I think Don Shula might be the most underrated coach in NFL history.

The man won everywhere he went. He took the Colts to the Super Bowl, built the only perfect team in league history with the 1972 Dolphins, and retired as the winningest coach ever. He adapted across multiple eras and multiple styles of football. Ground and pound, defense first, pass heavy, it did not matter. Shula found a way to win.

And then, unfortunately, he spent the second half of his career being anchored to Dan Marino.

Imagine being one of the greatest coaches of all time and finally getting paired with a quarterback that everyone swears is some untouchable football god, only to realize he is just a stat padding merchant with a rocket arm and the postseason composure of a wet paper bag.

Marino’s entire legacy is based on one great season in 1984 and a lifetime supply of excuses.

No running game.

Bad defense.

Shula got conservative.

At some point we have to admit the common denominator was Marino himself.

Zero rings.

One Super Bowl appearance where he got steamrolled.

Countless playoff faceplants.

And somehow we are supposed to believe Don Shula was the problem?

Shula won championships with Bob Griese. He won with Earl Morrall. He won with defense, discipline, and actual winning football. Then Marino shows up and suddenly the trophy case slams shut for 17 years.

That is not a coincidence. That is a quarterback shaped roadblock.

If you gave Shula a quarterback with even a fraction of clutch ability, he probably wins multiple more Super Bowls.

Honestly, swap Marino for Sam Darnold and Shula probably adds another Lombardi or two. At minimum, Darnold is a slightly better version of Marino with less mythology and a much better career arc.

So to answer the question:

Don Shula was an all time great coach.

Dan Marino was the human embodiment of empty calories.

And Shula’s greatest achievement might be preserving his reputation after spending nearly two decades trying to drag the most overrated quarterback in NFL history to a championship.

How good of a coach was Don Shula actually?