Alumnus Dan Marino – May 4, 2020
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Monday, May 4, 2020
Former Dolphins QB Dan Marino
(A lot of guys have talked about the first time they met Coach Don Shula or first memories of him. Obviously you came in and I’ve never asked – were you happy or did you understand not starting right away and did he talk you that much about it?) – “Yes. First of all, I just want to say it’s a sad day. My prayers and condolences go out to (his wife) Mary Anne, the Shula family, (his sons) Michael, David – they’re just really good people and it’s a sad day for Coach Shula; but a lot of great memories. He’s a beautiful man, a great person. Yes, my first memory was coming for minicamp. (It was the) first time I met him, I walked into his office and the funny part was before the draft, I never talked to Coach Shula, none of the scouts or anything because I didn’t think they thought I was going to be available for them to draft me; so the first time I really talked to Coach Shula besides on the phone draft day saying, ‘Hey, how’d you like to be a Dolphin?’ was in his office coming to minicamp. I remember it was a little intimidating because it was the first time you’re meeting a head coach – a guy that was so successful – but I do remember what he told me was, ‘I want you to come in in good shape, be prepared, prepare yourself this summer as if you had come in to be the starter,’ and he made an impact on me right away that way. He believed in me. He was like, ‘I believe in you. I want you work that way so you can come in and compete and actually feel like you’re going to be the starting quarterback.’ That just gave me a lot of confidence right off the bat. That was my first meeting actually with Coach Shula.”
(Coach Don Shula’s resume is so long. The list of achievements is so enormous. Of all of that material, what’s one or two things that most impresses you just as an observer of football?) – “That’s a good question. I think it would be the wins and his longevity and the players he coached; but the one thing I would think is the number of wins over the years and to coach for 33 years and do it at a high level like he did it and you see – coaches today and the way they are, they’re amazed by what Coach Shula was able to do for so long and do it at such a high level. To me, that’s probably the one thing that was so amazing – to build over such a long time at a high level.”
(I wanted to ask you about the type of coach and person that you saw in Don Shula because we’ve talked to guys from the 60s and 70s and 80s and 90s and they say that he had mellowed. He had developed this great sense of humor, so I’m wondering how he was during your playing career?) – “So this was after he was done coaching, you’re talking about the sense of humor? (laughter) When I came in, he was tough. (He was) tough and very demanding, and he led by example, so he expected you to come in and be the best you could be every day. He always had a winning attitude – that whole thing. It was always projected every day, always projected, but I would say with me and the fact that we had the group with (Mark) Duper and (Mark) Clayton and Nat Moore, he was willing to open up to other thoughts, other things in football that he wasn’t used to in football beforehand. One thing for me is he was very demanding, but he would also listen to your ideas and listen to your thoughts and maybe he wasn’t that way in the 60s and the 70s with the teams with the perfect season; but with me, he was great that way. Hopefully that’s answering your question.”
(Early on, like you mentioned those 60s and 70s teams, they were very run-heavy and then we get to you and you were throwing the ball all over the place. How did you see Coach Shula maybe evolve to your skillset and being able to achieve being the quarterback you were?) – “Yeah, and I think that is what a great coach – a coach like Coach Shula or any great coach – would do, is you just, you evolve to the talent that you have and their abilities and what they do best. I think he noticed that we two really special guys on the outside in Duper and Clayton and the fact that I was coming in – a quarterback that had a chance to be pretty darn good – and so you evolve to that. That’s what he was doing as a head coach, and that’s just being smart. I remember telling people how he told me to come in and learn the playbook in a way that he wanted me to call my own plays in practice and camp and minicamp and all of that, and I thought that was genius because he put a lot more pressure on me as a quarterback to learn quicker. I feel like I was able to start and play a lot quicker because of that reason, because of that pressure he put on me, and I always thought that was genius with him.”
(You just talked about that trust factor. I’m wondering how that might have furthered your personal relationship with Coach Shula because I always had this sense that it went beyond coach and quarterback, that it evolved into almost father and son.) – “There’s no doubt that – I had nothing but respect from Coach Shula and how he was as a person. You think about – I’ve talked about it before – he helped me as a player, but he also helped me (learn) how to develop as a human being. Coming to Miami, I was 21 years old and just to watch him and how he handled the press, how he handled his business, everything he did as a person in the community; all of those things you admired as a young guy and he taught me all that. From that standpoint, yes I’d say he is a mentor. As to I guess as a father-figure, he wasn’t – my father was the best, that’s for sure. He was a better coach than Coach Shula was; but as a mentor and all of that, yes, for sure, and I think I always had that relationship with him. He always was there to give me advice, to take care of me when I needed it and after he retired, he became a really good friend and someone that I enjoyed being around.”
