2000
January 2
In a 21-10 loss to the Washington Redskins at FedEx Field, Olindo Mare kicks
a 39-yard field goal, his 39th and final of the 1999 season, extending his NFL
record of most field goal made in a single season.
January 9
The Dolphins defeat the Seattle Seahawks, 20-17, in an AFC First-Round Playoff
game at the Kingdome, the final football game at the stadium. The win was Miami's
first road playoff victory since they defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers in the
1972 AFC Championship Game at Three Rivers Stadium. Quarterback Dan Marino completes
17 of 30 passes for 196 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions in the
victory, in which he guided a late drive that led to the game-winning touchdown
with 4:48 remaining.
January 15
The Dolphins drop a 62-7 decision to the Jacksonville Jaguars in an AFC Divisional
Playoff game at ALLTEL Stadium. The contest would be the final one in the playing
career of quarterback Dan Marino and coaching career of Jimmy Johnson.
January 16
Jimmy Johnson, the Dolphins' General Manager/Head Coach since 1996, retires. Dave Wannstedt, the team's Assistant Head Coach in 1999, is named Head Coach.
January 24
Jim Bates is named defensive coordinator, replacing George Hill. Clarence Brooks is named defensive line coach, replacing Cary Godette.
February 1
Chan Gailey, the Head Coach with the Dallas Cowboys from 1998-99, is named offensive coordinator, replacing Kippy Brown. Randy Shannon, a defensive assistant with the Dolphins from 1998-99, is promoted to linebackers coach.
February 7
Mike Shula, the offensive coordinator with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1996-99, re-joins the Dolphins as quarterbacks coach, replacing Larry Seiple. Shula previously had served as an assistant on Miami's coaching staff from 1991-92. Judd Garrett is named as an offensive assistant, and Robert Nunn is named as a defensive assistant.
February 10
Quarterback Dan Marino, the Dolphins' first-round draft choice in 1983 and the NFL's all-time leading passer, voids the final two years of his contract, thus becoming a free agent.
March 7
The Dolphins sign 12-year veteran running back Thurman Thomas to a three-year contract as a free agent. Thomas, who played with Buffalo for each of the first 12 years of his career and was a member of four Bills Super Bowl teams, is the all-time leading rusher against the Dolphins.
March 13
Dan Marino announces his retirement from professional football.
April 14
The Dolphins unveil Dan Marino's permanent encased locker at the team's Nova Southeastern University training faclity, the first of its kind in club history.
April 28
The Dave Wannstedt era officially begins as the Dolphins take the field for the first time in minicamp under the new Dolphins head coach.
May 3
The Dolphins name Rick Spielman as Vice President-Player Personnel. Spielman had served as Director of Pro Personnel with the Chicago Bears since 1997.
June 12
Huizenga Holdings, Inc., the private company that represents many of the non-publicly
traded business interests of the Huizenga family, announces that it retained
the investment banking firm of Morgan Stanley Dean Whitter to explore strategic
alternatives regarding the financial structure of the Miami Dolphins and Pro
Player Stadium. Alternatives include the potential of additional investors in
the team and the stadium, as well as naming rights for the stadium.
August 21
The portion of N.W. 199 Street in front of Pro Player Stadium is re-named "Dan Marino Boulevard". The new address for the Dolphins' home becomes 2269 Dan Marino Boulevard.
August 23
More than 50,000 fans show up at Pro Player Stadium for the public tribute to Dan Marino. The night's festivities include appearances by the five other members of the famed quarterback "Class of '83" -- John Elway, Jim Kelly, Todd Blackledge, Tony Eason and Ken O'Brien -- as well as former Dolphins Head Coach Don Shula and former Steleers quarterback Terry Bradshaw. The band "Hootie and the Blowfish" provide the musical entertainment, while the four-hour event concludes with a gala fireworks display.
September 3
Jay Fiedler opens at quarterback in the Dolphins' season-opener against Seattle at Pro Player Stadium. Fiedler is the first quarterback to start on opening day for the Dolphins other than Dan Marino since 1983. Fiedler completes 15 of 24 passes for 134 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions in the Dolphins' 23-0 win, the third shutout victory on opening day in franchise history and the first since 1983.
September 17
The Dolphins defeat the eventual Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens, 19-6, in a game that was played through a steady rain at Pro Player Stadium. At halftime of the game, former quarterback Dan Marino has his jersey No. 13 retired, the second Dolphin ever to receive that honor. He also becomes the 13th member of the Dolphin Honor Roll.
October 8
For the first time since September 21, 1997 at Tampa Bay, the Dolphins wear their white jerseys with white pants in a 22-13 victory over Buffalo at Pro Player Stadium.
October 23
On a Monday night at the Meadowlands, the Dolphins hold a commanding 30-7 fourth-quarter lead over the New York Jets. The Jets, however, post 30 of the 37 points scored in the fourth quarter to send the game into overtime, where John Hall ended the four hour, ten minute epic with a 40-yard field goal, 6:47 into the extra period. It was the largest comeback win ever against the Dolphins, while it also marked the longest game in the 31-year history of ABC Monday Night Football.
December 10
In a 16-13 loss to Tampa Bay at Pro Player Stadium, running back Lamar Smith rushes for 79 yards and surpasses the 1,000-yard rushing plateau for the season. Smith becomes the first Dolphin to accomplish the feat since Karim Abdul-Jabbar in 1996 and the fifth player overall to do it.
December 24
The Dolphins earn a 27-24 victory over the Patriots on Christmas Eve at Foxboro Stadium to claim the 16th AFC East title in club history and the first since 1994. Thirty-five minutes following the apparent conclusion of the game, both teams were summoned back onto the field after it was determined that three seconds still remained with the Patriots having the ball at their own 40. Michael Bishop's final pass attempt of the game fell incomplete at about the Dolphins' 25.
December 30
The Dolphins erase a 14-0 third-quarter deficit by scoring 23 of the next 26
points en route to a 23-17 overtime win against the Colts in an AFC First-Round
Playoff game at Pro Player Stadium. It marks the second-largest comeback win
in Dolphins postseason annals. The winning points are scored on a 17-yard run
by running back Lamar Smith with 3:34 to play in the first overtime. It caps
a day in which Smith set an NFL playoff record with 40 rushing attempts. His
209 rushing yards is the second-highest figure in NFL playoff history and the
most-ever by a Dolphin (regular season or postseason) at that time.
