NFL Football & Don Shula

Don Shula, as coach of the Miami Dolphins, is knownMiami Dolphins, amassed an impressive record of
as the most winning-est football coach of the NFL.feats. During this time his team played in a 6 Super
Donald Francis Shula was born in January 1930 inBowl games, where he maintains the record for
Grand River, Ohio. Shula played football in high schoolhaving coached that number of games. They were
and then in college at John Carroll University. Ironically,only victorious in 2 of these events. Those games
Don was not a starting player. His first stint as awere in 1973 against the Washington Redskins 14-7
professional player began in 1951 at the age of 21 forand in 1974 a 24-7 win over the Minnesota Vikings.
the Cleveland Browns. His career as a pro ended 7Don Shula's record holds today at 300 career wins.
years later with the Washington Redskins. DuringThe Miami Dolphins, in his 26 years of leadership, had
these 7 years he played in only 73 games.only 2 of those years below.500 and a total of 7
His coaching career began at the college level for astraight winning seasons. Shula's team reached the
brief few years. It wasn't until 1963 that he becameplayoffs 20 times and won 10 of them in his 33
head coach of the Baltimore Colts, where, over a 7years of coaching.
year period, his record was 71 wins, 23 losses, a 7Shula won Football Coach of the Year 3 times, in
year winning season. He left the Colts to coach a1964 and 1968 as coach of the Baltimore Colts and in
then young team who were in their 5th season as a1971 as coach of the Miami Dolphins. It wasn't until
professional team. This head coach job was for the1997 that Don Shula was inducted into Pro Football's
Miami Dolphins where he spent the remaining yearsHall of Fame, the winning-est coach of the National
of his coaching career.Football League.
From 1970 to 1995, Don Shula, as head coach of the