This season will be the 50th anniversary of the greatest team in the history of professional football the 1972 Miami Dolphins, who stand as the only team to cap an undefeated season with a Super Bowl championship.

The Miami Heralds Barry Jackson reported Monday that the 72 team will be honored during the Sunday night matchup on Oct. 23 (Week 7) against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

That team was in the middle of three straight Super Bowl appearances a loss against the Dallas Cowboys in the 1971 season that was followed by a pair of titles in 1972 and 1973.

Unfortunately, on the same day that the 50th-anniversary celebration was announced, another member of the 1972 team passed away pioneer quarterback and wide receiver Marlin Briscoe.

Briscoe became the first Black starting quarterback in modern American professional football in 1968 for the Denver Broncos, then became a wide receiver and spent three years playing for Miami from 1972-1974.

During the Week 7 celebration, many Miami legends are sure to raise glasses of champagne to toast and remember 1972, the team and the individuals. Especially those who will be honored posthumously, such as Hall of Famer Nick Buoniconti, the legendary Jim Mad Dog Mandich and other popular Dolphins such as Jake Scott, Jim Kiick and Bob Kuechenberg, to name a few. And, of course, Hard Rock Stadium will once again get an opportunity to honor the greatest to ever coach a group of football players, Don Shula.

While the legends will be out in spirit and on the sidelines against the Steelers on Oct. 23, you can imagine a grand celebration for a feat that has never been replicated.

While there have been a few scares within those 50 years of another franchise meeting Miami on the mountain of football immortality, it was a Dolphin himself who made sure it didnt happen in 1985. Dan Marino led the Dolphins against a 12-0 Bears juggernaut, and the Bears defense was mastered by Marino as the Dolphins beat Chicago 38-24. Shula brought out his players-of-perfect past, as Larry Csonka and company roamed the sideline in hopes of retaining the sole place in Perfectville.

Most recently, the 2007 New England Patriots ran the regular season gamut perfectly to 16-0. However, a miraculous throw and catch by New York Giants Eli Manning and David Tyree in Super Bowl XLII ended perfection for the Pats.

It will be an amazing atmosphere at Hard Rock Stadium for the nationally televised Sunday night contest. With the number of former Dolphins supporting a current group of players, as well as a few former players and coaches on the opposite side of the field, the storylines are rife with intrigue.

Not only will the Dolphins honor their landmark achievements 50th anniversary, but they will also go against two familiar faces: former head coach Brian Flores, who is now an assistant coach for the Steelers defense, and safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, a former first-round pick of Miamis.

Regardless of how appealing that side note is for a prime-time game, Dolphins fans and football historians will no doubt be treated to a proper honoring of an accomplishment thats treasured by fans young and old.

Miami will look to make Week 7 a perfect Sunday night with a toast and, hopefully, cap off with a win.

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Dolphins will honor 1972 team's 50-year anniversary in Week 7 - Dolphins Wire