R.I.P. Don Shula.
The legendary NFL head coach passed away Monday. He was 90 years old.
While memories of Shula will be dominated by his time as the head coach for the Colts and Dolphins, Patriots fans also can stake claim to their team's involvement a few classic Shula moments. Here are five that should jump to mind:
5. Patriots hand Shula loss in first game as head coach of the Dolphins
After leaving the Colts, Shula hooked to guide a struggling Miami team in 1970. The first game he coached for the Dolphins was against the Boston Patriots at Harvard Stadium. After jumping out to a 14-3 lead on 5-yard TD runs by Bob Griese and Jim Kiick, Clive Rush's squad rattled off 24 unanswered points. Shula's Miam team did go on to win its next four games.
4. Shula poured it on the Patriots during undefeated 1972 season
While the Dolphins had plenty of dominant moments during their unbeaten campaign in 1972, their game against the Patriots at the Orange Bowl separated itself: 52-0. Of all the Miami wins that season this one separated itself as being the most lopsided. Of note was the final two touchdowns from Miami came via fourth-quarter passes of 51 and 39 yards from backup quarterback Jim Del Gaizo.
3. At the end, Shula dominated the Patriots ... until the very end
Leading into the Pats' last meeting with the Hall-of-Fame coach in 1995 New England had lost 12 of its 13 previous meetings with Shula's Dolphins (with a 1994 OT win serving as the one bright spot for the Patriots). But Bill Parcells' Patriots got the better of the Dolphins in the final game Shula would coach against New England, winning at Joe Robbie Stadium for the first time since 1988. (It was also the day Dan Marino broke Fran Tarkenton's passing yardage record.)
2. The 1986 AFC Championship Game
Shula's Dolphins were supposed to roll over Raymond Berry's Patriots on the way to Super Bowl XX. It seemed almost predestined. The Patriots had compiled an 0-18 record at the Orange Bowl coming into the game. And Miami was considered the only team capable of giving the Bears a contest in the big game after it had handed Mike Ditka's team its first loss earlier in the season. But Shula and Co. would ultimately succumb to Patriots team that ran the ball 59 times while converting six Miami turnovers into 24 points, ultimately resulting in a 31-14 Patriots win.
1. Shula vs. Belichick
Who is the best coach of all-time? Well, as we sit here nobody has won as much as Shula, who tops the list with 328 career victories. He also guided the Dolphins to an undefeated season after turning around Miami's franchise three years after leaving Baltimore. Belichick? He is at 273 wins, potentially putting him in range of surpassing Shula perhaps at some point in the 2023 season.