All-Time Dolphins QBs Ranked: Griese #1, Marino #2

David Woodley

#16 · Miami Dolphins
Retired 6 Years In The NFL
🏆 PFWA All-Rookie Team (1980)
David's
HAIR
33.8
HeyTC AI Rating

Questions about David Woodley or the Dolphins?

David Woodley Legacy

HEYTC AI
David Woodley was the ultimate survivor—an eighth-round afterthought who became a starter in his rookie season and nearly pulled off the impossible in Super Bowl XVII. A mobile, scrappy quarterback with an erratic arm, he thrived in Don Shula's creative "Woodstrock" two-QB system with Don Strock, keeping defenses perpetually off-balance. That 1982 playoff run to Miami's last Super Bowl appearance remains his signature moment, though a brutal second-half collapse against Washington defined his legacy more than his 176 rookie completions ever could. Woodley battled back from a liver transplant in 1992 and returned home to Shreveport, where he remained a local treasure until his death in 2003.
David Woodley passed away on May 4, 2003 at the age of 44.

David Woodley Rating Breakdown

Season
Great
Fantasy
Subpar
Playoffs
Average
Overall
Chill
4 years with the Dolphins

David Woodley Career Stats via Wikipedia

8,558 Pass Yards
48 Touchdowns
63 INTs
52.8% Comp %
33.8 HAIR
34-18 Record

Frequently Asked Questions About David Woodley

How does Quinn Ewers compare to David Woodley?

Quinn Ewers, stepping in as Dolphins starter, faces a tall order matching Woodley's bridge-QB grit—he went 34-18-1, youngest Super Bowl starter ever at 24 in XVII, and owned a .651 winning clip despite 63 picks to 48 TDs over 8,558 yards. Ewers' arm talent shines brighter in this pass-happy era, but Woodley's legs (856 rush yards) and "WoodStrock" magic set a sneaky-high bar few rookies clear.

Is David Woodley in the Pro Football Hall of Fame?

Nah, David Woodley ain't in Canton—his six-year run as Griese-to-Marino handoff man doesn't scream Hall, even with that wild .651 winning percentage (34-18-1) and being one of two QBs ever (with Stabler) to win big while throwing 15 more picks than scores. Solid bridge, not bronze-bust material.

How would David Woodley perform in today's NFL?

Woodley's dual-threat chops—8,558 pass yards, 48 TDs, but 856 rushing yards—would feast under today's no-roughing rules and RPO schemes, turning his 53% completion into gadget gold like Lamar Jackson lite. That Super Bowl start at 24? He'd carve secondaries, though his pick-prone arm might still haunt in a 40-TD league.

How does David Woodley compare to Bob Griese?

Woodley (33.82 rating) was the rugged runner to Griese's surgeon (58.41), bridging eras with 8,558 yards and a .651 record while Griese etched rings and perfection. Woodstrock split duties kept Miami humming post-Griese, pre-Marino—think pickup-truck tough vs. sports-car smooth, both Dolphins through and through.