Don Shula, the NFL’s all-time winningest coach, has passed away at the age of 90. Shula stands atop that particular leaderboard with 347 wins, 328 of them coming the regular season. The vast majority of those victories came during Shula’s historic tenure with the Miami Dolphins, from 1970 through 1995.
As coach of one of greatest teams of that era, Shula shared several connections with the Cowboys of the 1970s, ’80s, and early ’90s. Shula’s Dolphins met the Tom Landry-coached Cowboys in Super Bowl VI following the 1971 season. It marked the first time the two storied franchises ever met on the field. Dallas won the title game by a 24-3 score; it would be the last game Miami would lose for over 600 days, as Shula helmed the Dolphins to the only perfect season in NFL history in 1972.
Landry and Shula spent much of their respective careers being compared to one another. While Landry is often credited with being one of the architects of the 4-3 defense, Shula helped pioneer the 3-4 scheme. Both men won a pair of Super Bowls and remained with their team for over a quarter-century. Landry sits fourth on the list of all-time winningest NFL coaches behind Shula, George Halas, and Bill Belichick.
I'm at a loss for words. The game lost one of its giants. People will remember Coach Shula for all the games he won, but as an influential member of the competition committee he did so much for advancing the game to what it is now. Miss you already. Rest easy, my friend.
-Gil pic.twitter.com/cp3nLQaofm— Gil Brandt (@Gil_Brandt) May 4, 2020
Shula played in the NFL for seven seasons. He was a defensive back, as was Landry. And the two icons shared a connection even then.
How good a DB was Don Shula? Well, he never made the Pro Bowl, but he had 5 interceptions in 1954 & again in '55 for the #Colts — & 21 in his career. In the years he played (1951-57), only 16 DBs had more. One was Tom Landry (29). #Dolphins #Browns #Cowboys pic.twitter.com/1DzuucpEN5
— Dan Daly (@dandalyonsports) May 4, 2020
Shula went 6-2 against Dallas over his career as Dolphins coach. Perhaps the most memorable head-to-head meeting took place on Thanksgiving Day 1993, when a freak winter storm socked Dallas. The turf at Texas Stadium was a slippery, snowy mess, thanks to the famed hole in the roof. After Cowboys defensive tackle Leon Lett muffed a blocked field goal as it skittered away, Shula sent out his field goal unit for a second kick attempt and stole a last-second win.
A true legend. RIP Coach🙏🏼 https://t.co/e4e7CsBI7U
— Troy Aikman (@TroyAikman) May 4, 2020
Prior to his long stint in Miami, Shula also coached the Baltimore Colts from 1963 to 1969 and went 1-1 against Dallas over that period.
A few months later, Shula was one of the first persons to learn of the 1994 firing of Cowboys coach Jimmy Johnson. Johnson happened to pass Shula in a hotel hallway just after hearing of a Jerry Jones interview in which the owner expressed his desire for a new coach in Dallas.
“I think I’ve just been fired,” Johnson himself told Shula.
Shula retired after two more seasons on the Dolphins sidelines, and was replaced by Johnson, who, coincidentally enough, had also taken over for Landry in Dallas.
David Shula, son of the legendary coach, served as Cowboys offensive coordinator- under Johnson- in 1989 and 1990.
Jerry Jones with Don Shula, pair of Hall of Famers at #SB51 pic.twitter.com/CniacsVbDW
— Mark Berman (@MarkBermanFox26) February 6, 2017
Don Shula was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1997.
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