Hall of Fame coach Don Shula takes shot at Patriots over Deflategate

It’s no secret Hall of Fame football coach Don Shula isn’t a big fan of New England Patriots Coach Bill Belichick. The former Miami Dolphins coaching great even went as far to describe Belichick with the increasingly tired moniker of “Beli-cheat” during an interview with the Orlando Sun-Sentinel earlier this year.

But it appears Shula, 85, isn’t done expressing his disdain for the Patriots and their longtime coach. While speaking at a news conference Saturday in Miami to announce the Dolphins’ upcoming plans for their 50th anniversary season, Shula took a shot at the Pats while speaking of the virtues he embraced during his coaching career.

“Always done with a lot of class. A lot of dignity,” Shula said, according to the Miami Herald. “Always done the right way. We didn’t deflate any balls.”

Shula then said, “I think I’m going to pass on that answer,” when he was asked if he believed the Patriots’ Super Bowl win has been tainted because of the Deflategate controversy.

Shula retired from coaching in 1995 after posting a 328-156-6 career record. He also guided the Dolphins to consecutive Super Bowl wins in 1973 and ’74.

Shula may be embracing guilt by association, but the NFL’s investigation into whether the Patriots purposefully deflated game balls used in their AFC Championship win over the Indianapolis Colts exonerated Belichick and his coaching staff of wrongdoing.

Still, it looks like Shula is among those who are eagerly waiting to see what level of punishment the NFL decides to hand down to quarterback Tom Brady for his alleged role in the matter. The New York Daily News reported Friday that the NFL will suspend Brady when NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announces his decision next week.