(I always thought – and I’m going to ask you about a specific game – I always thought that the fake spike game was a really interesting example of how Don Shula coached and how he taught because the one thing I always thought about him was how he enabled his coaches to coach and how he enabled his players to play and if you saw something, go ahead and act on it. I just want to know if you feel that that game, that example, late in that game in 1994, was any sort of illustration about how Don Shula conducted business?) – “You’re talking about ‘illustration’ in his career and how he handled players and everything, and I think that was a typical example. He was a guy that understood that ‘let your players play the game’ (mentality) and an example of that is he let all of his quarterbacks call his own plays. I didn’t. I did a little bit at first and at times later on in my career – two-minute offense and all of that. He let his guys take care of their business on the field, and that was an example of that because it something that we had practiced and Bernie Kosar had brought the fake spike play with him from Cleveland. Coach Shula – we practiced it a lot. He always knew it was there and it was one of those things that (when) it was the perfect time, he let you do it, and in that game, he let me kind of take over the second half and do my thing to bring us back. That goes back to me saying that he evolved in a way from the whole running and pound the ball with the teams he had before, to letting his players play and understand the personnel he had. It’s just smart that way. There was a lot of examples of how he was able to do that as a coach and just the people we had and the coaches he had, and it was special.”
Alumnus Larry Csonka – May 4, 2020
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Monday, May 4, 2020
Former Dolphins FB Larry Csonka
(I wanted to ask you the question about the alligator in the shower with Don Shula – tell me that story please.) – “(laughter) Well, Manny Fernandez and I decided to go fishing the day after a game – an exhibition game. We went out and Manny Fernandez, while we were fishing – Manny was a defensive tackle for us – and he said, ‘Csonk, there’s a gator over on the shore with babies,’ and I said, ‘Yeah, I don’t want any part of it.’ And he said, ‘You know, I can catch one of those,’ and I said, ‘Manny, I don’t think you can catch a baby alligator. You’re going to lose fingers or a leg or the mama’s going to get you. That’s going to be a bad situation.’ He said, ‘No, I’m telling you. I could do it.’ And with that, Manny jumped over out of the boat, went up on the bank, went into the bushes – it was like something in a movie. There was tumbling and screaming and growling and pretty soon Manny Fernandez came walking out of the bushes with a baby alligator about, I don’t know, two-and-a-half, three feet long. (Manny) walked over, threw it in the boat and I jumped out of the boat. To make a long story short, we took it back to camp. We were going to put it in the pond out front. On the way back to camp, we got the idea that we thought it’d be pretty funny to put it in Shula’s shower. He had a separate shower than the team, devoted to coaches, of course. We thought that would be kind of humorous so we took a vote and (putting it in the shower) Coach Shula won by one vote that we would tape the Gator’s mouth shut just in case it got ahold of him in the shower. We didn’t want to lose him entirely. So we taped its nose shut and put it in the shower, and he came out and saw it and came into the locker room and was raising Cain and headed straight for me, but I saw him coming so I jumped out the side door and Jim Kiick took the brunt of the abuse for the alligator in the shower. (laughter) But the good thing about Shula – the great thing about Shula – was his intensity with anything connected with football; but on a thing like the alligator, he had a great sense of humor, he appreciated that and he had a good laugh about it. So it was kind of a pressure relief, if you will.”
(Please, if you would, put in words what Don Shula’s legacy should be. How should people both in South Florida and around the country who are football fans, how should they remember Don Shula?) – “I think his great marks come in the world of football with the integrity that he showed for the game. Not just the fact that he was a driven coach and concentrated on winning and was willing to make the sacrifices and pay the price to win and take you along with him, but he also had a sense of humor about things, so it was a balance. He was driven and his legacy comes down to the fact that he proved that by being the winningest coach in the history of the league. Now during that time, the pinnacle of his career – if you ask me about the one moment that perhaps most personifies that great career that he had, I would say it was the undefeated season. I would say that the perfect season was the diamond, if you will, in the rough that he honed out as an exemplary moment, where everything that he had learned how to sacrifice and work and put together and orchestrate came together and worked; and we went undefeated, and the game that led to that was the loss to the Dallas Cowboys in Super Bowl VI. After that game, we were all in the locker room and he threw everyone else out but the coaches and the players, and he said, ‘This moment is a moment we’re going to learn from. You’ve got to remember how you feel right now after just getting your ass kicked in the Super Bowl. You’ve got to remember that because next year, we’re going to open up. In five or six months, we’re going to get together back at camp and we’re going to open up, and we are going to re-dedicate ourselves every week to the task at hand – not look forward to the playoffs or look forward to a winning season or look forward to any of that. We’re going to concentrate one week at a time, one game at a time and we’re going to go every game with the intent of winning every game.’ He said that moments after losing a Super Bowl. He dictated what was going to happen the next year with an undefeated season, and I think that was the pinnacle of his career. If there was one point that he would pull out to judge the entire career by, that would be the high point – that undefeated season. Because what happened was the very essence of what he had alluded to. We went one game at a time and it was close, and any one play could have changed things. I don’t argue the point that it’s just a hair that separates perfection from losing one game. Different people and different times stepped forward and made the difference, but that’s what a team is all about. The essence of that ’72 team is what the entire world of sports is about, that incorporates teamwork and effort. It was all of the people pulling together and playing better than what any individual could play on their own. That’s what it’s about and it takes a great coach to bring that out of players, and I think that was the pinnacle of his success.”
