This list was created with figures calculated at www.pro-football-reference.com. More here.
Bob Griese was a 6'1" quarterback from Evansville, Indiana. In three seasons playing his collegiate ball as the starting quarterback with the Purdue Boilermakers, he collected a lifetime rating of 123.5, completing 348-of-609 passes for 4,402 yards, 28 touchdowns and 19 interceptions. He led the Boilermakers to a Rose Bowl victory in his final game, beating USC 14-13. The team finished 9-2, ranked seventh in the final poll of the season.
Miami selected Griese in the first round of the 1967 AFL/NFL Entry Draft with the fourth overall pick. He would wear the number 12 jersey throughout his NFL career. He started 10 games his rookie season, appearing in 12 overall. In a week 13 victory over the Boston Patriots, he completed 17-of-30 passes for 270 yards and three touchdowns and no interceptions. Through the season, he completed 166-of-331 passes for an AFL seventh best 2,005 yards, 15 touchdowns and 18 interceptions, good for a quarterback rating of 61.6, fifth in the AFL. He earned a spot in the AFL All-Star game following the season. Miami finished the season with a 4-10 record, Griese was 3-7.
In 1968, Griese started each of the 13 games that he appeared in, missing the final game of the season. He posted a 5-7-1 record, completing 186-of-355 passes for 2,473 yards, each total good for fourth best in the AFL. He also threw a third best 21 touchdowns along with 16 interceptions. He was selected to his second AFL All-Star game, posting an AFL third best QBR of 75.7. His best game of the season was a 34-10 victory over the Boston Patriots, where he completed 19-of-33 passes for 264 yards and three touchdowns against zero interceptions. The team posted a franchise best 5-8-1 record.
1969 would see Griese miss five games due to injury, going 2-6-1 in his nine starts before being knocked out of a week nine 17-16 victory over the Boston Patriots in the first quarter. For the only time in his career he finished out the season with a completion rate below 50%, completing 121-of-252 passes for 1,695 yards and 10 touchdowns, along with 16 interceptions. The season correlated to a career worst 56.9 QBR. His best game of the year was a 18-for-27 performance in a week eight 34-31 loss to the New York Jets. He threw for 222 yards and four touchdowns and only one interception.
In 1970, Miami would turn the whole thing around, posting a 10-4 record and making the playoffs for the first time in franchise history. Griese started every game, completing 58 percent of his passes (142-for-245) for 2,019 yards and 12 touchdowns with 17 interceptions. He was one of three Dolphins in the Pro Bowl. In week nine, he completed 15-of-19 passes for 225 yards as the Phins beat the New Orleans Saints, 21-10.
Griese made his second Pro Bowl in 1971, and his fourth overall all-star game. He was also named to his first career All-NFL first team. Additionally, he was named by the Newspaper Entertainment Association as the NFL's MVP. He appeared in every game, starting 13 of them. He compiled a 9-3-1 record as a starter, completing 145-of-263 passes for 2,089 yards, an NFL second best 19 touchdowns, and only nine interceptions. He finished the season with a career and NFL second-best 90.9 quarterback rating. He led the league with three fourth quarter comebacks on the season. In a week five victory over the Patriots, Griese completed nine-of-14 passes for 185 yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions.
1972 would see Griese's season cut short with a broken ankle suffered against the San Diego Chargers in week five. He posted a 5-0 record towards Miami's perfect 14-0 season as Earl Morrall stepped in and won nine regular season games. Griese completed 53-of-97 passes for 638 yards, four touchdowns and four interceptions. He would return to Miami's lineup at halftime of the AFC Championship game, a 21-17 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers. In Super Bowl VII, Griese completed eight-of-11 passes for 88 yards, along with one touchdown and one interception. Miami won the game, 14-7 over the Washington Redskins.
Griese started 13 of Miami's regular season games in 1973, posting a 12-1 record and missing only the Dolphins 16-3 loss to the Baltimore Colts in week 13. He completed 116-of-218 passes for 1,422 yards and 17 touchdowns against only eight interceptions. Griese was also invited to his third NFL Pro Bowl. In the final week of the season, he completed 11-of-15 passes for 141 yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions. Miami would win their three postseason games as Griese completed 20-of-31 passes for 266 yards and two scores with two picks. Miami won Super Bowl VIII, 24-7 over the Minnesota Vikings.
In 1974, Griese started 13 of Miami's games, posting a 10-3 record and his fourth NFL Pro Bowl invitation. He threw for 1,968 yards on 152-of-253 passing (his first time with a completion rate above 60 percent. He threw 16 touchdowns against 15 interceptions. Miami won the AFC East with an 11-3 record.
1975 would see Griese start 10 games, missing the rest of the campaign with a broken toe. He completed 118-of-191 passes for 1,693 yards and 14 touchdowns with 13 interceptions. He posted a 7-3 record as a starter as Miami missed the playoffs at 10-4. In early November, Griese completed 21-of-34 passes for 511 yards and five scores with no interceptions over a two game span, both Miami wins.
Miami endured their worst season since the merger in 1976, posting a 6-8 record. Griese went 5-8, starting 13 games. He completed 162-of-272 passes for 2,097 yards and 11 touchdowns versus 12 interceptions. During the offseason, it was revealed that Griese was legally blind in his right eye.
Griese would start wearing glasses under his helmet starting in 1977, and he enjoyed the best statistical season of his career. He was invited to his fifth NFL Pro Bowl, and for the second time was selected as an All-NFL First Teamer. Griese led the NFL with an 87.8 passer rating and with 22 scoring passes. He went 180-for-307 and a career high 2,252 yards. In week 11, Griese threw a career high six touchdown passes on 15-of-23 passes in a 55-14 mauling of the St. Louis Cardinals. The 55 points scored remain a Miami record. Griese started every game as Miami barely missed the postseason with a 10-4 record.
The NFL expanded their schedule to 16 games beginning with the 1978 season. Griese started nine games, appearing in 11 overall and posting a 6-3 record. He completed a career high and NFL leading 63 percent of his passes on 148-of-235 passing for 2,160 yards and 11 touchdowns with 11 interceptions. Miami finished 11-5, making the playoffs for the first time in four seasons. In a week 12 road loss to the Houston Oilers, 35-30, Griese completed 23-of-33 passes for a career high 349 yards and two scores.
In 1979, Griese started 12 of 14 games, going 7-5 as a starter. The Dolphins went 10-6, winning the AFC East title. Griese completed 176-of-310 passes for 2,160 yards and 14 touchdowns with 16 interceptions. He went on to start three of five games in 1980, as Miami missed the playoffs with an 8-8 record.
Griese is second on almost every passing category on Miami's all-time list. He completed 56.2 percent of his career passes, going 1,926-for-3,429, gaining 25,092 yards and throwing for 192 scores and 172 interceptions.
Bob Griese HOF (via MrCarlosBarrera)
Griese was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame with the Class of 1990. He would go on to broadcast for NBC, ABC, and ESPN, retiring in 2011.