Bob Griese

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Lore & Background

Griese's career was a masterclass in resilience. During the historic 1972 run, he suffered a broken leg and dislocated ankle in the fifth game against the San Diego Chargers. Backup Earl Morrall maintained the unbeaten streak through the regular season, but Griese returned for the playoffs to clinch the Super Bowl VII berth with a 3-of-5 performance against Pittsburgh. In that title game, he executed a perfect ball-control strategy, completing 8 of 11 passes for 88 yards—though without a touchdown pass—while Larry Csonka rushed for over 120 yards to defeat Washington 14–7. Years later, his durability was tested again; in 1975, a broken toe ended his season early, and in 1980, a shoulder injury from a tackle by Mike Ozdowski forced him to retire at age 35. Despite never putting up massive yardage numbers, his leadership and ability to manage games were the foundation of Miami's dominance.

In Their Own Story

The 1972 season began with Griese leading the Dolphins through four straight wins before his injury against San Diego. Earl Morrall took over, guiding the team to an unbeaten regular season record. As playoffs commenced, the Dolphins struggled initially, barely defeating Cleveland and starting slowly against Pittsburgh until Shula inserted Griese off the bench. He stabilized the offense with three completions in five attempts for 70 yards, securing a 21–17 victory. A year later, on Thanksgiving 1977, Griese donned eyeglasses on the field for the first time and threw six touchdown passes in just three quarters against the St. Louis Cardinals. This performance set a franchise record with 55 points and eight touchdowns. In another memorable contest against the Houston Oilers, he dueled Earl Campbell in an offensive slugfest, throwing for over 300 yards even as the Oilers won 35–30.

Reader's Guide

Griese's professional journey began when he was selected by the Dolphins in the first round of the 1967 draft. He started as a backup to John Stofa until an ankle injury in the season opener forced him into action, leading Miami to a 35–21 win over Denver. After three difficult seasons under coach George Wilson, the hiring of Don Shula in 1970 transformed the team's fortunes from 3–10–1 to 10–4 and a playoff berth. Griese earned the 1971 Newspaper Enterprise Association NFL MVP award and the Jim Thorpe Trophy that year. He was an All-Star or Pro Bowler in eight seasons total, including his first two as an AFL All-Star. His college dominance at Purdue saw him finish eighth in the 1965 Heisman race and runner-up to Steve Spurrier in 1966. He led Purdue to its first Rose Bowl appearance, defeating USC 14–13. In 2014, he was voted onto 'The Mount Rushmore of Purdue Football' alongside Drew Brees, Rod Woodson, and Leroy Keyes.

Did You Know?

• Griese was selected by the Dolphins in the first round as the fourth overall pick in the 1967 Common Draft.
• During the 1972 perfect season, Griese missed five games due to a broken leg and dislocated ankle; backup Earl Morrall led the team through those weeks.
• On Thanksgiving 1977, wearing eyeglasses on the field for the first time, Griese threw six touchdown passes in three quarters to set a franchise record with 55 points.
• Griese is one of only three quarterbacks from Purdue University to win a Super Bowl, alongside Len Dawson and Drew Brees.

Early Life and Multi-Sport Foundation

Born in Evansville, Indiana, to Ida (Ulrich) and Sylverious "Slick" Griese, Bob lost his father at age ten. He attended Rex Mundi High School, earning 12 varsity letters across baseball, basketball, and football. In the summer of 1963, he led his American Legion team, Funkhouser Post #8, to the Region 5 championship as a pitcher. On the court, he scored 900 points in his career, leading the team to the No. 1 ranking in Indiana during the 1962–63 season with a 19–3 record, though they fell short of the sectional title against Evansville Bosse. In football, the Monarchs went 15–5 during his junior (9–1) and senior (6–4) seasons, earning him 1st Team All-City honors for three consecutive years.

Collegiate Dominance at Purdue

At Purdue University, where he majored in management in the Krannert School of Management, Griese became a Sigma Chi member and a three-sport star. He pitched for the baseball team (going 12–1 one season), played guard on basketball, and served as quarterback, kicker, and punter for football. There are at least four games where he was responsible for all of Purdue's points. His passing improved under head coach Jack Mollenkopf and QB coach Bob DeMoss. A two-time All-American, he finished eighth in the 1965 Heisman Trophy race and was the runner-up to Steve Spurrier in 1966. In a junior year upset against top-ranked Notre Dame, he completed 19 of 22 passes. He led Purdue to its first Rose Bowl appearance, defeating USC 14–13. As of the start of the 2016 NCAA season, he ranks #10 in all-time scoring at Purdue.

The Perfect Season and Super Bowl Glory

Griese was drafted by the Dolphins in 1967 as the fourth overall pick. He started as a backup until John Stofa's injury in the first game of that season. After three tough seasons, Don Shula arrived in 1970. In 1972, Griese suffered a broken leg and dislocated ankle against San Diego. Earl Morrall led the unbeaten regular season, but Griese returned for the playoffs to beat Pittsburgh 21–17 with a 3-of-5 performance. He completed 8 of 11 passes for 88 yards and a touchdown in Super Bowl VII, defeating Washington 14–7 to cap the perfect season. The team won its second consecutive title in Super Bowl VIII against Minnesota Vikings (24–7). In 1973, they reached a third straight Super Bowl but lost.

Legacy and Life Beyond the Gridiron

Griese was named the 1971 Newspaper Enterprise Association NFL MVP. He earned All-Star or Pro Bowl honors in eight seasons. After retiring at age 35 following a shoulder injury in 1980, he worked as a commentator for NBC Sports (NFL) and ESPN/ABC Sports (college). Inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1984 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1990, he is one of three Purdue quarterbacks to win a Super Bowl. He was also inducted into the Indiana Football Hall of Fame in 1984 and the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame in 1992.