Like many NFL expansion teams, the Miami Dolphins suffered through some losing seasons during their infancy, proven by a 15-39-2 record over their first four seasons (1966-69). The Dolphins and other incoming teams of the era did not have access to the same caliber of players in the expansion draft as their modern counterparts (the Panthers and Jaguars in 1995, the “new” Browns in 1999, and the Texans in 2002), so they had to build slowly through the draft and with trades.
Miami proved to be exceptional in both those areas. In the first five years, the team drafted quarterback Bob Griese, running backs Larry Csonka, Mercury Morris, and Jim Kiick, defensive linemen Bob Heinz and Bill Stanfill, defensive backs Dick Anderson, Tim Foley, Curtis Johnson, and Jake Scott, as well as punter Larry Seiple.
The run to three straight Super Bowl appearances was also made possible by several trades involving some of the more unheralded stars on those teams. However, no move was more instrumental in the franchise’s growth than “stealing” a coach away from the Colts.
1. March 24, 1969:
Dolphins acquired: LB Nick Buoniconti
Patriots acquired: LB John Bramlett, QB Kim Hammond, and a fifth-round pick in the 1970 NFL Draft
Buoniconti was a Notre Dame graduate who was a star with the Boston Patriots in the early days of the American Football League. He was a five-time AFL All-Star and a four-time All-Pro who had 24 interceptions in seven years with the Patriots. After the trade, Buoniconti became a veteran leader for the young Dolphins’ “No-Name Defense.” The three-time Pro Bowler and 1969 All-Pro was a big part of Miami reaching the Super Bowl three straight years. Although tackles were not an official NFL statistic until 1994, Buoniconti’s unofficial total of 162 stops in 1973 was a team record. After his playing career ended in 1976, he was a practicing attorney and player agent, as well as the president of the United States Tobacco Company. The two-time champion was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2001 and passed away in 2019
Bramlett was a former Memphis State linebacker and a high school All-American in Tennessee. He was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Broncos and spent two years in Denver, making the AFL All-Star roster in 1966. Bramlett was traded the following year and earned All-Star honors in his first season with the Dolphins. After two years with Miami, “Bull” was traded again and started 23 games in two seasons with the Patriots. Bramlett ended his career with the Falcons in 1971. He became a Christian minister after his playing career and died in 2014. Hammond was a star quarterback at Florida State but appeared in just six games in three seasons (three each with the Dolphins and Patriots). He retired after spending the 1974 season with the World Football League’s Jacksonville Sharks. Hammond was a lawyer and later a judge in Florida before his death in 2017. The pick was used on former Notre Dame linebacker Bob Olson, who was cut by the Patriots in training camp and never played in the NFL.
Assessment: Although Buoniconti may have had better individual seasons in New England, his veteran presence helped a young Miami defense improve quickly. Bramlett and Hammond combined for three uneventful seasons with the Patriots. DOLPHINS
2. July 2, 1969:
Dolphins acquired: G Larry Little
Chargers acquired: CB Mack Lamb
Little was a starter at Bethune-Cookman, but went undrafted in 1967 and signed with the Chargers. After two years as a reserve in San Diego, he was traded to Miami and immediately became a force on the young Dolphins. Over the next 12 seasons, he earned five Pro Bowl and five All-Pro selections while opening up holes for Miami’s star rushing trio of Larry Csonka, Mercury Morris, and Jim Kiick. The two-time champion retired after the 1980 season and soon turned to coaching. He spent nine years with his alma mater, winning the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Coach of the Year Award in 1984. Little earned induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1993, the same year he began coaching at North Carolina Central. He stayed in that position through 1998.
Mack was a teammate of Little’s at Booker T. Washington High School in Miami and went on to play cornerback at Tennessee State. He became the first Miami native to play for the Dolphins. Mack had one interception in 15 games over two seasons with his hometown team, but did not play with the Chargers after the trade. He died in 2010 at age 66.
