Don Shula, the winningest coach in NFL history and the most important figure in the history of South Florida sports, died Monday at 90. Shula spent 33 years as an NFL coach — 26 with the Miami Dolphins — and finished his career with 347 wins, the most in league history.
Take a look back at Shula through the years:
— Jan. 3, 1930: Don Shula is born to a pair of Hungarian immigrants in Grand River, Ohio.
— Sept. 1944: Shula, whose mother forbade him from playing football after he got a gash on his face playing in the street as an 11-year-old, forges his mother’s signature on a permission form to begin playing at Thomas W. Harvey High School in Painesville, Ohio. Shula took over as the team’s starting halfback within weeks. He was an 11-time letterman in footbal, and track and field.
— Summer 1947: Shula graduates high school without a scholarship offer, so he planned to work for a year before going to college. A former coach, however, suggested he inquire with John Carroll University about a scholarship. He did and received a one-year scholarship to the small University Heights, Ohio, school, which competes in Division III.
— Oct. 9, 1948: Shula takes over for John Carroll’s injured starting halfback and rushes for 175 yards in a win against the Youngstown State Penguins.
— Jan. 19, 1951: The Cleveland Browns select Shula with the last pick in the ninth round — No. 110 overall — of the 1951 NFL Draft. Shula signed a contract for $5,000 per year to play defensive back.
— Oct. 14, 1951: Shula makes his first career start. He finished his rookie season with four interceptions as the Browns advanced to the NFL Championship Game for the second straight season.
— Nov. 21, 1952: Shula returns to football after spending about a year as part of an Ohio National Guard unit which was activated amid the Korean War. He played in five games after returning and Cleveland went to the championship game again, losing for the second straight year.
— March 26, 1953: The Browns trade Shula to the Baltimore Colts as part of a massive 15-player deal. The Colts lead in the NFL in takeaways in 1953, with Shula grabbing three interceptions. In both 1954 and 1955, Shula recorded five interceptions.
— Oct. 1, 1957: The Washington Redskins sign Shula a week after Baltimore waived the back. Shula retired at the end end of the year.
— February 1958: Shula’s coaching career begins when the Virginia Cavaliers hire him as an assistant coach.
— July 19, 1958: Shula marries Dorothy Bartish.
— Feb. 6, 1959: Shula joins the staff of the Kentucky Wildcats as an assistant coach.
— May 28, 1959: Dave Shula, the coach’s first son, is born.
— March 21, 1960: Shula gets his first NFL coaching job when the Detroit Lions hire him as defensive backs coach.
— April 28, 1961: Donna Shula, the coach’s first daughter, is born.
— June 30, 1962: Sharon Shula, the coach’s second daughter, is born.
— Jan. 8, 1963: The Colts hire Shula as coach after he was a key cog for three years as an assistant in some elite Lions defenses. The 33-year-old was the youngest coach in league history at the time.
— Sept. 15, 1963: Shula coaches his first game, a loss to the New York Giants.
— Sept. 22, 1963: Shula earns his first career win as coach when Baltimore beats the San Francisco 49ers.
— May 7, 1964: Anne Shula, the coach’s third daughter, is born.
— Dec. 27, 1964: Shula coaches in his first championship game. The Colts lose to Cleveland in the 1964 NFL Championship Game after going 12-2 in the regular season. Shula won his first NFL Coach of the Year Award.
— June 3, 1965: Mike Shula, the coach’s second son, is born.
— Dec. 10, 1967: Shula wins his 50th game with a win against the New Orleans Saints.
— Dec. 19, 1968: Shula leads Baltimore to victory against the Browns in the 1968 NFL Championship, clinching a spot in Super Bowl 3.
— Jan. 12, 1969: The New York Jets upset the Colts in Super Bowl 3 at the Orange Bowl after Joe Namath famously guarantees victory in the days leading up to the game.
— Feb. 18, 1970
— Sept. 27, 1970: Shula wins his first game with the Dolphins, beating the Houston Oilers.
— Jan. 16, 1972: Shula coaches in his first Super Bowl with Miami, losing Super Bowl 6 to the Dallas Cowboys.
— Sept. 17, 1972: The perfect season begins as the Dolphins beat the Kansas City Chiefs.
— Oct. 15, 1972: Quarterback Bob Griese breaks his ankle, but it doesn’t matter: Miami beats the San Diego Chargers and Shula gets his 100th victory.
— Dec. 16, 1972: The Dolphins beat the Colts to complete the first 14-0 regular season in NFL history.
— Jan. 14, 1973: Miami beats the Redskins in Super Bowl 7 to complete the first — and only — perfect season in NFL history.
— Jan. 13, 1974: The Dolphins beats the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl 8 to repeat as champions. It was Shula’s final Super Bowl championship.
— Nov. 8, 1981: Shula wins his 200th game with a victory against the New England Patriots. Only seven coaches in history have won 200 games.
— Jan. 30, 1983: Miami loses to Washington in Super Bowl 17.
— Aug. 3, 1983: Florida State Road 874 is dedicated as the Don Shula Expressway.
— Jan. 20, 1985: Shula leads the Dolphins to a record fifth Super Bowl appearance, but Miami falls to the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl 19.
— Nov. 1, 1987: Miami beats the Pittsburgh Steelers for Shula’s 250th win. Only four coaches in history have won 250 games.
— Feb. 25, 1991: Dorothy Shula dies of cancer.
— Sept. 22, 1991: Shula earns his 300th career win with a victory against the Green Bay Packers. He’s still one of only three coaches in history with 300 wins.
— Oct. 15, 1993: Shula marries Mary Anne Stephens.
— Oct. 31, 1993: Shula ties legendary Chicago Bears coach George Halas on the all-time wins list when the Dolphins beat the Chiefs for Shula’s 324th carrer victory.
— Nov. 14, 1993: Shula becomes the NFL’s all-time wins leader with 325 victories as Miami beats the Philadelphia Eagles.
— Oct. 2, 1994: Shula and Dave Shula make history with the first father-son coaching matchup in the history of professional sports. The Dolphins defeat the Cincinnati Bengals.
— Dec. 24, 1995: Shula wins his 347th and final game, beating the St. Louis Rams to clinch a playoff spot.
— Dec. 30, 1995: Shula coaches his final game, a loss to the Buffalo Bills in the first round of the NFL playoffs.
— Jan. 5, 1996: Shula announces his retirement as coach, moving on to become the vice chairman of the board of directors.
— Nov. 25, 1996: Shula is inducted into the Miami Dolphins Honor Roll.
— Jan. 25, 1997: Shula is elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
— Jan. 26, 1997: Shula is inducted into the Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.
— Nov. 23, 2002: The FIU Panthers and FAU Owls meet for the first time in an annual rivalry clash dubbed the Shula Bowl.
— Jan. 31, 2010: A statue of Shula is unveiled at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens.
— May 4, 2020: Shula dies at the age of 90. He’s still the NFL’s all-time wins leader and still one of only two coaches with more than 300 wins in the regular season. In his 26 seasons as the Dolphins’ coach, Miami had just two losing seasons. In the 24 seasons since Shula retired, the Dolphins have had 11 losing seasons.
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