The legacy of Don Shula

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Don Shula of the Miami Dolphins has remained a legend over the years and continues to be associated with his perfect 1972 season, that included a famous “no-name defense”, and the largest number of wins in NFL history.

His name is now widely used in steakhouses, burger places, the Don Shula Expressway, the Don Shula Award which recognizes the best high-school coach in the country, an annual Shula Bowl game between two South Florida teams, and the Don Shula Stadium in Ohio. While Don Shula passed away in 2020, the legacy has trickled down over the years with sons Dave and Mike Shula coaching in the NFL, and grandson Chris Shula who was a staff in the Super Bowl winning Los Angeles Rams last season.

Miami Hurricanes coach Mario Cristobal also believes that Shula’s coaching had global impacts beyond South Florida, due to the time and resources that Shula invested as part of his mentorship.

The 50^th anniversary of the 1972 “perfect team” will be celebrated before the upcoming game between the Dolphins and the Pittsburgh Steelers. According to Larry Little, who was a member of the team, Don Shula represents South Florida itself, and has not faded from the Dolphins team. Images and statues of himare common, and he remains a central part of the narrative surrounding the Dolphins, for whom Shula represents what is possible for a single team to achieve in a year.

Even without the 1972 season, Shula still won 330 games, a Super Bowl, and is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Together with the 1972 season, he has effectively been immortalized.