Assessment: These former high school teammates went in opposite directions in the NFL. Little won two titles, and was selected to five Pro Bowls and five All-Star teams with Miami. Mack played just two seasons in the NFL and did not appear with San Diego after the trade. DOLPHINS
3. January 26, 1970:
Dolphins acquired: WR Paul Warfield
Browns acquired: A first-round pick in the 1970 NFL Draft
Warfield was an All-American and a member of Ohio State’s National Championship team in 1961. With the Browns, he made three Pro Bowls and helped Cleveland reach four NFL title games, with a win as a rookie in 1964. Warfield played four years with Miami after the trade, making the Pro Bowl each year and earning two All-Pro selections. He also played in three consecutive Super Bowls, won two titles, and was a starter in Miami’s 17-0 season in 1972. After playing with the Memphis Southmen in the ill-fated World Football League in 1975, he returned to Cleveland for two more seasons before retiring. Warfield had 3,355 yards and ranks fifth in Dolphins team history with 33 touchdowns. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1983.
Cleveland received the third overall pick in the 1970 Draft and used it to select Mike Phipps, a star quarterback with Purdue who finished second in the 1969 Heisman Trophy voting. Phipps was inconsistent as a pro, posting a 24-25-2 record in seven seasons with Cleveland. His best year was 1972, when he went 10-3 and led the Browns to the playoffs before throwing five interceptions in a Division Round loss to the Dolphins. Phipps was traded to the Bears in 1977 and went 14-6 in five seasons with Chicago before he retired in 1981.
Assessment: Phipps had one good season with Cleveland, but is considered a draft bust as the third overall pick. Warfield was a five-time Pro Bowler and an offensive star on a team that went to the Super Bowl three straight years. DOLPHINS
4. April 13, 1970:
Dolphins acquired: Head coach Don Shula
Baltimore Colts acquired: A first-round pick in the 1971 NFL Draft
This wasn’t so much a “trade” as it was a strange compensation case. Shula was a defensive back during his seven-year playing career, but he was best known as one of the pieces involved in the 15-player deal between the Colts and Browns that sent future Hall of Famer Mike McCormack to Cleveland. He retired in 1957 and spent two years in college coaching positions before becoming the Lions defensive backs coach and defensive coordinator in the early 1960s. Shula earned his first head coaching position with the Colts in 1963, and he led Baltimore to the NFL Championship in 1968. However, despite being heavy betting favorites, the Colts fell to the Jets in Super Bowl III, then failed to make the playoffs the following year. Dolphins owner Joe Robbie started negotiating with Shula before the AFL/NFL merger had been officially finalized, but Shula did not sign until after the merger was complete. The later signing meant the deal violated the newly minted anti-tampering rules and forced the Dolphins to send a first-round pick to the Colts (had the deal been finalized before the merger became official, Miami would have gotten Shula without having to give Baltimore any compensation).
Shula would have an instant impact, leading the Dolphins to the playoffs in his first five years with the team, highlighted by three straight Super Bowl appearances and a perfect 17-0 season in 1972. In 26 seasons with Miami, he posted a 257-133-2 record and led the Dolphins to 16 playoff appearances, seven AFC Championship Games, five Super Bowls, and two titles. Overall, Shula was a four-time Coach of the Year (1964, ’67, and ’68 with the Colts and 1972 with the Dolphins) and his 328 regular-season wins are the most in NFL history. After he retired in 1995, he leant his name to a steakhouse chain and starred in a NutriSystem commercial along with former quarterback Dan Marino. Shula was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1997 and died on May 4, 2020, at the age of 90.
Baltimore used the pick on running back Don McCauley, who was a two-time ACC Player of the Year with North Carolina. McCauley was a jack-of-all-trades with the Colts, finishing with 2.627 yards and 40 touchdowns rushing, 3,026 yards and 17 scores receiving, 967 yards, and a touchdown on kick returns, and his only completed pass resulted in a score. After an 11-year career, he retired in 1981.
