Originally posted by Jaj
Shula was brought in in 70 and he brought a whole load of people in the three Superbowl years. The guys that made up the no name defense and the OL.
Most of the Super Bowl years starters preceeded Shula to Miami, which shows how much of a difference a coach can make. Players who were here before Shula include: Howard Twilley, Paul Warfield, Doug Crusan, Larry Little, Norm Evans, Larry Seiple, Jim Mandich, Bob Griese, Jim Kiick, Larry Csonka, Mercury Morris, Manny Fernandez, Bob Heinz, Bill Stanfill, Mike Kolen, Nick Buoniconti, Doug Swift, Tim Foley, Curtis Johnson, Lloyd Mumphord, Dick Anderson, Jake Scott.
Some of them were drafted in 1970, Mandich, Foley, Johnson, Scott, Kolen; and Swift was an undrafted free agent, but the draft used to be in February back then and while Shula was named the HC on Feb 18, 1970, the draft plans were already in place and the credit for assembling this group of players must go to personnel man Joe Thomas. Shula may have prepared the meal, but Thomas bought most of the groceries. :)
Key players for the Super Bowl teams who arrived after Shula would include Earl Morrall, Marv Fleming, Vern Den Herder Jim Langer, Bob Kuechenberg, Marlin Briscoe and Wayne Moore.