Salute to Don Shula
I was sad to hear about the passing of Hall of Fame football coach Don Shula, 90, today. One of the NFL’s coaching legends, and arguably its greatest, Shula personified excellence on and off the football stage.
Over a career of 33 seasons as a head coach in the league (7 with the Baltimore Colts, and 26 with the Miami Dolphins), Shula led his team to victory a record 347 times with a winning percentage of .660 (regular season and playoffs combined).
What’s more, Shula led the Dolphins to five Super Bowls, winning two of them. The most memorable was perhaps the 14-7 Super Bowl VII triumph over the Washington Redskins, which earned his team the only undefeated season in NFL history.
I was blessed to have spoken with Mr. Shula several years ago, and I’m thankful for his kindness in offering some of his recollections of the 1981 NFL Playoff Game between his Dolphins and the San Diego Chargers for my book about that memorable game, known as “The Epic in Miami.”
My prayers and condolences go out to his family and friends. Rest in peace, Coach Shula.