UNITAS or DAN??
33 seasons to pick from! '63 thru '69 as Colts' HC, and '70 thru '95 with Dolphins. Do Lenny Moore or Tom Matte have a say for a spot in the backfield alongside Csonka; or does Mercury and his '71 thru '73 Pro Bowl selections box both out? Who lines up opposite Paul Warfield? Duper or Clayton (Orr's best years before Shula got to Balt)? And then ALL those defenders...many greats to not make the lineup.
All-time Don Shula starting lineup
Re: All-time Don Shula starting lineup
QB-Dan Marino. Both he and Unitas had 3 All Pro selections under Shula. (They both also were born and raised in Pittsburgh, lost a Super Bowl under Shula to a QB from western PA named Joe, and oh yeah, they both had the middle name Constantine.) I give Dan the nod for longevity. Unitas only had 5 great years for Shula before his elbow injury...and calling 1966 "great" is a stretch.
RB-Mercury Morris. Lenny Moore only had the one good season after 1963. Jim Kiick made two Pro Bowls… before Shula arrived. Tom Matte is probably the runner up.
FB- Larry Csonka
WR- Mark Clayton and Paul Warfield. Clayton was better than Duper. This team is not designed to take the field necessarily, but Warfield will do an even better job complementing Clayton than Duper would have.
TE- John Mackey
LT-Richmond Webb
LG-Jim Parker. Parker’s time at LT was over by the time Shula came to Baltimore. HeA nod to Kuechenburg, who played very well for a long time for Shula, Jim Parker.
C-Dwight Stephenson. Another nod to dominance over the longevity of Jim Langer.. no slouch himself.
RG-Larry Little
RT-Norm Evans
DE-Ordell Braase, Bill Stanfill. I thought about Bubba, but he didn’t make a Pro Bowl until Shula left.
NT- Bob Baumhower
ILB-John Offerdahl
MLB- Nick Buoniconti.
OLB-Bryan Cox, and Mike Curtis. Both players spent most of their career inside, but each made an All Pro team outside.
CB-Bobby Boyd, and… Lenny Lyles
SS-Jake Scott
FS- Dick Anderson
P-Reggie Roby
K- Garo
If I was going with a 4-3 defense, I would insert Fred Miller and remove Buoniconti.
RB-Mercury Morris. Lenny Moore only had the one good season after 1963. Jim Kiick made two Pro Bowls… before Shula arrived. Tom Matte is probably the runner up.
FB- Larry Csonka
WR- Mark Clayton and Paul Warfield. Clayton was better than Duper. This team is not designed to take the field necessarily, but Warfield will do an even better job complementing Clayton than Duper would have.
TE- John Mackey
LT-Richmond Webb
LG-Jim Parker. Parker’s time at LT was over by the time Shula came to Baltimore. HeA nod to Kuechenburg, who played very well for a long time for Shula, Jim Parker.
C-Dwight Stephenson. Another nod to dominance over the longevity of Jim Langer.. no slouch himself.
RG-Larry Little
RT-Norm Evans
DE-Ordell Braase, Bill Stanfill. I thought about Bubba, but he didn’t make a Pro Bowl until Shula left.
NT- Bob Baumhower
ILB-John Offerdahl
MLB- Nick Buoniconti.
OLB-Bryan Cox, and Mike Curtis. Both players spent most of their career inside, but each made an All Pro team outside.
CB-Bobby Boyd, and… Lenny Lyles
SS-Jake Scott
FS- Dick Anderson
P-Reggie Roby
K- Garo
If I was going with a 4-3 defense, I would insert Fred Miller and remove Buoniconti.