{"id":723,"date":"2020-05-04T19:03:22","date_gmt":"2020-05-04T19:03:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/foreverinourhearts\/?p=723"},"modified":"2020-05-04T19:03:22","modified_gmt":"2020-05-04T19:03:22","slug":"remembering-legendary-nfl-head-coach-don-shula","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/foreverinourhearts\/2020\/05\/remembering-legendary-nfl-head-coach-don-shula.html","title":{"rendered":"Remembering Legendary NFL Head Coach Don Shula"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Miami Dolphins long time head coach and the NFL\u2019s winningnest coach Don Shula passed away Monday at 90 years old.<\/p>\n

A statement released by the Dolphins on Monday deemed Shula the \u201cPatriarch of the Miami Dolphins for 50 years.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe 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,\u201d the statement said.<\/p>\n

Shula grew up in a small town along the Lake Erie shore to Hungarian immigrant parents. Shula\u2019s start in football began in high school after being noticed by an assistant football coach. After being convinced to join the team, Shula was a starting left halfback and handled a majority of his high school football team\u2019s rushing and passing duties. After high school, Shula received a one year scholarship at John Carrol University, which was a private Jesuit school in University Heights, Ohio. After a stellar performance as a freshman, his scholarship went from partial to full.<\/p>\n

Shula graduated from John Carrol University with a degree in Sociology and a minor in mathematics. He was offered a job teaching and coaching at a high school, but he instead signed a $5,000-a-year contract with the Cleveland Browns as a defensive back. Shula was later traded to the Baltimore Colts and then picked up by the Washington Redskins before retiring. Shula had a seven season long career and played in 73 games, which included 21 intercepted passed and four fumbles.<\/p>\n

Shula got his first NFL coaching job as the defensive backfield coach for the Detroit Lions in 1960. The lions posted winning records after in each of Shula\u2019s three seasons there. In 1963 he was named the Baltimore Colt\u2019s head coach, making him the youngest in the NFL and guided the team to a 12-2 record, putting the Colts at the top of the NFL West. He signed on as the Miami Dolphin\u2019s second head coach in 1970 and would coach the Dolphin\u2019s to the league\u2019s only undefeated season (17-0) in 1972. \u00a0In total, Shula led the Dolphin\u2019s to five Super Bowls.<\/p>\n

\u201cCoach Shula was the rare man who exemplified true greatness in every aspect of his life. He will be so missed by so many but his legacy of character and excellence will endure,\u201d Dolphins president Tom Garfinkel said in a statement.<\/p>\n

Don Shula coached six Super Bowls during his career and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1997. Out of the 33 years of being a head coach in the NFL, Shula only had two losing seasons. The legacy Shula created in the NFL will forever live in his memory.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Miami Dolphins long time head coach and the NFL\u2019s winningnest coach Don Shula passed away Monday at 90 years old. A statement released by the Dolphins on Monday deemed Shula the \u201cPatriarch of the Miami Dolphins for 50 years.\u201d \u201cHe brought the winning edge to our franchise and put the Dolphins and the city of…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":624,"featured_media":726,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fbia_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[163],"tags":[9,291,300,297,294],"class_list":["post-723","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sports","tag-death","tag-don-shula","tag-in-remembrance-of","tag-miami-dolphins","tag-nfl"],"yoast_head":"\nRemembering Legendary NFL Head Coach Don Shula<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Today we are remembering NFL head coach Don Shula who passed away on Monday. 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