(Dec. 14, 2006) -- The NFL will salute two of the most revered names in
South Florida sports history during Super Bowl XLI on Feb. 4, 2007, it
was announced. The Super Bowl coin toss featuring Dan Marino and the
Vince Lombardi Trophy presentation with Don Shula will be televised live
by CBS at Dolphin Stadium in South Florida.
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Marino, the Dolphins' Hall of Fame quarterback, will toss the coin
moments before the start of the game. Shula, the winningest coach in NFL
history who led the Dolphins to five Super Bowls, will participate in
the Vince Lombardi Trophy ceremony following the game. Shula will carry
the Vince Lombardi Trophy, given to the Super Bowl champion, to the
stage for its presentation to the winning team.
Watched by more than 141 million viewers in the U.S. last year, the
Super Bowl is annually the nation's highest-rated TV program. The game
will be broadcast to a potential worldwide audience of 1 billion people
in more than 230 countries and territories. Pregame activities begin at
Dolphin Stadium at 5:40 p.m. ET.
Elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2005, Marino ranks among the
NFL's all-time greatest quarterbacks. Marino, who was the 1998 Walter
Payton NFL Man of the Year, holds 17 NFL records and is tied for six
others. He played in 242 games, ranking first all-time in pass attempts
(8,358), completions (3,686), passing yards (61,361) and touchdowns
(420).
Marino joins an esteemed list of Super Bowl coin toss participants,
including former Presidents Ronald Reagan (from the Oval Office in 1985)
and George H.W. Bush; Marie Lombardi, wife of Vince Lombardi; and Pro
Football Hall of Famers Earl Campbell, Frank Gifford, Red Grange, George
Halas, Don Hutson, Tom Landry, Bronko Nagurski, Alan Page, Art Shell,
and Gene Upshaw.
The two-tone commemorative flip coin is silver with 24kt gold highlights
and is minted by The Highland Mint Company. The coin will feature the
Super Bowl XLI logo on one side and the Vince Lombardi Trophy and
competing team logos on the other.
Shula has coached in the most Super Bowls ever (one with the Baltimore
Colts, Super Bowl III, and five with the Dolphins, VI, VIII, VIII, XVII
and XIX). Shula's record as head coach of the Baltimore Colts from 1963
to 1969 and the Miami Dolphins from 1970 to 1995 is unmatched in NFL
history. In 1995, he concluded his 33rd season as the winningest NFL
head coach ever with a career mark of 347-173-6 (.665). Of all NFL
coaches, only Shula and the immortal George Halas attained 300
victories. The Colts under Shula enjoyed seven straight winning seasons
and in 26 years at Miami, his Dolphins experienced only two seasons
below .500. Shula's teams reached the playoffs 20 times in 33 years and
won at least 10 games 21 times. In Super Bowl VII, the 1972 Dolphins
completed their historic 17-0-0 campaign -- the only perfect season in
NFL history -- with a 14-7 win over the Washington Redskins. In 1973,
Miami defeated the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl VIII to culminate a
two-season span in which the Dolphins won 32 of 34 games.
Bart Starr, Super Bowl I MVP, participated in last year's Vince Lombardi
Trophy ceremony, which was expanded to include a legend from a prior
Super Bowl.
History of Super Bowl coin toss
I-XI: Game Official XII: Red Grange XIII: George Halas XIV: Art
Rooney XV: Marie Lombardi XVI: Bobby Layne XVII: Elroy Hirsch
XVIII: Bronko Nagurski XIX: Hugh McElhenny (with President Ronald Reagan on
video) XX: Bart Starr (representing 17 MVP's who were present)
XXI: Willie Davis XXII: Don Hutson XXIII: Nick Buoniconti, Bob
Griese* and Larry Little XXIV: Mel Blount, Terry Bradshaw, Art Shell
and Willie Wood* XXV: Pete Rozelle XXVI: Chuck Noll XXVII: O.J.
Simpson XXVIII: Joe Namath XXIX: Otto Graham*, Joe Greene, Ray
Nitschke and Gale Sayers XXX: Joe Montana, representing 25 MVPs
present XXXI: Mike Ditka, Tom Flores, Tom Landry, Chuck Noll, George
Seifert and Hank Stram* XXXII: Joe Gibbs*, Eddie Robinson and Doug
Williams XXXIII: Raymond Berry, Sam Huff, Roosevelt Brown, Art
Donovan, Frank Gifford, Tom Landry, Gino Marchetti*, Don Maynard, Lenny
Moore, Jim Parker and Andy Robustelli XXXIV: Bud Grant, Lamar Hunt*,
Bobby Bell, Paul Krause, Willie Lanier, Alan Page and Jan Stenerud
XXXV: Marcus Allen, Ottis Anderson, Tom Flores* and Bill Parcells
XXXVI: Former President George H.W. Bush* and Roger Staubach XXXVII:
Miami Dolphins Hall of Famers from Undefeated '72 Team: Don Shula*, Bob
Griese, Larry Csonka, Larry Little, Jim Langer, Nick Buoniconti and Paul
Warfield XXXVIII: Hall of Famers from Texas—Earl Campbell, Ollie
Matson, Don Maynard, Y.A. Tittle, Mike Singletary and Gene Upshaw
XXXIX: Four young players, ages 7-10, from Jacksonville's Pop Warner and
Police Athletic League teams and two coaches from New Orleans and
Hyattsville, Maryland (2004 NFL HS COY) XL: Super Bowl MVPs. Tom
Brady performed toss. XLI: Dan Marino