(At a couple birthday parties you’ve said it, ‘I fully expect if I’m lucky enough to still be around to be at his 100th birthday, because can you picture a world without Don Shula in it?’ Not to ask something melodramatic, but what does the world to you look like without Shula in it?) – “To make a statement like that was a little bit prophetic in a sense that I thought I could handle someone telling me that Coach (Don Shula) had passed. I was out cutting brush in a field, and my wife Audrey called me and said Coach had passed. I never really knew until that moment how close that rascal had really got to me, until he was gone. Unfortunately through the course of my life, losing parents and different loved ones, you realize after they’re gone, how much more they meant to you than what you realized when they were here. I hope I can be better at that in the future because I felt a terrible loss. I felt like someone very close to me and my family had passed. Coach Shula was such a rock. He was such a – so exact in his feelings, so totally 100 percent, ‘this is the way it is.’ You drew off that strength when you were around him without even realizing it. Sometimes I resented him for it. More often than not, I resented him for it. I muttered with the rest of the players. ‘This is too much, too long, too hot, too everything,’ but the result was perfection. One time. One time in the course of 100 years, one team made every play it had to make during the course of a season to attain perfection. One time. And we were lucky enough to be with that. Now that doesn’t reflect the entirety of his career obviously, but it is a little microcosm of what he was about – that kind of dedication – and once we learned that in ’72, then I never questioned him again. And to answer your question, I miss him terribly already. Now let me tell you, I don’t know where old NFL players go. I don’t know – Lombardi, coaches, great players … all the great ones – where are they? Where do they go after they die? Well I’d like to believe they go to heaven. But I’ll tell you, if they ship the football players off and the coaches off to a certain place, wherever that place is, tonight there is going to be one hell of a lightning bolt hit it because Shula is going to arrive and things are going to change.”
Alumnus Bob Griese – May 4, 2020
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Monday, May 4, 2020
Former Dolphins QB Bob Griese
(I know you and Coach Shula were friends for years and years after football. Did that allow you to see a different side of him after football?) – “Damn right. (laughter) When I first saw him, I remember my first occasion hearing about Coach Shula coming to the Dolphins. It was on Channel 4 or whatever back then, he was being interviewed and he was saying ‘I like a lot of what I’m seeing with this Dolphins team. They’ve got a good young quarterback – but Griese, I think he scrambles too much. I’d like to get him to stay in the pocket more.’ I couldn’t wait until I saw Coach Shula because evidentially he had been watching too much of (the wrong) film because there was not pocket for Griese to stay in. The first three years I was down here, I did a lot of scrambling. So, he and I had to have a discussion and sometimes I still have to remind him to this day. He was the boss back then, but as years go by, we became friends, and we’re kind of like equals. Not like he was the boss and I was the underling, and that’s the way it was back then. I lost a good friend; I lost a great friend. We spent a lot of time together at lunch, and his favorite place to have lunch was at Gulfstream Park. Some of the other buddies that would go – Hank Goldberg before he moved to Las Vegas was our handicapper. I always tell the story that Shula would be sitting at the end of the table like he didn’t know horses from a hole in the ground. So he’d look at Hank and say ‘Hank, who do you like in the second race?’ And Hank would say ‘I studied this from last night and I got up again this morning and I looked at it for another 25 minutes, and looked at it here, and I like the numbers 713.’ And Shula looked down at the bottom of his program and it was (number) 731 and he would look at Hank and say ‘Hell hank. That’s the chalk. I don’t want any chalk. Chalk, chalk, chalk, chalk.’ We had a great time having lunch at Gulfstream Park.”
(I want to ask you about how Coach Shula was able to adapt over the years. I remember in 1983 with Dan Marino coming in, and he has such a different style than what you were able to do. What did you see in him and his ability to match his system with the players he had rather than forcing one particular system on the team that he was putting together?) – ”He was smart. He played in the league. He was a defensive back and every time we talked about this and I’m sure he is around somewhere wanting me to tell you and get in the paper and get on TV, that he had 21 interceptions as a defensive back. Everybody knew that that would go with him to lunch. He looked at the players he had and he would decide what’s the offense we could play, and what’s the defense that we could play, and special teams. That’s the way it was. We had a good running team. The offensive line were good run blockers. We had (Larry) Csonka, (Jim) Kiick, and Mercury (Morris). We had good running backs. We were good at running the ball, so that’s what we did. Then you get Dan Marino comes in and why wouldn’t you throw? Everybody says that the offensive line that Marino had was a great offensive line. Some of those guys were great; but he never got sacked hardly and I smile when I talk to Marino about this. Marino just got rid of it. If there wasn’t anybody open and there was a guy coming at him right down the middle, Marino would get rid of that football. That was a great trait to have. That’s a great coaching point. If you don’t see anybody, don’t take the sack and get rid of the ball. That’s going to be one of the great things that the Dolphins are probably going to tell Tua (Tagovailoa) when he gets in here is look at Marino. Look at some films of Marino. If nobody is open, get rid of the ball and don’t take the sack.”
