Legendary Dolphins head coach Don Shula passed away on Monday morning, per a club announcement. The league’s all-time winningest coach was 90.
After his playing career with the Browns, Colts, and Redskins, Shula began his coaching career as the Lions’ defensive coordinator in 1960. After spending some time as the Colts’ head coach, the Dolphins traded a first-round pick for him and the rest, as they say, is history. Shula went on to coach the NFL’s only perfect season in 1972 and captured another Super Bowl ring in 1973.
“Don Shula will always be remembered as one of the greatest coaches and contributors in the history of our game,” commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. “He made an extraordinarily positive impact on so many lives. The winningest coach in NFL history and the only one to lead a team to a perfect season, Coach Shula lived an unparalleled football life. As a player, Hall of Fame coach, and long-time member and co-chair of the NFL Competition Committee, he was a remarkable teacher and mentor who for decades inspired excellence and exemplified integrity. His iconic legacy will endure through his family and continue to inspire generations to come.”
Shula coached the Dolphins all the way through the 1995 season and was enshrined in Canton in 1997. Shula managed to win with different teams in very different eras, making him one of the league’s most respected and beloved figures.
“Don Shula was the patriarch of the Miami Dolphins for 50 years,” the Dolphins said in a statement. “He brought the winning edge to our franchise and put the Dolphins and the city of Miami in the national sports scene. Our deepest thoughts and prayers go out to Mary Anne along with his children Dave, Donna, Sharon, Anne and Mike.”
Shula holds the NFL record with 347 total wins as a head coach. For reference, George Halas has 324 wins between the regular season and postseason and Bill Belichick has 304.
We here at PFR extend our condolences to the Shula family as well his extended Dolphins family.
Corona?
He was 90. Says he died peacefully per the reports.
No thanks, I’m a Bud man
Lol
RIP to one of the classiest guys you’d ever have wanted to meet.
The GOAT coach. Never cheated to win.
One of the good ones.
A great coach and human being! RIP
It was impossible to see the results Shula got and not have respect for him. Everything I’ve ever heard was that he was every bit the stellar man off the field as he was on it.
He was the subject of a great quote from former coach Bum Phillips: “Don Shula can take his’n and beat your’n, or he can take your’n and beat his’n.”
Even BB hasn’t matched his career win total; amazing!!
7 years is “spending some time with the Colts?” Most coaches don’t even approach that total. His time in Baltimore built his foundation. It should be given more than a glance mention.
Totally agree. He was 71-23 (0.755 winning percentage) with the Colts and won a championship (lost the Super Bowl to the Jets). In 1967-1968, he was 24-2-2. Crazy numbers for the Colts. It’s easy to see why the Dolphins traded a first rounder for him
I was lucky to attended ever home game.
RIP . you will be missed but not forgotten
Very sad day. My top 5
Coaches of all time…
1. Don Shula
2. George Siefert
3. Bill Walsh
4. Frank Wyche
5. (Tie) Bill Belechik
5. (Tie) Tony Dingy
Frank Wyche? He must have been the guy who said “You don’t live in Canton”.
Tony Dungy was a better coach than Tony Dingy. Just sayin.
Are you kiddin?
1 Shula
2 Lombardi
3 Noll
4 Landry
5 Hallas
Sorry Cheatercheck will never get my respect if you have to cheat to win.
He almost went undefeated with the Colts but had 2 Ties going into last game if the season, so it was not a perfect season but still no losses. Loses for the only time that year but it was against the Rams. Rams win the division the division on the tie breaker. One of the ties was against the Rams.
They go 11-2-1 but since there was no wild card they don’t go to the playoffs.
It was the short lived Coastal Division from 1967-69. I still miss the conferences being separated but understood why they had to put both of them together. The WC came about issues like this plus you had to have an extra team anyways to make it 4.
RI
One of the classiest people I ever had the privilege to know. God Bless you Don. Rest Easy
R.I.P Don. You were always the best and we will miss you. Please don’t hate me for still wishing George Allen had won that SB.
One of the biggest things I would say that made him one of the truly best is the huge amount of differences in the men he coached throughout the years. I mean he coached teams like the’72 Dolphins, which is when football was more football and not entertainment. Then into the early 90’s when things were TOTALLY different, from the equipment to the players to the speed and hitting. That couldn’t have been easy to do, and yet still he found success. Member in my life liked a single Dolphins team but gotta give respect when it’s due. RIP Mr. Don Shula