MIAMI GARDENS — Adam Osceola’s first visit to the Miami Dolphins training facility Aug. 14 with fellow seniors from Hollywood and Big Cypress served as a trip down memory lane.

Osceola became a Dolphins fan at a perfect time. In fact, it was just in time for their perfect season. At about age 8, he started rooting for the Fins in 1970, the same year coach Don Shula arrived. Osceola remembers the ’72 season when the Dolphins lost to Dallas in the Super Bowl.

But, like most longtime fans, memories from the following season are what sticks with him the most. The perfect 17-0 season in 1973 hasn’t been matched; it was remarkable it happened at all.

“Bob Griese went down and Earl Morrall stepped in,” Osceola recalled.

Indeed, Griese, the starting quarterback, broke his ankle in week 5. Morrall guided the squad the rest of the way in the regular season before Griese returned late in the playoffs. Even though more than 50 seasons have passed, Osceola still easily recalls the names on the team.

“Csonka, Morris, Warfield,” Osceola said as he began reeling off the names that became heroes in South Florida.

While he was growing up, Osceola said he attended some games with the tribe. He remembers the tribe taking people to the Orange Bowl on a school bus.

“One of them broke down. I think that was ours,” he said.

The seniors didn’t encounter any issues with the air-conditioned bus that brought them to and from the training facility with staff from the Senior Center and Elder Services aboard.

Regarding this year’s team, while some in the group yelled “Tua” hoping to catch the attention of popular quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. Osceola, perhaps remembering the importance of the “No-Name Defense” in 1973, was more interested in watching 6-foot-6, 300-pound defensive lineman Zach Sieler, who signed a big contract last year. He had 10 sacks last season.

“They got him under contract, so that’s good,” Osceola said.

Osceola isn’t predicting an undefeated season, but he does expect the team to make the playoffs again.

“I think they’ll be good. They were pretty good last year, they went to the playoffs. They just need to have a playoff game (at home),” he said.

The seniors had lunch under a tent in a VIP area in a corner of the practice field. Some hoped a few players would stop by at the end of practice, but that didn’t happen as the entire team went indoors immediately at the end of the session.

Dolphin fans will get a chance to see if what the team worked on in training camp pays off on the field.