The Forgotten Wins: Why Don Shula’s Legacy Deserves a Recount
In the world of sports records, numbers are sacred—until they’re not. Take Don Shula’s legendary 347 career wins, a record that has stood as the gold standard for NFL coaching excellence. But what if I told you that number is incomplete? What if the real magic number is 349? This isn’t just a matter of arithmetic; it’s a question of historical fairness and how we choose to remember greatness.
The Playoff Bowl: A Forgotten Chapter in NFL History
Here’s the kicker: Shula’s win total doesn’t include two victories from the Playoff Bowl, a third-place game the NFL staged in the 1960s. Yes, third-place. Sounds odd, right? But in the 1960s, this was a legitimate postseason game, and Shula’s Colts won it twice—in 1965 against the Cowboys and in 1966 against the Eagles. These weren’t exhibition matches; they were competitive games with playoff implications. So why don’t they count?
Personally, I think this oversight is a glaring example of how sports history can be selective. The Playoff Bowl may seem like a relic now, but in its time, it mattered. Shula himself said after the 1966 game, ‘You couldn’t ask for more desire or effort.’ If the effort was there, why shouldn’t the wins be recognized? It’s not just about the numbers; it’s about acknowledging the work that went into those victories.
The Precedent in Other Sports
To put this in perspective, let’s look at soccer. Kylian Mbappé’s two goals in the 2026 World Cup third-place game counted toward his tournament total, securing him the Golden Boot and the all-time World Cup goal record. If those goals hadn’t counted, Lionel Messi would hold the record. The point? In other sports, third-place games aren’t dismissed as meaningless. They’re part of the narrative.
What makes this particularly fascinating is the double standard. If Mbappé’s goals count, why shouldn’t Shula’s wins? The NFL may have moved on from the Playoff Bowl, but that doesn’t erase its existence. Those games were part of the league’s history, and Shula’s victories were as hard-fought as any other postseason win. Ignoring them feels like rewriting history to fit a modern narrative.
The Broader Implications
This raises a deeper question: How do we decide what counts in sports history? Is it about the rules of today or the context of the time? If we apply modern standards retroactively, we risk losing the nuances of the past. The Playoff Bowl was a product of its era, a time when the NFL postseason was far less expansive. Those two wins were significant then, and they should remain significant now.
From my perspective, this isn’t just about Shula’s record. It’s about how we honor the legacies of pioneers in any field. Shula didn’t choose the rules of his time; he excelled within them. To exclude those wins is to diminish his achievements—and that’s a disservice to his legacy and to the sport itself.
A Call for Reconsideration
If you take a step back and think about it, this isn’t just a debate about numbers. It’s about fairness, consistency, and respect for history. The NFL should reconsider how it counts Shula’s wins. Adding those two victories wouldn’t just correct a statistical oversight; it would restore a piece of history that deserves recognition.
One thing that immediately stands out is how rarely we revisit these kinds of decisions. Sports records are often treated as immutable, but they’re not. They’re human constructs, shaped by the rules and contexts of their time. If we can update records for other reasons—like correcting errors or acknowledging previously overlooked achievements—why not for this?
Final Thoughts
Don Shula’s 347 wins are already a testament to his genius. But 349 would tell a fuller story. It would remind us that greatness isn’t just about the numbers we see today; it’s about the context in which those numbers were achieved. Personally, I think it’s time to give Shula his due. Not just for him, but for the integrity of the sport’s history. After all, what’s the point of records if they don’t reflect the truth?
