Tag: Don Shula

Washington Super Bowl Coach stands alone

As Sean McVay and Zac Taylor look to win their first Super Bowl Sunday, we shall never forget Joe Gibbs won three Super Bowls with three different quarterbacks.

How is it that one coach stands out in contrast to all Super Bowl champion coaches?

Vince Lombardi won the first two Super Bowls with Bart Starr as the Green Bay Packers starting quarterback. Don Shula and Miami won two with Bob Griese. Tom Landry steered Dallas to two Super Bowl trophies with Roger Staubach at the helm. Chuck Noll and the Pittsburgh Steelers won four Super Bowls in the 1970s with Terry Bradshaw behind center.

Tom Flores and the Raiders won two with Jim Plunkett as the leader of the offense. Bill Walsh was the head coach with Joe Montana the field general for three Super Bowl crowns for the 49ers. The 49ers won two more with head coach George Seifert coaching and Montana and Steve Young as signal-callers.

Jimmy Johnson and Barry Switzer both coached the Cowboys to Super Bowl rings with Troy Aikman taking the snaps from center. Denver’s Mike Shanahan as head coach and John Elway in the pocket for the Broncos won it all twice.

Tom Coughlin’s NY Giants took the crown twice with Eli Manning the on-field general. Last but certainly not least, New England’s Bill Belichick won six rings with Tom Brady as the quarterback.

Seifert is the only one above to win a second Super Bowl with a second quarterback (Montana and Young).

There is also Marv Levy and the Bills who went to multiple Super Bowls with Jim Kelly under center — and lost. Likewise, Dan Reeves led Elway and the Broncos to three Super Bowl appearances — they also lost all three.

Yet, there is one other coach to win more than multiple Super Bowls with more than one quarterback, Joe Gibbs of the Washington Redskins. Gibbs not only won more than one Super Bowl with more than one quarterback, he accomplished the feat three times!

Gibbs led Washington to Super Bowl trophies with Joe Theismann, Doug Williams and Mark Rypien winning Super Bowls XVII, XXII and XXVI.

Starr, Griese, Staubach, Bradshaw, Montana, Young, Aikman and Elway are already in the Hall of Fame. Without question Brady will be in the HOF and Eli Manning a 2-time SB MVP is likely to be elected to the HOF. Only Jim Plunkett is likely to not make the HOF.

By contrast, Theismann was only an All-Pro once (1983), and Williams and Rypien were never All-Pro. Rypien had a great year only in 1991. Williams though never even a pro-bowler, was a veteran leader and had huge moments like the playoff win at Chicago (1987) and a nearly perfect 2nd quarter in Super Bowl XXII, earning the MVP.

Joe Gibbs is distinctive among Super Bowl coaches with multiple wins, doing so with three non-Hall of Fame quarterbacks.  Hats off to Coach Joe, who is remarkably now age 81. The Washington franchise and fans were certainly blessed to have enjoyed Joe Jackson Gibbs as head coach.

Eagles nominate Chester coach LaDontay Bell for 2021 Don Shula NFL High School Coach of the Year Award

Eagles nominate Chester coach LaDontay Bell for 2021 Don Shula NFL High School Coach of the Year Award

High school coaches are some of the main principles in helping to shape and form the minds and future of young athletes in this country and one Chester, PA head coach is among the best in the nation.

LaDontay Bell is a Washington, D.C. native and former star running back at HD Woodson, before taking his talents to Cheyney University in Pennsylvania. An amazing man, who leads by faith, Bell has helped transform Chester’s program and the city as a whole.

Bell and our managing editor, Glenn Erby, were college teammates, so it’s an amazing honor to report that the Eagles have named the head coach at Chest High School, their nominee for the 2021 Don Shula NFL High School Coach of the Year.

“From the start of his career with Chester, LaDontay’s dedication to his team and his community has greatly impacted the team’s success and lives of his players,” said Daniel Levy, Manager of Youth Football & Community Relations, Philadelphia Eagles. “Not only is Coach Bell devoted to his players’ success on the field, but more importantly, he goes out of his way to ensure their everyday safety, so they are able to continue their academic and athletic success. He is a tremendous leader who proudly serves as a great example to the youth of his community. We are proud to nominate him for this distinguished honor.”

