1972 Miami Dolphins Finally Receive Their White House Honor

On August 20, 2013, the 1972 Miami Dolphins were honored by President Barack Obama in a private ceremony held at the White House. Premier Guide Miami bloggers Daedrian McNaughton and Gary Sandelier were invited to cover the event.

Here I was, in the East Room within 30 feet of the President and the 1972 Miami Dolphins team being honored at the White House. Even though I wasn't around at the time, it still did not diminish the thrill and the excitement to see these men getting the recognition they deserved.

In 1972, Gary was only 20 years old when the Miami Dolphins won their major NFL and Super Bowl championship, undefeated. Today, any football fan of that era can recall where they were and what they were doing when the South Florida football team made history.

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I was there, because I remembered when it happened. I was a young man about 18 years old, and the whole town came together to celebrate a great time. It was more than just a championship — it was the first championship for the city and the first time that the community rallied around one team. It was an important time, an important day, an important accomplishment.

It was a trip down memory lane as the 1972 Miami Dolphins were honored in a presidential embrace by President Obama at the White House for their 1972 Super Bowl Championship win against the Washington Redskins (17-0). On Tuesday, August 20, 2013, 31 former Miami Dolphins team members and Coach Don Shula finally received the recognition that was long overdue.

Though it has been a long tradition that began in 1865 during President Andrew Johnson's presidency to host championship teams at the White House, the 1972 Dolphins had missed their opportunity after President Richard Nixon was embroiled in the Watergate Scandal in 1973.

"I'm honored that the accomplishments of the 1972 Dolphins are going to be recognized by the President with a ceremony at the White House. It is a very special occasion and I know it's something that all of us will enjoy and remember," the Miami Dolphins Hall of Fame Coach Don Shula shared in a statement.

A ring, a championship win, and now a White House visit. Forty-one years later the Miami Dolphins are finally celebrating their win in grand fashion — a recognition from the President of the United States.

"I am proud to welcome the only undefeated, untied team in NFL history to the White House for the very first time," President Obama said. "We want to congratulate all of them, and we want to make sure that they're remembered for not only the history that sports fans will always remember, but also for all the countless contributions that they've made in their community as well."

The ceremony was held in the East Room of the White House where the team members, Dolphins owners Tim Robbie and Stephen Ross, along with Coach Shula assembled on a riser behind the President. Looking on were over one hundred invited family members, friends, and community leaders including Mayor Carlos Gimenez, real estate developer Jorge Perez, Ricky Arriola, and Adrienne Arsht.

The ceremony was filled with light humor and lasted about fifteen minutes. The President, who was only 11 years old at the time of the Dolphins win, thought it was a bit unorthodox that he was the one honoring them after four decades. "These guys never got their White House visit after winning Super Bowl VII. Some of them are a little harder to recognize these days," he joked. "They don't have the afros or the mutton chops, the Fu Manchus."

After the President's remarks, Coach Shula rose from his scooter and presented President Obama with a commemorative 1972 Dolphins jersey with the number 72 and the word UNDEFEATED inscribed on the back. The jersey was autographed by the team members.

As for the 1972 Miami Dolphins, three star players — Hall of Fame center Jim Langer, guard Bob Kuechenberg, and defensive tackle Manny Fernandez — declined the invite, citing political differences. Members of the Miami community who visited the White House for the ceremony deemed the event apolitical and thought it was a direct insult to Coach Shula.

"I think some of the players not going was misguided. It was apolitical, completely," Jorge M. Perez shared with Premier Guide Miami. "It was a celebration of the greatest football season. A classy group of guys honored by the President. Whether we like him or not, he is our President, and I thought it was not the right thing to do."

Photos by Daedrian McNaughton / Gary Sandelier / Premier Guide Miami.