(I wanted to ask you about the business acumen of a lot of the players that were on the Don Shula teams. I had a few people tell me that they think it was the lessons that Shula taught on the field that translated to off the field. Do you agree with that? Did you see that?) – “Yeah, we had some guys that were very successful after football. Dick Anderson, (Nick) Buoniconti, we had Dr. Doug Swift. That could’ve been – that’s something I never thought about. But the three I mentioned and I’m sure there is a bunch more. Of course Shula was born in a small town in Ohio. We go back and forth. I gig him and he gigs me. I tell him the reason he had to play cornerback was because he was not smart enough to play offense, and the reason he got all of those interceptions was because he was calling the defensive signals and he would always call the defense to roll his way so he was free out there to kind of pick off the passes. He’d just look at me and smile. He might even raise his three fingers and he might say on occasion, ‘Read between the lines, Griese.’”
(Were you at the surprise party that they threw for Don Shula back in January, and if not, what do you recall from your last interaction with him?) – “I was at the party and I agree with whoever said it earlier today, that he was truly surprised. Normally he doesn’t. He usually likes to be the one in control and Mary Anne probably tells him what’s going on, who is going to be where and all; but I think he was truly surprised at that one. I was on the phone with him a few weeks ago and we were at Gulfstream maybe a month and a half ago for one of our lunches. That’s probably the last time I saw him. He looked good then. He was amazing. We’d sit right outside in public and people would be going by and some lady with her granddaughter would stop by and say ‘You’re coach Shula!’ He would smile and sign an autograph, and then she said, ‘Can I take a picture?’ And he’d say ‘Yeah, with your granddaughter. So she would take the picture, and then he’d say, ‘Now take one with me by yourself.’ And then other people would come by. He was at the end of the table and that’s where he wanted to be, where he could meet and greet and say hello. He was a social person. Back then maybe he wasn’t; but now he was.”
Alumnus Nat Moore – May 4, 2020
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Monday, May 4, 2020
Former Dolphins WR and Senior Vice President of Special Projects, Alumni Relations and Advisor to the CEO Nat Moore
(Could you just talk about if you remember when you first met Coach Don Shula? What was it like? You were a rookie – obviously a little younger than he was at the time at his height as a coach. What was that like?) – “When I first met Coach Shula, it was right after the draft. Of course I got the phone call, but then I got the chance – I used an attorney rather than an agent. We actually went to Coach Shula’s house and we sat down and we started talking contract. He talked to me about the changes he wanted to make and what I did, because I had been a running back my entire life and how he felt that as a wide receiver, it would extend my career and I could be a tremendous threat because of my breakaway and scoring ability. And it was one of those things when you sat down and here’s this icon and his vision of what you can be, and he made me a promise. He promised me that if I gave it everything I had, he’d give me a year to learn how to be a wide receiver, and believe it or not, the strike happened that year and all of a sudden I got a chance to play a whole lot more during the preseason, and by the fifth game of the year, I ended up becoming a starter. The thing that I remember most about Coach Shula was that he had plans always of how he wanted to use you and how he could get the most out of you.”
(Do you have any favorite stories that really hammer home the kind of person, the kind of man that Coach Shula was? And also as a secondary thing I’d like to ask you, if you could put into words what Coach Shula meant not just to the Miami Dolphins but to South Florida?) – “I’ll give you an indication of Coach Shula and why I feel he always got the most out of his players. He was a guy that drove you, but wouldn’t allow you to quit on yourself. I remember one ball game alone where I was having some shoulder issues. I had a pinched nerve in my neck and pretty soon I ended up starting to wear a neck brace; but I remember a game where we had to have that victory and I land on my shoulder and I’m in such pain. I make the catch, I come off to the sideline and he looks at me like, ‘And where are you going?’ And I’m like, ‘I’m in so much pain.’ I can’t believe what he’s saying to me. I just got the first down. I got hit and my shoulder hurt, and the pain subsides. I go back in the ball game and once again we need a third down. I make the play and I come off and I am in so much pain, I don’t know what to do; and he is riding me. He is ripping me. Long story short, the game ends, we win. The first guy to come to my locker and pat me on the back and tell me what a great job I did and way to hang in there, he knew it was tough, he knew I could do it, was Don Shula. I always think about things like that where he didn’t allow players to quit on themselves or the team. He always found a way to motivate you to give a little bit more than you thought you had, to become a little bit better player than you thought you could be; and I think that was his key to success. He got the most out of all of his players, and guys that didn’t want to be a part of that and didn’t fit in, he didn’t have a problem with getting rid of them, and I think that’s why we were much better teams in the 70s and 80s and even 90s under his leadership. When I think about what Coach Shula meant to South Florida – and I’ve been telling this story all day – a lot of men come here to play for the Miami Dolphins. Under Coach Shula, most of them never left. Most of them eventually decided to stay here or reside here, build their homes and their second businesses here in South Florida, and it was because Coach Shula always had us out in the community and always had us being a part of South Florida. In the 70s and 80s, United Way used to come in and they had a great partnership with the NFL. They used to come in and pitch to donate to the different organizations that a lot of us came from – the Boys and Girls Club and all of the charities – and Coach Shula was always that guy that wrote the first check. He never asked you to do anything that he didn’t do himself. We ran those gassers and we all hated those dadgum gassers, but he ran them with us. He would run two out of three. When you think of Coach Shula and you think of how he drove us, but he also made sure we were an intricate part of the South Florida community’s fabric; and because of that, you see so many guys here today that are still here, that are still doing well, that are still thriving in business and being a part of the South Florida community to make it better and it’s all because of Don Shula.”
