Bob Griese
The cerebral quarterback who orchestrated the Miami Dolphins' legendary Perfect Season with surgical precision and quiet leadership.
Born 1945 (age 81)·American football player·Birthday: February 3·The Silent Generation
Biography
Bob Griese was the steady, brilliant mind at the helm of the Miami Dolphins' 1970s dynasty, a quarterback known more for his intelligence and accuracy than flashy athleticism. After a standout career at Purdue, he joined the fledgling Dolphins and became the cornerstone of coach Don Shula's system. Griese's defining moment came in the 1972 season, where he called the plays for a team that went 17-0, a perfect record still unmatched in the NFL. Though injury sidelined him for part of that historic run, his return for the playoffs was essential to securing the championship. He led the Dolphins to three consecutive Super Bowl appearances, winning two, with a style defined by efficient passing, expert play-action, and an unflappable demeanor that earned him the nickname 'The Thinking Man's Quarterback.'
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Bob was born in 1945, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Bob Was Born
The biggest hits of 1945
#1 Movie
The Bells of St. Mary's
Best Picture
The Lost Weekend
Bob's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1945Born
WWII ends; atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $4,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Sentimental Journey" — Les Brown & Doris DayBest Picture: The Lost Weekend
1950Started school
Korean War begins
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,354Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Goodnight Irene" — Gordon Jenkins & The WeaversBest Picture: All About Eve
1958Became a teenager
NASA founded
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Volare" — Domenico ModugnoBest Picture: Gigi
1961Could drive
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1963Could vote
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1966Turned 21
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1975Turned 30
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1985Turned 40
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1995Turned 50
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
2005Turned 60
Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans; YouTube launches
Gas: $2.30/galHome: $167,500Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"We Belong Together" — Mariah CareyBest Picture: Crash
2015Turned 70
Paris climate agreement; same-sex marriage legalized in the US
Gas: $2.43/galHome: $171,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Uptown Funk" — Mark Ronson ft. Bruno MarsBest Picture: Spotlight
2025Turned 80
AI agents go mainstream
Gas: $3.10/galHome: $385,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"APT." — Rose & Bruno Mars
2026Age 81 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Quarterbacked the Miami Dolphins during their perfect 17-0 season in 1972, culminating in a Super Bowl VII victory.
- Led the Dolphins to three consecutive Super Bowl appearances (VI, VII, VIII), winning back-to-back championships in 1973 and 1974.
- Selected to the Pro Bowl six times and named a First-team All-Pro in 1971 and 1977.
- Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1990, his first year of eligibility.
Did You Know?
He wore thick, distinctive glasses during games until the NFL mandated contact lenses for quarterbacks.
Griese's son, Brian Griese, also became an NFL quarterback and won a Super Bowl as a backup with the Denver Broncos.
He was a two-time All-American at Purdue University and finished third in Heisman Trophy voting in 1966.
After retirement, he had a long career as a color commentator for ABC Sports and ESPN's college football coverage.
“You don't have to throw it a hundred yards; you just have to throw it to the right spot.”
