1976 Miami Dolphins season

1976 Miami Dolphins season
Head coach	Don Shula
Home field	Orange Bowl
Results
Record	6–8
Division place	3rd AFC East
Playoff finish	did not qualify

The 1976 Miami Dolphins season was the team's 11th, and seventh as a member of the National Football League (NFL). The Dolphins failed to improve on their previous season's output of 10–4, winning only six games.^[1] One of these wins came over their new in-state rivals, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers — who proceeded to lose all 14 games that year. The 6–8 finish marked the first losing record of head coach Don Shula's career.

Offseason

NFL Draft

1976 Miami Dolphins draft
Round	Pick	Player	Position	College	Notes
1	17	Larry Gordon	Linebacker	Arizona State
1	19	Kim Bokamper *	Defensive end	San Jose State
Made roster    *   Made at least one Pro Bowl during career

^[2]

Personnel

Staff

1976 Miami Dolphins staff
	Front office President – Joe Robbie Vice President – Don Shula Director of Player Personnel – Bobby Beathard Head coaches Head Coach – Don Shula Offensive coaches Offense/Receivers/Passing Game – Howard Schnellenberger Offensive Backs – Carl Taseff Offensive Line/Running Game – John Sandusky			Defensive coaches Assistant Head Coach/Defense – Bill Arnsparger Defensive Line/Run Defense – Mike Scarry Linebackers/Pass Defense – Don Doll Defensive Backs – Tom Keane Special teams coaches Special Teams – Carl Taseff Punting – Tom Keane

Regular season

Schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Attendance
1	September 13, 1976	at Buffalo Bills	W 30–21	77,683
2	September 19, 1976	at New England Patriots	L 30–14	46,053
3	September 26, 1976	New York Jets	W 16–0	49,754
4	October 3, 1976	Los Angeles Rams	L 31–28	60,753
5	October 10, 1976	at Baltimore Colts	L 28–14	58,832
6	October 17, 1976	Kansas City Chiefs	L 20–17	43,325
7	October 24, 1976	at Tampa Bay Buccaneers	W 23–20	61,437
8	October 31, 1976	New England Patriots	W 10–3	52,863
9	November 7, 1976	at New York Jets	W 27–7	53,344
10	November 14, 1976	at Pittsburgh Steelers	L 14–3	48,945
11	November 22, 1976	Baltimore Colts	L 17–16	62,104
12	November 28, 1976	at Cleveland Browns	L 17–13	74,715
13	December 5, 1976	Buffalo Bills	W 45–27	43,475
14	December 11, 1976	Minnesota Vikings	L 29–7	46,543

Standings

AFC East
	W	L	T	PCT	DIV	CONF	PF	PA	STK
Baltimore Colts^(2)	11	3	0	.786	7–1	11–1	376	236	W1
New England Patriots^(4)	11	3	0	.786	6–2	10–2	246	171	W6
Miami Dolphins	6	8	0	.429	5–3	6–6	263	264	L1
New York Jets	3	11	0	.214	2–6	3–9	169	383	L4
Buffalo Bills	2	12	0	.143	0–8	2–10	245	363	L10

References

1. 1976 Miami Dolphins
2. "1976 Miami Dolphins draftees". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved October 18, 2014.

External links

• 1976 Miami Dolphins at Pro-Football-Reference.com