An American Football League All-Star during his first two years, Griese went on to earn Pro Bowl honors in six more seasons. While he never put up huge numbers, his leadership played an important role in helping the Dolphins compete in three consecutive Super Bowls, winning the latter two contests. On October 15, 1972, he suffered a broken leg after being hit by San Diego Chargers defensive lineman Deacon Jones. Despite his absence from the lineup, the Dolphins continued to win, ending the regular season undefeated. In the 1972 AFC Championship game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Griese made his first appearance since the injury when he started the second half. With the Dolphins trailing 10-7, he quickly led two drives to help the team reach Super Bowl VII. In that contest, two first half touchdowns were enough to make Miami the first NFL team ever to complete a season undefeated.