Bell was nominated for the national award, named after the winningest coach in NFL history for his character and integrity, devotion to serving the community, commitment to player health and safety, and on-field success.

Under Bell’s leadership in 2021, Chester High School started the season off undefeated (7-0) before finishing with a 7-4 record and making the playoffs for the first time.

To help his student-athletes avoid the dangers of certain neighborhoods, Coach Bell uses a school van to drive his players to and from school and practice almost every single day, and in addition, Bell and his wife, have provided bi-weekly meals for his team, and he has created a special ministry amongst his players that is easy to see.

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Throwback Thursday: Don Shula recalls Giants-Dolphins at Yankee Stadium

Legendary Miami Dolphins coach Don Shula recalls taking his team to Yankee Stadium to face the New York Giants in 1972.

The New York Giants face the Miami Dolphins this Sunday at Hard Rock Stadium. It will be just the 10th time since 1970 the two teams have met in the regular season.

Of all the existing NFL teams that go back to the 1970 AFL-NFL merger, the Giants have faced the Dolphins the least.

The first meeting occurred on December 10, 1972 — the Dolphins’ undefeated championship season — at Yankee Stadium. Miami won by a score of 23-13.

Dolphins legendary coach Don Shula recalled the trip to the Bronx.

“It was exciting to take my team into Yankee Stadium on a cold and damp afternoon in 1972, to play the New York Giants, because I was a big baseball fan growing up. I followed the New York Yankees, and I knew all about Yankee Stadium. It was also a big deal for our players to have the opportunity to play a game at Yankee Stadium, a place so steeped in history,” Shula told the Dolphins’ official website.

“We stayed Concourse Plaza Hotel in the South Bronx, not far from the Stadium, the night before the game. Everyone knew about the monuments in deep center field at Yankee Stadium. I made a special trip out there before the game to take a look at them. I had always heard about them, and I had seen Mickey Mantle make a great catch out by the monuments — which back then were actually on the playing field — years before we played there.”

It was the only game the Dolphins would play at Yankee Stadium, which was closed the next year for renovations. The Giants wandered to Connecticut for a season and a half, then came back to New York in 1975 for a forgettable season before finally settling in the swamps of New Jersey in 1976.

But the Dolphins would not play the Giants for another 18 years, something that can’t happen in today’s NFL since the four-year recurring schedule rotation was established in 2002.

In 1990, it was the Giants who were pointed towards the Super Bowl. They held Shula, Dan Marino & Co. to just 158 total yards in a one-sided 20-3 romp at Giants Stadium.

Since that game, the team have met fairly regularly, seven times over the 28 year period, or roughly every four years.

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Broncos will have a new offensive play caller vs. Eagles

Broncos OC Pat Shurmur is in COVID-19 protocol, so QBs coach Mike Shula will call plays against the Eagles on Sunday.

The Denver Broncos’ offense will have a new play caller for Sunday’s game against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Broncos offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur has entered COVID-19 protocol and will not be available in Week 10, the team has confirmed. Shurmur, who joined the team last year, is Denver’s usual play caller.

With their offensive coordinator unavailable this week, the Broncos will turn to quarterbacks coach Mike Shula, the team announced.

Shula has plenty of experience calling plays from his 11 years as an offensive coordinator in the NFL with three different teams. He called plays for the Carolina Panthers in 2015 when quarterback Cam Newton took home NFL MVP awards.

Shula coached under Shurmur with the New York Giants from 2018-2019, and he joined Shurmur in Denver last year. He is the son of legendary NFL coach Don Shula, the winningest coach in league history.

After a strong showing against the Dallas Cowboys’ defense last week, the Broncos’ offense will look to continue their good form in their first game under Shula against Philadelphia.

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How high can Brian Flores climb up Dolphins’ coaching wins list in 2021?

How high can Brian Flores climb up Dolphins’ coaching wins list in 2021?

Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores is entering into his third career season with the team and finds himself and his team ready to make a statement in 2021. The Dolphins have done well to outperform expectations under Flores; they’ve overachieved in the win column in each of the last two seasons and finished last year with 10 wins — a rarity for Miami’s franchise in the 2000s.

