The1982 Miami Dolphins season was the team's seventeenth in theNational Football League (NFL). TheDolphins were coming off an unexpected11–4–1 1981 season and a devastating loss to theSan Diego Chargers in the Divisional Round the previous season in a game dubbed theEpic in Miami. The team had clinched the 2 seed and were picked by many to reach the Super Bowl during the 1981 season. Because of the high number of picks to reach the Super Bowl the previous season, many more fans picked them to win it during the 1982 season. The Dolphins looked to improve on their 11 wins from 1981. However, a players strike cancelled 7 of the team's 16 games. Because of this, the NFL schedule was shrunk to 9 games.

The Dolphins started out fresh, winning their first 2 games prior to the strike. When season play resumed 2 months later, the Dolphins defeated theBuffalo Bills 9–7 in Buffalo to clinch a 3–0 start. After a loss toTampa Bay, they defeated theMinnesota Vikings 22–14. The next week, they lost a brisk game against thePatriots 3–0 in a game called theSnowplow Game. The Dolphins would then win 3 straight games to end the season 7–2, tied for second in the AFC with theCincinnati Bengals. The Dolphins won 2nd place over them by virtue of a series of tiebreakers. In the playoffs, they defeated thePatriots in a rematch by the score of 28–13. They then defeated theChargers in a rematch of the 1981 Divisional Playoffs by a score of 34–13. In the AFC Championship game, they shutout theJets, 14–0 to reach the Super Bowl for the first time since1973. InSuper Bowl XVII, they lost to theRedskins 27–17 in a rematch ofSuper Bowl VII which concludedMiami's perfect 1972 season.

The Dolphins' main strength was their defense, nicknamed the "Killer Bees" because 6 of their 11 starters had last names that began with the letter "B". The "Killer Bees", anchored byPro Bowl defensive tackleBob Baumhower, led the league in fewest total yards allowed (2,312) and fewest passing yards allowed (1,027). LinebackerA. J. Duhe was extremely effective at blitzing and in pass coverage. And the Dolphins secondary, consisting of defensive backsDon McNeal,Gerald Small and brothersLyle andGlenn Blackwood, combined for 11 interceptions.

However, the Dolphins' passing attack, led by quarterbackDavid Woodley, ranked last in the league with 1,401 total yards, 8 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions. One of the few bright spots in the Dolphins passing attack was wide receiverJimmy Cefalo, who gained 356 yards off just 17 receptions, an average of 20.9 yards per catch. Wide receiverDuriel Harris also provided a deep threat with 22 receptions for 331 yards.

But Miami's strength on offense was their running game, ranking 3rd in the league with 1,344 yards. Pro Bowl running backAndra Franklin was the team's top rusher with 701 yards and 7 touchdowns. Running backTony Nathan rushed for 233 yards, and caught 16 passes for another 114 yards. Woodley himself also recorded 207 rushing yards and 2 touchdowns. One reason for the Dolphins' rushing success was the blocking of their offensive line, led by futurehall of fame centerDwight Stephenson, along with Pro BowlersBob Kuechenberg andEd Newman.^[1]

InNational Football League lore, theSnowplow Game refers to a regular-season game played between theMiami Dolphins andNew England Patriots on December 12, 1982.

Playing in a heavy snowstorm at New England'sSchaefer Stadium inFoxborough, Massachusetts, the two teams remained scoreless late into the fourth quarter. With 4:45 left to go in the game and on-field conditions worsening, Patriots coachRon Meyer summoned Mark Henderson, who was a convict on awork release program, and was the stadium'ssnowplow operator that afternoon – and in the face of furious protests from Miami coachDon Shula – was directed to veer off course and clear a spot on the field forplacekickerJohn Smith, withMatt Cavanaugh putting down the hold. The kick was good and the Patriots took a 3–0 lead into the final minutes of the game.

What is often left untold is what happened after John Smith kicked the go-ahead field goal. Despite the snowy conditions, the Dolphins methodically marched down the field on the strength of their running backs Andra Franklin and Tony Nathan and quarterback David Woodley. The Dolphins advanced the ball to just inside the Patriots' 20-yard line, but on a third-down-and-nine play, a pass from Woodley wasintercepted by linebackerDon Blackmon.^[2][3] With less than a minute left to play, Miami used theirtimeouts to stop the clock and forced New England to punt after three rushing attempts, but a DolphinsHail Mary pass on the game's final play was intercepted by the Patriots'Roland James.^[2]

Henderson was released from prison a few years after the game, and later worked in the construction business.^{[citation needed]} Henderson's plow was actually aJohn Deere Model 314 tractor with asnow sweeper attached. When he was being interviewed by a TV reporter about the controversy, Henderson jokingly replied, "What are they gonna do, throw me in jail?" Weeks after the game, the NFL banned the use of snowplows on the field during a game.^[4] The moment became a feature ofThe Hall at Patriot Place when it opened in 2008 next toGillette Stadium, with the actual tractor on display there.^[5]

Note: Intra-division opponents are inbold text.

^[6]

The1972 Miami Dolphins team was honored during the game.

• Miami Dolphins 28, New England Patriots 13

• Miami Dolphins 34, San Diego Chargers 13

• Miami Dolphins 14, New York Jets 0. The Jets were angered by the condition of the Orange Bowl's grass field, which had not been covered and was inundated with a huge amount of rainfall from a series of storms that swept through South Florida the week before the game (it was still overcast on the Sunday of the game but only had a minor drizzle). Don Shula responded by stating that he hadn't checked the weather reports because he was focused on getting the Dolphins ready for the game, and that both teams would face the same conditions in any case.AJ Duhe intercepted Richard Todd 3 times, returning the last pick for a game-clinching touchdown.

• Miami Dolphins 17, Washington Redskins 27

atRose Bowl (stadium), Pasadena, California

• MIA – TD: Jimmy Cefalo 76-yard pass from David Woodley (Uwe von Schamann kick)7–0 MIA
• WAS – FG: Mark Moseley 31 yards7–3 MIA
• MIA – FG: Uwe von Schamann 20 yards10–3 MIA
• WAS – TD: Alvin Garrett 4-yard pass from Joe Theismann (Mark Moseley kick)10–10 tie
• MIA – TD: Fulton Walker 98-yard kickoff return (Uwe von Schamann kick)17–10 MIA
• WAS – FG: Mark Moseley 20 yards17–13 MIA
• WAS – TD: John Riggins 43-yard run (Mark Moseley kick)20–17 WAS
• WAS – TD: Charlie Brown 6-yard pass from Joe Theismann (Mark Moseley kick)27–17 WAS

Pro Bowl playersFBAndra Franklin, NTBob Baumhower

• Miami Dolphins on Pro Football Reference
• Miami Dolphins on jt-sw.com

• 1982 NFL season by team
• American Football Conference championship seasons
• Miami Dolphins seasons
• 1982 in sports in Florida

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