Assessment: McCauley was a productive player, but Shula’s acquisition was franchise-changing for the Dolphins. They went from a perennial basement-dweller to a team that earned a spot in three straight Super Bowls. He is arguably the best coach in NFL history and holds the league record for most victories. DOLPHINS
5. August 24, 1976:
Dolphins acquired: S Bryant Salter
Redskins acquired: S Jake Scott and a fourth-round pick in the 1977 NFL Draft
Salter was a former Pitt safety who started his career with the Chargers in 1971. He had 14 interceptions in three years in San Diego. After two seasons with the Redskins, Salter spent just 12 games with the Dolphins before Miami released him. He signed on with the Colts, but played just one game and retired after the 1976 season. Once his playing career ended, Salter joined the U. S. Foreign Services Department, where he was in charge of affairs in Caribbean countries Saint Kitts & Nevis and Antigua and Barbuda.
Scott was a 1968 All-American safety at Georgia who started his career with the CFL’s BC Lions the following year. He joined the Dolphins in 1970 and was a five-time Pro Bowler and a two-time All-Pro during his six-year stint in Miami. Scott had arguably his best game in Super Bowl VII. He intercepted Redskins quarterback Billy Kilmer twice to earn game MVP honors in the 14-7 win that cemented the Dolphins’ perfect season in 1972. After the trade, Scott had 14 interceptions in three seasons with the Redskins, and retired after picking off seven passes in 1978. He owned a ranch in Colorado with fellow Dolphins safety Dick Anderson before selling it and moving to Hawaii. The Redskins used the pick to select Duncan McColl, a Stanford defensive end who never played in the NFL.
Assessment: Neither team got prolonged production from the players involved, but Scott’s three solid years after the trade give the edge to Washington. REDSKINS
6. September 24, 1980:
Dolphins acquired: A sixth-round pick in the 1981 NFL Draft and a fifth-rounder in 1982
Vikings acquired: C Jim Langer
The Dolphins found a solid player with the sixth-round pick in 1981. Fulton Walker was a cornerback at West Virginia, but he made a name for himself as a return man in the NFL. He played 54 games over four full seasons with the Dolphins, amassing 2,944 yards on kickoff returns, and 305 on punt returns. Walker had his best performances in his team’s biggest game. He set a record in Super Bowl XVII with 190 kickoff return yards, including a 98-yarder late in the second quarter that was the first kick return touchdown in Super Bowl history. Walker’s return gave the Dolphins a 17-10 lead, but the Redskins scored 17 second-half points to win, 27-17). He was cut by Miami and signed with Oakland in 1985, posting the most punt return yards (695) in one season in NFL history at the time (he now ranks third). Walker retired in 1987 with 5,216 total return yards (3,779 on kickoffs and 1,437 on punts). He died of a heart attack in 2016. The 1982 pick was used on University of Miami defensive tackle Bob Nelson, who never signed with the Dolphins. Instead, he spent three years in the ill-fated United States Football League until it folded in 1985. Nelson played 16 games with the Buccaneers and 46 over three seasons with the Packers before retiring in 1990.
Langer was a South Dakota State product who went undrafted in 1970. He was picked up by the Dolphins after the Browns released him in training camp and spent the next 10 seasons in Miami. After two years backing up Bob DeMarco, Langer took over the starting center spot in 1972, earning six Pro Bowl and three All-Pro selections while also winning two titles with the Dolphins. He played 22 games in two seasons after the trade to Minnesota and retired in 1981. Langer went into broadcasting after his playing career and was inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1987. He died in 2019 at age 71.
Assessment: Langer was a star with Miami, but his best years were behind him when this trade was made. Nelson never played with Miami, but Walker was a solid special teams player who gained notoriety by scoring the first kick return touchdown in Super Bowl history. DOLPHINS
7. April 24, 1994:
Dolphins acquired: First- and third-round picks in the 1994 NFL Draft
Packers acquired: A first-round pick in 1994
The Dolphins selected Mississippi defensive tackle Tim Bowens with the 20th pick in the 1994 NFL Draft. Bowens posted a career-high 52 tackles to earn Defensive Rookie of the Year honors. He spent his entire 11-year career with Miami, totaling 22 sacks and making the Pro Bowl twice before he retired after the 2004 season. The Dolphins sent the third-rounder along with two others to the Cardinals for the final pick in the second round, which was used to select Tim Ruddy. The former Notre Dame center played 156 games over 10 seasons, all with Miami. The 2000 Pro Bowler suffered from knee issues later in his career before he was released by the Dolphins and retired in 2003. Ruddy will be inducted into the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame in 2020.
