Don Chula, the best coach in the National Football League, who drove Miami Dolphins to the only unbeaten season in the league, died on Monday. Was 90.
Dolphins issued a statement saying that Chula died "peacefully at his home."
"Don Chula has been the patriarch of Miami Dolphins for 50 years," the statement said. "He has excelled in our excellence and put dolphins and the city of Miami on the national sporting scene. Our deep thoughts and prayers go to Mary Ann with his children Dave, Donna, Sharon, Ann and Mike."
Dolphins repeated as next season's champion, beating Minnesota Vikings 24-7 in Super Bowl VIII, the third straight game in which they played Miami; the dolphins lost 24-3 to Dallas Cowboys in the sixth Super Bowl match.
Altogether, Shula directed the dolphins to five Super Bowls, including losses to the Native Americans (27-17 in Super Bowl XVII) and San Francisco 49ers (38-16 in Super Bowl 19).
"Today is a sad day," dolphin head Tom Garfinkel said in a statement. "Coach Chula was the rare man who embodied true greatness in every aspect of his life. Many will miss him, but his legacy of personality and distinction will remain. All my Mary Ann and the Chula family."
Chula was inducted into the Professional Football Hall of Fame in 1997. He, George Hallas and Bill Pelicic are the only coaches in NFL history who have won more than 300 games.
"Don Chula is one of the greatest coaching personalities and the standard of consistency and leadership in the National Football League," Belicheck said in a statement. “I was fortunate to have grown up in Maryland as a fan of the Baltimore Colts team that was led by Coach Chula, one of the prominent teams of that era. My first contact with Coach Chula was through my father, whose friendship with Coach Chula has returned to their days in Northeast Ohio I offer my deepest condolences to the Shula family and the Dolphins Organization. "
"Don Chula will always be remembered as one of the greatest coaches and contributors in the history of our game. He has made a very positive impact on so many lives," National Football Association Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. “The winning coach in NFL history, the only coach who led the team to an ideal season, lived a football life like no other. As a player, coach in the Hall of Fame, long-time member and co-chair of the NFL Competition Committee, he was a teacher and teacher Wonderful has inspired over decades of excellence and exemplary integrity. "
Both Shula's sons followed him in the NFL training classes. Mike Shula is the midfield coach for Denver Bronco and David Shula was the coach of Cincinnati Bangles from 1992 to 1996. He also played one season with Baltimore (1981)
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