(I know as the alumni group you guys have had Zoom meetings. Have you had anything today or do you have anything imminent that you will talk with other players about Shula’s passing?) – “No, we have not been on Zoom today. I think because so many guys have our cell numbers and phone numbers, and there are a lot of TV stations and radio stations that are reaching out to us individually. We sent out an email and texts to all of the guys to let them know that Coach (Don Shula) had passed and as we get more information, they’ll get more information. (It is) a very sad day in Dolphins history (and) a very sad day in South Florida when you lose an icon like Don Shula.”
(This is a really hard thing to think about, but not only have we lost Don Shula, but it’s happening in the current climate that we’re all facing with this pandemic. At least one of the players that we talked to earlier today was lamenting about that and concerned about how are we going to be able to pay our respects, how are we going to be able to honor Don Shula? What can you say to the fans about their being able to say thank you to Don Shula at some point?) – “I think once we understand and have some idea of what the family wishes are, we will communicate not only to the fans, but using the media and et cetera about how we will celebrate his legacy. I know we will do something; we’re just not sure what. Remember, Coach Shula just passed this morning, and we live in a world where everybody wants everything right now; but I’m pretty sure at some point the family will get together. You’ve got (his son) David up in Dartmouth. I think (his son) Mike is in New York. Half the family is all over the country and you’ve got to give them a little time to grieve and then for them to come up with a plan of what they would like to see. I think in the end, it’s really about how we make the family feel good about the way we worship their loved one – their dad and their husband – versus us trying to just decide, ‘we’re going to do this, this and this.’ I think without a doubt, the legacy of Don Shula will last forever, and we – and when I say ‘we’ I’m speaking not only of the alumni but also the Miami Dolphins – will figure out the best way to honor him.”
Quotes on the passing of Hall of Fame Coach Don Shula
Monday, May 4, 2020
QUOTES ON THE PASSING OF DON SHULA
SHULA FAMILY STATEMENT:
“The Shula family thanks all those who have shared their sorrow over the passing of our Coach- a beloved husband, father, grandfather and friend. He was an inspiration to us all for his Faith, love of Family & community . He is remembered as a great leader who shaped many lives by his example. He left us Still Undefeated!”
TEAM STATEMENT:
“Don Shula was the patriarch of the Miami Dolphins for 50 years. He 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.”
MIAMI DOLPHINS CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD/MANAGING GENERAL PARTNER STEPHEN ROSS:
“If there were a Mt. Rushmore for the NFL, Don Shula certainly would be chiseled into the granite. He won more games than any coach in the NFL, and his 1972 ‘Perfect Season’ team stands alone in the 100-year history of the league. His contributions to his sport, to the Miami Dolphins franchise, and to the South Florida community will have a lasting impact. We were so fortunate to have him associated with the Dolphins for 50 years, and he was a source of inspiration to me every time I was around him. There will never be anyone like him, and I want to extend my condolences to his wife, Mary Anne, and the entire Shula family.”
MIAMI DOLPHINS VICE CHAIRMAN, PRESIDENT & CEO TOM GARFINKEL:
“Today is a sad day. Coach 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. All my best to Mary Anne and the Shula family.”
MIAMI DOLPHINS GENERAL MANAGER CHRIS GRIER:
“No one had more of an impact on the success and winning tradition of the Miami Dolphins than Coach Shula. He was an incredible leader and an even better person. I am forever grateful for the interactions I have had with him over the past 20 years. I am thinking of Mary Anne and the rest of the Shula family.”
MIAMI DOLPHINS HEAD COACH BRIAN FLORES:
“Don Shula is a legend who had an incredible impact on the game of football. He was an innovator who competed for championships over several eras of professional football. My conversations with him about team building revolved around toughness, intelligence and discipline. Coach Shula’s teams were all of those things and more. He could not have been more supportive when I became the head coach of the Miami Dolphins. In my opinion, the most impressive thing about Coach Shula was the impact he had on his players. My conversations with players like Larry Csonka, Dwight Stephenson, Bob Baumhower, Nat Moore and Dan Marino all centered around the lessons they learned from Coach Shula. His impact went far beyond games won and championships. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family.”
