Today in sports history, one of the greatest coaches in NFL history announced his retirement from the NFL. In 1996, Miami Dolphins head coach Don Shula announced his retirement.
Don Shula would later be inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 1997.
History in Miami for Don Shula
While he is mostly known for his time with the Miami Dolphins, Shula started his head coaching career with the Baltimore Colts. He was in charge from 1963-69. After two consecutive seasons in which the Colts were upset in the playoffs, the relationship between him and owner Carroll Rosenbloom soured. Shula was offered more money, an ownership stake and GM powers in Miami. As a result, he jumped ship to coach the Dolphins.
While Shula was certainly no slouch during his time with the Colts, he became a legend in Miami. Don Shula coached the Dolphins from 1970-95, amassing an incredible 257-133-2 record. During that period, he won 12 division titles and made the postseason 16 times. Shula’s teams made the Super Bowl five times, winning two of them in 1972 and 1973.
Don Shula’s Legacy | Today in Sports History
When it comes to the best coaches of all time, there is little doubt that Don Shula is at the top. During his 33 seasons as a head coach, he set multiple NFL records. He is the leader in all-time victories including the playoffs, with 347. He is also first in most consecutive games coached and most consecutive seasons coached.
Over his career, Shula found success seemingly every year. His teams won 15 division titles, six conference championships and two NFL championships. One of the most impressive things about his teams is that they were always among the least penalized in the league. On top of being a fantastic coach, he was also a part of the NFL’s competition committee during his last 20 seasons as head coach.
Later, in 1996, Shula would be added to the Miami Dolphins Honor Roll. He was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in the Class of 1997. There is currently a statue of Shula outside of the Dolphins’ stadium and the street the stadium is on is named 347 Don Shula Drive.
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