1972 Dolphins vs. 2007 Patriots: The Two Closest Perfect Seasons in NFL History
Two teams, 35 years apart, both walked into their Super Bowl with a chance to finish a season with zero losses. Only one of them walked out with it.
The 1972 Dolphins: the only perfect season
Under that era’s 14-game regular-season schedule, the Miami Dolphins won every single game. They then won three playoff games — including Super Bowl VII, a 14-7 win over the Washington Redskins — for a final record of 17-0. No tie, no loss, across the entire season.
What makes the run more remarkable is who was throwing the ball for most of it. Starting quarterback Bob Griese broke his leg partway through the season, and 38-year-old backup Earl Morrall started roughly half the remaining games, including the opening playoff game, before Griese returned in time for the Super Bowl. The Dolphins won with two different quarterbacks and a defense and running game strong enough to carry the season regardless of who was under center.
More than fifty years later, it remains the only fully undefeated, untied season — regular season and playoffs combined — in modern NFL history.
The 2007 Patriots: the closest anyone has come since
The New England Patriots entered 2007 with Tom Brady throwing to a retooled receiving corps, and the results were historic before the season even reached the playoffs: a perfect 16-0 regular season, the first in NFL history under the 16-game schedule that ran from 1978 through 2020. Brady threw a then-record 50 touchdown passes, and the team set a then-NFL record with 589 points scored.
Two playoff wins pushed the record to 18-0, meaning New England arrived at Super Bowl XLII needing exactly one more win to match the 1972 Dolphins’ perfect mark.
They didn’t get it. The New York Giants beat them 17-14, in a game remembered for a fourth-quarter touchdown drive that erased what would have been the greatest single season in NFL history. The Patriots finished 18-1 — an extraordinary season by any measure, and still one loss short of perfect.
Head to head
| 1972 Dolphins | 2007 Patriots | |
|---|---|---|
| Regular-season record | 14-0 | 16-0 |
| Full season record | 17-0 | 18-1 |
| Result | Won Super Bowl VII | Lost Super Bowl XLII |
| Style | Balanced, defense and run-first | Record-setting passing offense |
| Points scored (regular season) | Modest by comparison | 589 (NFL record at the time) |
Why this comparison matters for anyone chasing 17-0 in a game
Both stories point at the same lesson: getting through a regular season undefeated, even a historically dominant one, doesn’t guarantee anything once the playoffs start. The 2007 Patriots are proof that even an all-time offense can lose the single game that decides everything. If you’re chasing a perfect run in a roster-drafting game built around this same 17-0 dare, the takeaway holds — a dominant regular season is the floor, not the finish line.
Frequently asked questions
Did the 2007 Patriots go undefeated?+
They went undefeated in the regular season, finishing 16-0 — the first perfect 16-game regular season in NFL history. They then won two playoff games to reach 18-0, but lost Super Bowl XLII to the New York Giants 17-14, ending the bid one win short of a perfect season.
What was the 1972 Dolphins' full record?+
14-0 in the regular season under that era's shorter schedule, then three playoff wins including Super Bowl VII, for a final record of 17-0 — the only perfect season, including playoffs, in NFL history.
Who was the 1972 Dolphins' starting quarterback?+
Bob Griese started most of the season but broke his leg partway through. 38-year-old backup Earl Morrall started roughly half the games, including the playoff opener, before Griese returned for the Super Bowl.
Why did the 2007 Patriots lose the Super Bowl?+
The New York Giants beat the Patriots 17-14 in Super Bowl XLII, in what's remembered as one of the biggest upsets in Super Bowl history, capped by a famous late fourth-quarter touchdown drive.
Which team scored more points?+
The 2007 Patriots, by a wide margin — they set a then-NFL record with 589 points scored across the regular season and Tom Brady threw a then-record 50 touchdown passes. The 1972 Dolphins were a more balanced, defense-and-run-first team.