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Thank you to Miami Dolphins coach Don Shula for everything

By Dominic Ambrose

Miami Dolphins head coach Don Shula(C) team owner Wayne Huizenga(R) and quarterback Dan Marino(L) arrive at a press conference to announce Shula's retirement 05 January at the team's training facility in Davie, Florida. Shula was the head coach of the Dolphins for twenty-six years and compiled 347 career wins. AFP PHOTO Robert SULLIVAN (Photo by ROBERT SULLIVAN / AFP) (Photo credit should read ROBERT SULLIVAN/AFP via Getty Images)
Miami Dolphins head coach Don Shula(C) team owner Wayne Huizenga(R) and quarterback Dan Marino(L) arrive at a press conference to announce Shula's retirement 05 January at the team's training facility in Davie, Florida. Shula was the head coach of the Dolphins for twenty-six years and compiled 347 career wins. AFP PHOTO Robert SULLIVAN (Photo by ROBERT SULLIVAN / AFP) (Photo credit should read ROBERT SULLIVAN/AFP via Getty Images) /
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Today the Miami Dolphins family was saddened by the news that beloved legendary coach Don Shula passed away at the age of 90.

In a statement released by the Miami Dolphins, Don Shula was the patriarch of the Miami Dolphins for 50 years.  For everything you did for the Dolphins organization, thank you Coach Shula.

As we all take a moment to remember the fond memories of the Dolphins teams under Coach Shula as he coached the team for 26 of his 33 years as head coach.  As he finished as the winningest coach of all-time with a record of 347-173-6 during his coaching career.  While we as fans all relish in the win totals, and the Super Bowls and the perfect season a quote from the coach on how he wanted to be remembered stood out to me.

“I want them to say that he won within the rules,” Shula added, “That he had players that took a lot of pride in playing within the rules.  And that his teams played an exciting brand of football, wide-open football, that made it exciting for the fans.”  Shula added, “I want them to say his players loved it, the coaches loved it, the fans loved it, and I loved it.”

As he was recently named as one of the coaching greats when the NFL unveiled its 100th-anniversary team (https://www.nfl.com/100/all-time-team/roster)he learned from his playing career to treat his players the way he would want to be treated and as Dan Marino stated, “You brought that winning attitude with you every day and made everyone around you better.”

A sign of a great leader is maximizing your talent to achieve the greatest results. Throughout his coaching career, he built his teams to maximize the players’ talents.  From the maximizing the running abilities of Larry Csonka, Mercury Morris, and Jim Kiick to utilizing the arm of Bob Griese and Dan Marino.

Congratulations coach, you arrived in Miami to coach the Dolphins for Joe Robbie starting in 1970.  In your tenure here in South Florida, you brought perfection, Super Bowl titles, a fun and exciting game for fans to watch and players to play in.  Also, you built an extended family of Dolphins faithful that will forever be grateful and appreciative of the efforts you put into the team both on the field and off.

Although the NFL world from its fans to the players both past and present, mourn your passing and keep the Shula family in our thoughts, I also want to say thank you for choosing to come to the Dolphins organization and creating a winning atmosphere and establishing professional football in South Florida as well as elevating the Dolphins organization to great heights.

As Coach Flores enters his second year, and the Dolphins build the team for success, we will cheer and know we are in the right direction.  We also know that you will be watching us from above and smiling.

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