Unless you’re in the Tom Selleck look-alike club in which Wannstedt is a full pledged card-carrying member, you haven’t thought much lately about Dave’s mediocre but respectable career with the Dolphins.
He came in as Jimmy Johnson’s guy, and when JJ ditched football for fishing, boozing and an eventual bizarre stint on Survivor, Wanndstedt was handed the head without Wayne Huzienga ever searching for an alternative. Despite Jimmy’s disappointing tenure with the Dolphins, Huzienga still trusted him enough to promote Johnson’s virtual coach-in-waiting. Never mind that Wannstedt stunk with the Erik Mirer/Rick Mirer Bears. Jimmy liked him.
So where does Wannstedt’s career rank with the rest of Miami Dolphins? How about here:
1. Don Shula (1970-95, 257-196, 17-14 in playoffs) You can’t even try to argue this one. He has the most coaching wins in NFL history, coached the only undefeated team in NFL history (although, I seriously hate to admit this, but that record is losing its luster as teams elect to sit their starters after clinching the conference’s best record – pansies). Shula coached great defensive teams and wildly entertaining offensive teams. The only knock on the man is that he won two Super Bowls but probably should have pulled off several more.
2. Dave Wannstedt (2000-04, 42-31, 1-2) Is there any other respectable NFL franchise with such a gap between its greatest head coach and No. 2? This was a tough call between Dave Wannstedt and Jimmy Johnson. Tony Sparano certainly has a chance to claim the No. 2 spot if he sticks around. Although Wannstedt only led the Dolphins to a single playoff win (a memorable win in 2000 against the Colts when Lamar freaking Smith ran for over 200 years and the Dolphins defeated a young Peyton Manning), and Jimmy Johnson pulled off an amazing two postseason wins, Wannstedt won a division title in ’00, and he cared. Heart should count for something, at least when you’re talking about JJ’s heart-less era in Miami.
3. Jimmy Johnson (1996-99, 36-28, 2-3) The mere mention of JJ possibly returning to Miami to coach the Dolphins ended Shula’s career in the hearts of fans. Shula was the old disheveled grandfather. Jimmy Johnson was the best coach in football. But JJ did next to nothing in Miami, winning a couple of playoff games, no divisions and turning Miami into a running team with guys like Karim-Abdul Jabbar and John Avery despite Dan Marino’s arm still having a few years of fuel left. Speaking of Avery, JJ selected guys like Avery and Yatil Green in the first round, although he did find gems in Jason Taylor and Zach Thomas in later rounds, and established the first legitimate defense in Miami in years.
4. Tony Sparano (2008-present, 18-14, 0-1) Although Bill Parcells receives most of the credit for the Dolphins somewhat lucky somewhat amazing season in 2008, emerging from a one-loss season to win the AFC East, Sparano – one of the most anonymous coaches in the NFL – was the head coach. The Dolphins regressed in 2009, but if Miami can make the playoffs this year, put Sparano ahead of Jimmy Johnson and maybe Wannstedt as well.
5. George Wilson (1966-69, 15-39, 0-0) If you remember Mr. Wilson’s career in Miami, you also remember black and white television and the pre-Super Bowl NFL. You’re old. Wilson was no failure in his younger days, leading the Detroit Lions to the 1959 NFL championship. That wasn’t a typo – the Lions once won a championship. Give Wilson for credit for coaching the expansion Dolphins, never an easy feat. For that, he’s not the worst coach in Miami history.
6. Nick Saban (2005-06, 15-17, 0-0) Huzienga went for buzz and a Hail Mary in this signing, praying that one of the top college coaches in the country could lead the Dolphins. Huzienga looked like a genius on opening week when Miami crushed the Broncos 34-10. Saban’s career in Miami reached an all-time high in his first game and plummeted for the rest of his brief and hated tenure in South Florida. The Dolphins still managed to finish 9-7 in Saban’s inaugural year, giving a glimmer of hope that he could be the long term guy. Then, he signed Daunte Culpepper instead of Drew Brees, the Dolphins went 6-10, Saban lied about his wet dream to coach the Roll Tide, and the rest is a dark chapter in Miami’s dark decade.
7. Jim Bates (2004, 3-4, 0-0) Bates did surprisingly well picking up the slack after the Dolphins started the season 1-8 and fired Wannstedt. Miami considered hiring him for the long haul, but went for the sexier signing in Saban. No one ever confused Bates for sexy, but he might have been the better pick and the foresight to sign Brees over Culpepper.
8. Cam Cameron (2007, 1-15, 0-0) If the human race survives for the next 500 years, and the NFL and Miami Dolphins exist in this futuristic society, Cameron will still be the worst coach in Dolphins history. He received zero respect from players and he nearly led the once proud Miami franchise to a winless season. The year after his departure, Miami missed the playoffs. Cam Cameron, you are forever the Dolphins epitome of failure.
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