And should the Dolphins experience similar or greater success to what they did last year, Flores is quickly going to find himself near the upper echelons of Dolphins’ head coaching wins. Here is the current rankings for all 13 of Miami’s head coaches in franchise history:

  1. Don Shula: 257-133-2
  2. Dave Wannstedt: 42-31
  3. Jimmy Johnson: 36-28
  4. Tony Sparano: 29-32
  5. Joe Philbin: 24-28
  6. Adam Gase: 23-25
  7. Nick Saban: 15-17
  8. Brian Flores: 15-17
  9. George Wilson: 15-39-2
  10. Dan Campbell: 5-7
  11. Jim Bates: 3-4
  12. Todd Bowles: 2-1
  13. Cam Cameron: 1-15

Flores’ next win will push him past another colleague on the Bill Belichick coaching tree, Nick Saban. Another 10-win season for Flores will push him past his previous two predecessors, Adam Gase and Joe Philbin. Gase got three full seasons before being fired after the 2018 season collapse. Philbin got three and a quarter seasons, although his teams were also known for late-season collapses and there was a firm argument for making a change after his third season, too.

It will be hard to see Flores’ Dolphins flopping hard enough to drum up any serious arguments against Flores being the coach again in 2022 and beyond — so even if the team struggles, Flores should be well positioned to attack the exclusive club that is Dolphins head coaches to surpass 30 wins by 2022.

The goal for 2021 in this regard for Dolphins fans should be seeing Flores catching (and passing) Philbin. Such an outcome would mean Miami won 10+ games once again this season. And despite the hard luck Miami saw with 10 wins last season, it should be enough to get a postseason ticket this time around.

How have Dolphins fared in third season under different head coaches?

How have Dolphins fared in third season under different head coaches?

The Miami Dolphins are entering into Year 3 of the Brian Flores era. And, with momentum on their side after a 10-win season in 2020 and another influx of gifted young talent, Miami is looking to make a big leap and transition into a legitimate contender this upcoming season. Whether or not that actually happens or not will be determined over the next six months — but Flores appears well positioned to have his team capable of answering the call and rising to the occasion.

While the vibe in South Florida is a positive one, the team desperately needs it to be: historically, the Dolphins haven’t found much fortunes awaiting them over the last 20 years of head coaches.

Flores sports a 15-17 record through his first 32 career games in Miami. And his Dolphins will now make a run at the postseason; but Flores can’t look to his predecessors for much inspiration. Here’s how each of Miami’s previous full-time head coaches has fared in their respective third season with the Dolphins.

George Wilson
1968: 5-8-1 (+1 win)
1967: 4-10
1966: 3-11

Don Shula
1972: 14-0, Super Bowl champions (+4 wins)
1971: 10-3-1, Lost Super Bowl
1970: 10-4, Lost Divisional round

Jimmy Johnson
1998: 10-6, lost Divisional round (+1 win)
1997: 9-7, lost Wild Card round
1996: 8-8

Dave Wannstedt
2002: 9-7 (-2 wins)
2001: 11-5, lost Wild Card round
2000: 11-5, lost Divisional round

Nick Saban
2007: returned to collegiate football
2006: 6-10 (-3 wins)
2005: 9-7

Cam Cameron
2009: Second year as Ravens offensive coordinator
2008: Fired from Dolphins
2007: 1-15

Tony Sparano
2010: 7-9 (+0 wins)
2009: 7-9
2008: 11-5, lost Wild Card round

Joe Philbin
2014: 8-8 (+0 wins)
2013: 8-8
2012: 7-9

Adam Gase
2018: 7-9 (+1 win)
2017: 6-10
2016: 10-6, lost Wild Card round

It has been over 20 years since we’ve seen a Dolphins head coach improve their record in three consecutive seasons to start their career in Miami. And, as a matter of fact, the first three in the history of the team are the only three to achieve that feat (Wilson, Shula and Johnson). Flores will need 11 wins in 2021 to join the club — and perhaps then he’ll be able to break another 20+ year drought in South Florida:

Miami last won a playoff game in 2000; a Wild Card win over Peyton Manning’s Colts on December 30, 2000.

