joiner, Muncie et al. Air Coryell put up all those yards and points before the NFL radically changed the rules to favor offense. if that Chargers team had played under the current rules, they would have passed for twice the yards, scored twice the points and won the super bowl going away. because under todays rules, only offense and passing matter. dan fouts was a far greater qb in his context that brady or manning. we know it because archie manning played at the same time and didnt come close to Fouts' numbers.

[@randolphpaige5446]

Excellent points... Fouts and Winslow were so incredibly special, truly. I worshipped Fouts in those days. What a leader! And Winslow was a generational player, no one had his natural gifts, with hands of gold and a nasty streak. I loved that in both Fouts and Winslow.

[@Christianntaylor]

Who’s here from Woodlawn?

[@bensantiago4557]

at least the dolphins handed the chargers their heads the following year in divisional playoff 34-14

[@DracoDragon0101]

2

[@jroach5764]

No

[@AcroNinja365]

These highlights could be better.

[@johnyurick8785]

AcroNinja365 .......what?🧐