Don Shula is the first professional coach to be named Sportsman of the Year by Sports Illustrated.
The Miami Dolphins coach received the honor Tuesday at the team's training complex."The word sportsman is important to me," Shula said. "I enjoy winning as much as anybody else. But the fact that you can show dignity and class in victory or defeat and be recognized as a sportsman is all the more important to me."
Shula, the only NFL coach to guide his team to a perfect season, this year broke George Halas' league record for coaching victories and now has 327.
View Comments
The only other football coach to receive the Sports Illustrated honor was Penn State's Joe Paterno in 1986.