NFL COMMISSIONER ROGER GOODELL:
“Don Shula will always be remembered as one of the greatest coaches and contributors in the history of our game. He made an extraordinarily positive impact on so many lives. The winningest coach in NFL history and the only one to lead a team to a perfect season, Coach Shula lived an unparalleled football life. As a player, Hall of Fame coach, and long-time member and co-chair of the NFL Competition Committee, he was a remarkable teacher and mentor who for decades inspired excellence and exemplified integrity. His iconic legacy will endure through his family and continue to inspire generations to come. We extend our heartfelt sympathy to Don’s wife Mary Anne along to his children Dave, Donna, Sharon and Mike, the Shula family, and the Dolphins organization.”
MIAMI DOLPHINS DT BOB BAUMHOWER (1977-86):
“I went to high school in Palm Beach Gardens and was a big fan of the Dolphins, so to be drafted by Coach Shula and the team was a dream come true. I had the opportunity to play under him for 10 years. When I look back at our time together, I realize how much I owe to him. He moved me to a position I never wanted to play (nose tackle) and that led to my career being as long as it was. Because he drafted me, I met my wife, had my children and even went into the restaurant business. He was such an important figure in my life. He will be remembered forever.”
MIAMI DOLPHINS G LARRY LITTLE (1969-80):
“It’s a very sad day to lose an icon like that. He was not only a great coach, but also a great person who had a huge impact on my career. He made me a captain his second year in Miami, and kept me a captain the rest of my career. I became a good player because of him, and I’ll always be grateful for that. In fact, I have so much respect for him I asked him to be my introducer when I was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. That’s how much I thought of him.
“Coach Shula was a man of character, honesty, and integrity, and as I quickly found out, he let everyone know exactly how he felt. The very first time I met him was at his first press conference in Miami after becoming our head coach. I went up to him to introduce myself and said, ‘Coach, I’m Larry Little and I’m your right guard.’ He looked at me and asked me how much I weighed. When I told him I weighed 285 pounds, he shook his head and walked off. It wasn’t long before I got a letter from him telling me to report at 265. I had to lose 20 pounds for that man. But he was right – my career took off after that happened. I always appreciated everything he did for me and I’m sorry to learn of his passing.”
MIAMI DOLPHINS LB JOHN OFFERDAHL (1986-93):
“I was fortune. I was Coach Shula’s defensive captain for all eight of my years with the Dolphins. I was able to come to the Dolphins in 1986 with a great majority of Coach Shula’s accomplishments having already been made, the biggest of which was the undefeated ‘Perfect Season!’ However, many of his dreams and goals were still left outstanding. Most obvious was his achievement for the most wins in NFL history, which he achieved and now holds at 347, and his quest to return to the Super Bowl, which he never achieved during my time or thereafter. By the time I arrived in 1986, Coach Shula could smell a Super Bowl every year. He had the offense and now just needed a defense. He was on his game and wanted to be on the top of the NFL’s game. By then, he was South Florida’s coach and was preparing/driving everyone from team to fans to be victorious! He drove me to be the best me, beyond what I could have ever imagined. He symbolized not only perfection, but what the pursuit of perfection looks like – looking steadfastly forward to a victorious goal with hard work, an integrated team and a singular purpose. I think for South Florida, it was what we all needed then and still to this day need: a belief that in life – as in football – we can do and be better as we strive to reach a victorious goal. My love and deep sympathies go out to Mary Anne and the rest of his family.”
FORMER NFL COMMISSIONER PAUL TAGLIABUE (1989-2006):
“Don Shula represented the highest standards of excellence by virtually any measure. His contributions to the NFL and the game of football extended far beyond his all-time record victory total. Don also was an all-time winner when it came to integrity, honesty and class. The NFL owes him a great deal for his tremendous loyalty and work on behalf of the league and football fans across America.
“My wife, Chan, and I extend deepest condolences to Mary Anne, his sons David and Mike, and the entire Shula family.”
MIAMI DOLPHINS QB BOB GRIESE (1967-80):
“I was saddened to learn of the passing of Coach Shula. He was the driving force behind everything we accomplished with the Dolphins. Whether it was his force of will, his organization, his work ethic, sense of integrity, or his total focus on winning, he molded us into champions. And the entire time he was doing that, he served as a role model for all that was right in sports.
“While he started out as my coach, over time he became more than that. He became a mentor, and even better, a great friend. It was more than just a coach/player relationship; we had a personal bond that included our families that only two close friends could share. I cherish that part of my time with Coach Shula as much as the championships we won together.
“We lost someone who cannot be replaced, who cannot be equaled, and who personified everything that is right not only about our sport, but about the way we all should conduct ourselves. I want to pass along my condolences to Mary Anne and the entire Shula family. I will miss him.”
MIAMI DOLPHINS RB MERCURY MORRIS (1969-75):
“We had a unique relationship that in the end was based on mutual respect – although sometimes you couldn’t tell.