Green Bay moved up four spots and took guard Aaron Taylor with the 16th pick in 1994. The Notre Dame graduate was a high school All-American and earned the honor twice with the Fighting Irish. Taylor appeared in 46 games in three seasons with the Packers and was the starter in back-to-back title games, including a 35-21 win over the Patriots in Super Bowl XXXI. He signed with the Chargers and played two seasons with San Diego before knee injuries forced him to retire in 1999. Taylor now works as a college football analyst for CBS Sports.
Assessment: Taylor was a starter in two Super Bowls with Green Bay before injuries slowed him down. Bowens and Ruddy were not stars, but they were solid players for a decade. DOLPHINS
8. (Part One) April 16, 1998:
Dolphins acquired: A second-round pick in the 1998 NFL Draft
Panthers acquired: A first-round pick in 2000
(Part Two) April 18, 1998:
Dolphins acquired: First- and second-round picks in the 1998 NFL Draft
Packers acquired: A first-round pick in 1998
The Dolphins used two trades to try and restock in the 1998 NFL Draft. Two days before the event, Miami sent Carolina a first-round pick in 2000 and got an extra second-rounder in return. Patrick Surtain was a cornerback from Southern Miss who was named Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year in 1997. He earned three Pro Bowl selections and was named an All-Pro in 2002. Surtain’s 29 interceptions ranks fourth in team history, and his 77 passes defensed are tied for the most along with longtime teammate Sam Madison. Surtain was traded to the Chiefs at the 2005 Draft. He spent four years in Kansas City before he was released and retired in 2009.
The second deal dropped the Dolphins 10 spots to 29, where they selected Mississippi running back John Avery, who had 503 yards and two touchdowns as a rookie. Avery was traded to Denver during the 1999 season, but the Broncos released him after six games. He played with the XFL’s Chicago Enforcers, then went to the CFL, where he starred for the Edmonton Eskimos. Avery was a CFL All-Star in 2002 and won the Eddie James Memorial Trophy as the West Division’s leading rusher. He played six games with the Vikings in 2003, but returned to Canada the following year and helped the Argonauts win the Grey Cup. Avery spent three more seasons in Toronto before retiring in 2007.
Miami traded the second Green Bay pick to Detroit for three selections that included Brad Jackson, Scott Shaw, and John Dutton. Jackson was a former University of Cincinnati linebacker who was cut by the Dolphins in training camp. He spent three seasons with the Ravens and he played in the Super Bowl XXXV victory over the Giants. Jackson played one season with the Panthers and retired in 2002. Shaw was a Michigan State guard who was cut by the Dolphins and signed with the Bengals. He played two games with Cincinnati as a rookie and then retired. Dutton was a Nevada quarterback who was also released by the Dolphins in camp. He also had failed tryouts with the Falcons and Browns and never played in the NFL. Dutton spent the next 14 years in the Arena Football League, winning two championships and earning MVP honors in ArenaBowl XVI in 2002 (which his San Jose SaberCats won, 52-14, over the Arizona Rattlers).
Carolina used the 2000 first-round pick on Rashard Anderson, a cornerback from Jackson State. Anderson had one interception and 75 tackles in two seasons with the Panthers. However, he had a substance abuse issue that resulted in a nearly two-year suspension. When Anderson was finally reinstated in 2004, Carolina released him. His football career ended after a failed tryout with the CFL’s Calgary Stampeders in 2005.
