Pat Riley on Don Shula: ‘There was no better man or coach in the history of the profession’
From one South Florida sports icon to another.
In a statement released Monday afternoon, Miami Heat president Pat Riley said “there was no better man or coach in the history of the profession” than legendary Miami Dolphins head coach Don Shula.
Shula passed away Monday morning. The cause of death was not immediately known, but a source confirmed to the Miami Herald that it was not related to the coronavirus pandemic.
“There was no better man or coach in the history of the profession than Coach Don Shula,” Riley said in the statement. “He was tough, courageous and an authentic leader with great integrity in his pursuit of perfection, which he achieved! I followed his coaching philosophies with great eagerness since moving to Miami and my respect for him helped mold me not only as a coach, but also as a man. My heart and prayers go out to his wife, Mary Anne, and his entire family at this time. May God bless you as you continue to spread your light while teaching in your new locker room. Rest In Peace Coach.”
Shula, an NFL head coach for 33 years and coach of the Dolphins for 26 of those seasons, was 90 years old. He is the winningest coach in NFL history with a regular-season record of 328-156-6 and a postseason record of 19-17, and he led the Dolphins to their only two Super Bowls in the 1972 and 1973 seasons.
Heat forward and Miami native Udonis Haslem, who is an avid Dolphins fan, posted a tribute to Shula on Instagram: “R.I.P to the great Coach Don Shula.... #finsup 4L #LEGEND.” The caption was accompanied by a series of photos of Haslem and Shula together on stage at a local charity event last year.
And retired Heat star guard Dwyane Wade also used Instagram to honor Shula: “A Miami Legend! Don Shula Rest in Heaven!”
This story was originally published May 4, 2020 at 5:24 PM.
