NFL: Each team’s greatest head coach in franchise history

Tom Landry, Dallas Cowboys. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr./Getty Images)
Tom Landry, Dallas Cowboys. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr./Getty Images) /
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Don Shula, Miami Dolphins
Don Shula, Miami Dolphins. (Photo by Rob Foldy/Getty Images) /

Miami Dolphins: Don Shula (1970-95)

The second coach in Miami Dolphins history comes in here as their best all time — and it’s not even close. The Dolphins were a consistent winner for decades, as Don Shula ran one of the best organizations from 1970 all the way through 1995.

After coaching the then-Baltimore Colts for seven seasons, Shula signed with the Dolphins and the team was charged with tampering. It was a bit controversial due to the AFL/NFL merger. Had that merge never happened, the Dolphins would not have been guilty of tampering, but the timing of the merger led to the violation, but only by a technicality.

Miami ended up having to give the Colts a first-round pick, but that was a small price to pay for the success he brought them over the next 26 years. Shula compiled a record of 257-133-2 in his Miami tenure. He had just two seasons in that span where he did not finish with a winning record.

Shula took his team to the playoffs 16 times, won the AFC five different times and was able to hoist the Lombardi Trophy twice as a Super Bowl winner.

He was also the coach in charge of the greatest season ever played by any team. The 1972 Dolphins finished the regular season with a mark of 14-0. They then went on to beat the Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC playoffs before completing the only perfect season in NFL history when they defeated the Washington Football Team 14-7 in Super Bowl VII.

The New England Patriots threatened that record in 2007 when they went 16-0 in the regular season and made the AFC playoffs. They then fell to the New York Giants, putting them at a blemished 18-1 rather than becoming the second perfect team in NFL history.

Shula coached some of the greatest players in NFL history including Larry Csonka, Mercury Morris and Dan Marino. Since his retirement in 1995, the Dolphins have struggled to find a successful head coach.

He was followed by former Dallas Cowboys head coach Jimmy Johnson who had mild success. Dave Wannstedt came next and had a winning record, but since he moved on in 2004, the only Miami coach with a winning record has been Todd Bowles who went 2-1 as an interim.