Dolphins’ Brian Flores in hot pursuit of exclusive team achievement

Dolphins’ Brian Flores in hot pursuit of exclusive team achievement

The ways in which this 2020 season has been a breath of fresh air for the Miami Dolphins are plentiful. The team has found themselves firmly in the realm of winning football teams this year and at 8-5 will avoid a losing season for just the second time in the last six years. That’s not a high bar to set, but when your last 15 years have been as uneventful as the Miami Dolphins, incremental progress can go a long way in energizing the team’s rebuild.

The last three weeks of the season will go a long way in defining just how successful the 2020 season will be remembered. And there’s plenty of focus on the Dolphins’ playoff standing and how Miami plays at the quarterback position over the final few weeks of the regular season. But there’s another chase on for these Miami Dolphins and head coach Brian Flores, who is in pursuit of one of the most complete, full team performances that the Dolphins have seen in forever.

The Dolphins enter Week 15 with a +85 point differential, positioning Flores’ 2020 team as one of the better units in team history as it relates to outperforming the opposition on the scoreboard. And, if the Dolphins can go +15 in point differential over their final three games, Flores will be joining the Dolphins’ exclusive +100 point differential club.

The club only has one member as things currently stand; Hall of Fame coach Don Shula. Shula was able to see his teams score 100+ more points than the opposition ten times over his 26 seasons as the lead man in Miami. Former Dolphins coach Dave Wannstedt came close in 2000 (+97), but that mark came mostly thanks to the team’s best 16-game scoring defense in franchise history (226 points allowed).

Of course, if the Dolphins fall off the pace over the next three weeks, the Dolphins’ point differential will dip and Flores will not reach the +100 point differential club. But even if that comes to be, Flores’ Dolphins appear ready to close the season with just their third positive point differential in the last 15 years — so no matter how you slice the Dolphins’ 2020 outlook, there’s no questioning Flores has positioned this team into their best position in more than a decade. But we’d be lying if we said we weren’t hopeful for Flores to join Shula’s exclusive club in the final three weeks of the season.

Andy Reid moves into fifth on all-time wins list

Andy Reid now has 230 career victories, one more than Curly Lambeau

It wasn’t as easy as expected but Andy Reid and the Kansas City Chiefs survived the Carolina Panthers, 33-31, on Sunday.

The victory was the 230th in Reid’s NFL coaching career, pushing him past Curly Lambeau into fifth place all-time.

Who is next? The great Tom Landry at 270. Although to be on this list, you have to have been a great coach.

This list includes playoff victories.

1. Don Shula 347

2. George Halas 324

3. Bill Belichick 306

4. Tom Landry 270

5. Andy Reid 230

6. Curly Lambeau 229

Miami Dolphins to wear patch to honor late coach Don Shula in 2020

Miami Dolphins to wear patch to honor late coach Don Shula in 2020

It feels like forever ago that the Dolphins and the rest of the football world learned of the passing of the most winning head coach in NFL history — Don Shula. In reality, Shula’s passing was just three months ago on May 4, 2020. And as the Dolphins look to honor Shula’s legacy by returning to the winning ways that were made so regular here under Shula’s watch, they’ve now announced that they will wear his name on their uniforms this season to help commemorate the all-time legend.

The Dolphins’ jersey patch will display his name and the number “347”, marking his career win total that still stands as the highest win total (including playoffs) of any NFL coach.

Shula’s win total is starting to feel the pressure from New England’s Bill Belichick, however — Belichick enters the 2020 season with 304 total wins, 44 shy of breaking Shula’s record. What better way for the Dolphins to help remember Shula and honoring his legacy than to manage to stave off a continued Patriots dynasty? If the Dolphins can push the Patriots into mediocrity, Belichick’s path to surpassing Shula may be pushed beyond Belichick’s desire to coach. After all, at 68 years of age, how much longer will Belichick prowl the sidelines? Miami starting to pick up more wins against the Patriots would be a double dip — it helps align the Dolphins for better AFC East positioning in the here and now and helps give Shula’s win record a better chance of surviving the push from Belichick.

Ultimately, Shula’s work was about much more than wins and losses on the field, even if that is what he’s most commonly remembered for. Shula’s stern disciplinary approach to coaching yielded disciplined teams and forged many great men off the field — and that part of his legacy will live on with Brian Flores, whose first year as the head man in Miami has inspired plenty of confidence that he’s going to do things the right way, just as Shula did. And if Flores has half as much success on the gridiron, that’ll be a pretty darn good start.