*** DOLPHINS NEWS ***

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Feb 08, 1996: -- Shula to Coach Baltimore? --

The Washington Post, Boston Globe and Miami Herald are all reporting this morning that Browns' owner Art Modell has approached Don Shula about coaching the Browns (or whatever the new team will be named), if they get approval to move to Baltimore.

Don Shula apparently met with Modell on Tuesday and discussed the possibility. Coach Shula is reported to have not ruled out coaching in the future and is interested in the job with Modells team because of his early ties to both the Browns and Baltimore.

Modell still must get approval from the NFL owners and get past a lawsuit filed by the city of Cleveland to keep him from moving. The issue will be discussed at an NFL owners meeting today and tomorrow in Chicago.

If the Browns do move to Baltimore, current head coach Bill Belicheck will reportedly be fired. If that happens, both New England and Miami are reportedly interested in hiring Belicheck as defensive coordinator for the teams.

My Comments:

I have speculated privately that Don Shula would not be able to remain retired from coaching. He has been a coach for too long and I felt that it might be too much of a shock to just stop.

I have mixed feelings about his returning, though. I certainly don't want him to again face the kind of criticism that he faced in Miami.

As far as Belicheck is concerned, if the Browns move and he is fired, he is more likely to wind up in New England with Bill Parcells, than he is to go to work for Jimmy Johnson.