“When he joined the team in 1970, it was pretty clear things would be different. We were up at 7:30 in the morning for a walkthrough and after two hard practices, we went back out on the field just before it got dark. And then he said he would have liked to have done more but didn’t want to take too much out of us. He ran us ragged and we certainly weren’t happy about it. But he ran all the gassers and calisthenics along with us, and before long, we saw that everything he was doing made us all better players. I started out being mad at him, but it wasn’t long before I became proud to be on his team.
“He not only made us better, but he knew how to turn adversity into success. We saw that after we lost Super Bowl VI. The very first day we reported to training camp the next year, he brought us all together to watch the game and grilled us on our mistakes. He said, ‘See how sick you feel now? Just think how sorry you’ll be if you don’t redeem yourself this year.’ And we did, winning every game we played.
“He turned us into who the record reflects we are – champions that put together the only undefeated season in NFL history.
“I learned a lot from him to become both a better player and a better person. I can’t thank him enough for all he did for me, and I want to extend my condolences to his family.”
MIAMI DOLPHINS C DWIGHT STEPHENSON (1980-87):
“I was so saddened to learn of the passing of Don Shula. I learned so much from Coach Shula, both on and off the field. Lessons that I still apply in my life every day. He taught with hard work, organizational skills and teamwork that we could accomplish anything. When you travel across the country, you realize how important his legacy is to this game – and not just in South Florida, but to football fans everywhere. My thoughts and prayers go out to Mary Anne and the rest of the family. He will be in my heart forever.”
MIAMI DOLPHINS FB LARRY CSONKA (1968-74, 1979):
“I was saddened and surprised to hear of Coach Shula’s passing. He was always a source of strength and motivation for me, and it’s hard to believe he’s gone.
“He changed everything when he got to Miami. He simply would not accept losing. To me, the most memorable moment with him wasn’t any of our wins, but after a loss in Super Bowl VI. Right after the game, when it was only the players and coaches in the locker room, he said, ‘I want every one of you to remember how you feel right now, so that you never feel this way again. I want to go into next year with the goal of doing everything we can to win each of the games we get ready to play.’
“He did the same thing the first day of training camp, and even showed us a tape of the game. He repeated his challenge for us to play every game like it’s the most important game of the year. I remember looking at Jim Kiick, knowing it was 90 degrees outside, and saying ‘Oh, God, we are really into it now.’ But it worked, and we lived up to his challenge by winning every game we played.
“He was always looking for what he called ‘the winning edge,’ but he had a sense of integrity to go with it. He wanted to win, but only if it was within the rules. He wouldn’t have any part of bending any of the rules, let alone breaking them. That’s who he was – winning meant everything, but not at a cost to his principles. That’s why he meant so much to us; we learned a lot of lessons from him that went beyond the football field.
“I don’t know where old coaches and players go when they pass away, but wherever that is, it just changed dramatically. There’s a lightning bolt coming with Coach Shula’s arrival.”
MIAMI DOLPHINS S DICK ANDERSON (1968-77):
“I’ll always remember what Coach Shula meant to the success of the Dolphins by thinking about his very first season here. We weren’t very good when he arrived, but the transition after he took over was remarkable. He started that training camp with four practices a day, and each one had a clear purpose behind it. He planned for every minute, demanded flawless preparation and execution, and never accepted anything else except winning, even after the Perfect Season.
“It seemed like he was always on my case. Once, Nick Buoniconti went up to him and told him to quit yelling at me and Shula told him to shut up and get back on the field. Shula never let up and that’s what made us so great. He pushed you until you played better than you thought you could. That’s what made us champions.
“He also was smart enough to hire great coaches and let them do their job. Now each NFL team has 20 or so coaches, but back then we had only six. But they were great coaches that worked as a team, sharing the same work ethic and drive as Coach Shula. We never questioned what they taught us, and we went into every game thinking we were better prepared than our opponents. That was one of Coach Shula’s greatest strengths.
“Once I retired, I developed a wonderful long-time friendship with Coach Shula, including listening to all of his bad jokes, something I could never imagine as one of his players. But as a player and then as a friend, I always enjoyed being around him and it will be hard for me to believe he’s no longer with us.”
MIAMI DOLPHINS T RICHMOND WEBB (1990-2000):
“My relationship with Coach Shula started back in 1990 when he drafted me. I didn’t know much about him prior to that, but I learned in a hurry just how much he meant to our team and South Florida. He was tough on us, but not just to be tough. Everything had a reason and that reason was to win games. When I look back and talk with other alumni, I realize how many life lessons we still apply from our time with Coach Shula. He was so much more than just a coach. He was a teacher, a businessman and a philanthropist. He did it all. When I first joined the Dolphins, I was amazed at how much work we did in the community. That all started with him. A great man passed away. We all loved him and I know he loved us as well. My thoughts are with Mary Anne and the rest of the family.”
PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME PRESIDENT & CEO DAVID BAKER:
“The Game has lost one of the greats today, but we have all lost a truly incredible man. Hall of Fame Coach Don Shula served as an ambassador for this great game for more than half a century. His legendary feats on the gridiron led him to a record 347 wins to become the winningest coach in NFL history and allowed him to lead the 1972 Dolphins to the only perfect season in NFL history.
“Coach Shula was a man who truly loved the game, and I have often been moved by the deep respect and affection he was always afforded by the men who played for him.
“The entire Pro Football Hall of Fame family mourns the passing of Coach Shula. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife, Mary Anne, and their entire family. The Hall of Fame flag will fly at half-staff and we will forever keep his legacy alive to serve as inspiration to future generations.”
HALL OF FAME QUARTERBACK PEYTON MANNING:
“First off, my thoughts and condolences go out to the entire Shula family—His wife, Mary Anne; David Shula, who works our football camp every year and we know very well; And of course Mike Shula, who coached Eli. Our thoughts and prayers are with all of them.
“I had a chance to visit with Coach Shula when we filmed an episode for the NFL’s 100th year celebration on the Peyton’s Places show. I was able to sit down and have lunch with him and several of his players on that ’72 undefeated season. Just to see the love and respect that his players had for Coach Shula was very special to witness. To hear Bob Griese talk about him and Larry Csonka talk about him, and Larry Little… Just the reverence, the respect and the love—I think that every player would like to have that kind of relationship with one of their coaches. You can tell that these players especially had that relationship with Coach Shula. I know he felt the same about them.
“It wasn’t just those players. I used to hear Dan Marino talk about Coach Shula all of the time and what a father figure he was for him as well along with his own dad. Drafting Dan in 1983 and just being a mentor and giving him the freedom to call his own plays and to play quarterback the way Dan Marino could. Coach Shula had a big impact on him. It was just an honor to witness that and to hear players talk about their coach in that way. I think that’s the ultimate compliment to any coach.
“I just remember Coach Dungy talking about Coach Shula. Coach Dungy played for Chuck Noll. Chuck Noll played for Paul Brown. Coach Shula played for Paul Brown, so Coach Shula and the coaching tree spreads wide. I can remember Coach Dungy talking about Don Shula and some of his coaching philosophies. In a lot of ways, Coach Shula coached more than just his players.
“Coach Shula’s philosophies and his coaching methods spread far and wide. He will be missed. His impact on the NFL and so many players is unmatched and legendary. May he rest in peace.”
MIAMI DOLPHINS QB DAN MARINO (1983-99):
“Coach Shula will truly be missed. He embodied the definition of ‘greatness.’ He brought that winning attitude with him every day and made everyone around him better. I want to thank him for always believing in me. He made me a better player and person. My thoughts and prayers are with the entire Shula family.”
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY MAYOR CARLOS A. GIMENEZ:
“I’m deeply saddened by the passing of Dolphins coach Don Shula. He was the epitome of dignity, class and the pursuit of excellence. His legacy lives beyond the gridiron.
“The Miami Dolphins’ ‘Perfect Season’ in 1972 under Coach Shula’s leadership brought a rapidly growing and diverse community together. He made us One.
“As the winningest coach in NFL history, he put Miami-Dade on the national sports map. He stayed active as a businessman and community leader after retiring from coaching, always sharing his love for our county. Lourdes and I offer our heartfelt condolences to his family.”
MIAMI DOLPHINS LB A.J. DUHE (1977-84):
“My memories of Coach Shula will never fade as long as God continues to give me that ability to think and concentrate. Seeing him coach on TV while I was in high school and college was always exciting. Then getting to play under him at the Senior Bowl was an experience of a lifetime. Several months later, I got the phone call on draft day from Coach Shula saying ‘We’ve selected you as our No. 1 pick and want you to come down here to Miami and play with that same passion and love for the game that you showed us at the Senior Bowl.’ The rest is history and may now his soul rest in peace in the Kingdom of Heaven. I love that man.”
MIAMI DOLPHINS WR PAUL WARFIELD (1970-74):
“I want to extend my condolences to Mary Anne and the rest of the Shula family that I have gotten to know over the years.
“Coach Shula was one of the greats of the game in terms of winning, from his beginning as a head coach with the Colts and then of course with the Dolphins, when he built on his success in Baltimore to become the winningest coach in football. And it wasn’t just winning – it was putting together the only perfect season in the history of the NFL.
“I was able to join Don in Miami in 1970 and what he did in the span of one year to take an expansion team that had won no more than four games in any of those first four seasons and then to completely turn it around in one year to win 10 games and make the playoffs is incredible. And he went from there to make history.
“His ability to transform an expansion franchise almost overnight into the best team that ever played the game epitomized President Kennedy’s definition of leadership when he said ‘We do things not because they are easy, but because they are hard.’
“Coaching in the NFL is not easy; it is hard. That is why coaches come and go.
“But Don Shula proved he could do the hard things and put together an unmatched record in his sport. His leadership is what America is all about.”