The Packers used their acquired first-round pick on Vonnie Holliday, a North Carolina defensive end who made the All-Rookie Team after posting a career-high eight sacks in 1998. Holliday started 63 games in five seasons with Green Bay, totaling 252 tackles and 32 sacks, including a team-record five in a 2002 game against the Bills. He had 62½ career sacks in 15 seasons spent with seven teams. Holliday played with the Cardinals in 2012 and retired after the season.
Assessment: None of Miami’s picks acquired from Green Bay were productive and Anderson was a bust for Carolina, which boils this critique down to Surtain vs. Holliday. Both had solid, lengthy NFL careers for teams that had limited playoff success. Holliday has an All-Rookie Team selection to his credit, but Surtain edges him out with three Pro Bowl selections and one All-Pro nod. DOLPHINS
9. March 8, 2002:
Dolphins acquired: RB Ricky Williams and a fourth-round pick in the 2002 NFL Draft
Saints acquired: First- and fourth-round picks in 2002 and a conditional pick in 2003 (later declared a first-round selection)
In order to draft Williams fifth overall in the 1999 NFL Draft, the Saints gave up quite a bit (six picks in 2000 and two more in 2001), but the former Heisman Trophy winner only lasted three years in New Orleans. He ran for 3,129 yards, including 1,245 in 2001, but he did not make the Pro Bowl. In his first season with the Dolphins, Williams finally matched his college potential. He earned his lone Pro Bowl and All-Pro selections while rushing for a league-leading 1,853 yards and 16 touchdowns in 2002. Williams ran for 1,372 yards the following season but decided to retire in 2004 rather than get suspended for a third positive marijuana test in less than a year. He returned to the Dolphins and served a four-game suspension in 2005, but a fourth positive test in February 2006 led to a yearlong ban. Williams used his time off from the NFL to go to Canada and play with the Toronto Argonauts, a move that bothered so many people that the Canadian league adopted a new rule that banned players suspended by the NFL from signing with a CFL team.
Williams was reinstated late in the 2007 season and returned to Miami, where he spent the next four years. He had a resurgence in 2009 when he ran for 1,121 yards and 11 scores. Williams signed with the Ravens in 2011 and helped his team reach the AFC Championship Game, where they lost to the Patriots. He retired in 2012 and has become a yoga instructor and medical cannabis advocate.
The Dolphins used the fourth-round pick on Randy McMichael, a tight end who was a Freshman All-American at Georgia in 1999. McMichael started all 80 games in his five years with Miami, totaling 283 catches and 3,096 yards (both Dolphins records for tight ends), as well as 18 touchdowns. He signed with St. Louis in 2007 and spent three years each with the Rams and Chargers. McMichael missed the final 12 games in 2008 after suffering a broken tibia and a torn ligament in his right leg. He retired in 2013 and is now the co-host of a sports talk radio show in Atlanta.
New Orleans used the 2002 picks to select Charles Grant in the first round and Keyuo Craver in the fourth. Grant was a former Georgia defensive end who played 118 games in eight seasons with the Saints. He totaled 47 sacks (ninth in team history), including back-to-back double-digit seasons in 2003-04. Grant missed the 2009 playoffs after suffering a torn triceps, but earned a championship ring when the Saints defeated the Colts in Super Bowl XLIV. After New Orleans released him in 2010, he had a failed tryout with the Dolphins and brief stints with the Bears and the United Football League’s Omaha Nighthawks before retiring. Grant pleaded no contest to public affray charges in 2010 for his part in a Georgia nightclub altercation that resulted in the shooting death of a pregnant woman (he was not involved in the shooting, but was stabbed in the neck during the fight). Craver was a former All-Big 12 defensive back at Nebraska, but played just 22 games in two seasons with the Saints. He spent two seasons in the CFL and helped the Edmonton Eskimos win the Grey Cup in 2005. After three years with the Arizona Rattlers in the Arena Football League, Craver returned to Canada, spending his final two seasons with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers before retiring in 2010.
Ricky Williams’ fantastic 2002 season resulted in the conditional 2003 pick being a first-rounder, which the Saints traded to the Cardinals. New Orleans used the three acquired selections on two Georgia teammates, defensive tackle Johnathan Sullivan and guard Jon Stinchcomb, along with Florida State guard Montrae Holland. Sullivan made the All-Rookie Team, but played just 36 games in three seasons. He was traded to the Patriots in 2006, but was released without playing a game with New England and retired. Stinchcomb was a high school All-American and spent his entire eight-year career with the Saints. He missed the entire 2005 season with a right knee injury, but returned to start every game over the next five seasons. Stinchcomb earned his only Pro Bowl selection in 2009, then started in the Super Bowl XLIV win over the Colts. He retired after the 2010 season and is now a television analyst with Saints. Holland was an All-ACC selection in 2002, and he played 52 games in four seasons with New Orleans. He started all 16 games with the Broncos in 2006 and played four years with the Cowboys before retiring after the 2011 season. The Cardinals got the better end of this deal, using the acquired picks on linebacker Calvin Pace and wide receiver Anquan Boldin.
Assessment: Williams had three 1,000-yard seasons with Miami, but had too many issues, especially later in his career. McMichael was a solid starter during his five years in South Beach. Grant and Stinchcomb were the only two consistently productive players New Orleans got out of this deal, but both played key roles in a Super Bowl victory. SAINTS
10. July 20, 2008:
Dolphins acquired: A second-round pick in the 2009 NFL Draft and a sixth-rounder in 2010
Redskins acquired: DE Jason Taylor
The Dolphins used the 2009 second-round pick on one of the most highly touted players in the draft. Pat White was a dual-sport player who gave up a baseball career in the Anaheim Angels organization to attend West Virginia. He set the career quarterback rushing record (4,480 yards) while also earning two Big East Offensive Player of the Year awards with the Mountaineers. Despite the Dolphins employing the Wildcat formation (in which different players besides the quarterback receive the snap to throw the defense off balance), White’s talents did not lead to NFL success. He had just 21 rushes in 13 games and misfired on all five of his passes. His rookie season ended after a helmet-to-helmet hit against the Steelers in the final game.
Miami waived him during the 2010 preseason, and he had a failed tryout with the UFL’s Virginia Destroyers the following year. He played minor league baseball in the Royals and Marlins organizations over the next two years, but returned to football in 2013. White spent the preseason with the Redskins before they released him, and played with the CFL’s Edmonton Eskimos the following year before retiring in 2015. He was Alcorn State’s quarterback coach for two years before being hired to coach running backs at South Florida in March 2020.
The Dolphins traded the 2010 sixth-round pick along with another selection to move up into the fifth round and take Reshad Jones, a former safety at Georgia. Jones spent his first 10 years with the Dolphins, earning two Pro Bowl selections and totaling 21 interceptions, 10½ sacks, and 776 tackles. He was beset by injuries later in his Dolphins tenure, missing 10 games in 2016 with a torn rotator cuff and 12 contests last year due to an assortment of ailments, including a chest injury. Miami released Jones in March.
Taylor was an All-American defensive end at Akron who became a Dolphins legend during his 12 years with the club. He was a six-time Pro Bowler and a three-time All-Pro who played 204 games with Miami. Taylor had 10 or more sacks six times, including a league-leading 18½ in 2002, and his total of 131 overall is the most in team history. He was named Defensive Player of the Year in 2006 after posting 13½ sacks, returning two interceptions for touchdowns, and leading the NFL with nine forced fumbles. The 2007 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award winner also tops the Dolphins’ all-time list with 43 forced fumbles, and his 27 fumble recoveries are the most among defensive players.
Taylor spent one lackluster season with the Redskins in 2008, posting 3½ sacks in 13 games. He returned to the Dolphins in 2009, went to the AFC East-rival Jets the following year, and came back to Miami for one final season in 2011 before retiring. Taylor was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2017.
Assessment: Although Taylor is by far the best player in this deal, he spent just one year with Washington. White could not recreate his college success in the NFL, but Jones was an effective starter when healthy, and his two Pro Bowl selections put Miami over the top in this trade. DOLPHINS
All NFL statistics and awards courtesy of https://www.pro-football-reference.com/
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