View source for Don Doll

{{Short description|American football player and coach (1926–2010)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name         = Don Doll
| image        = Don Doll 1950.jpeg
| caption      = Doll, {{Circa|1948}}, from USC yearbook
| number       = 44, 46, 48
| position     = [[Safety (gridiron football position)|Safety]] <br> [[Return specialist]]
| birth_date   = {{Birth date|1926|8|29}}
| birth_place  = [[Los Angeles|Los Angeles, California]], U.S.
| death_date   = {{Death date and age|2010|9|22|1926|8|29}}
| death_place  = [[San Juan Capistrano, California]], U.S.
| height_ft    = 5
| height_in    = 10
| weight_lb    = 185
| high_school  = [[Grant Union High School (Sacramento, California)|Grant Union]]<br />([[Sacramento, California]])
| college      = [[USC Trojans football|USC]] (1944, 1946–1948)
| draftyear    = 1948
| draftround   = 9
| draftpick    = 67
| pastteams    =
* [[Detroit Lions]] ({{NFL Year|1949|1952}})
* [[History of the Washington Commanders|Washington Redskins]] ({{NFL Year|1953}})
* [[History of the Los Angeles Rams|Los Angeles Rams]] ({{NFL Year|1954}})
| pastcoaching =
* [[Washington Huskies football|Washington]] (1955)<br>Defensive backs coach
* [[Contra Costa Comets football|West Contra Costa]] (1956)<br>Head coach
* [[USC Trojans football|USC]] (1957–1958)<br>Defensive backs coach
* [[Notre Dame Fighting Irish football|Notre Dame]] (1959–1962)<br>Defensive backs coach
* Detroit Lions ({{NFL Year|1963|1964}})<br>Defensive backs coach
* Los Angeles Rams ({{NFL Year|1965}})<br>Defensive backs coach
* Washington Redskins ({{NFL Year|1966|1970}})<br>Defensive backs coach
* [[Green Bay Packers]] ({{NFL Year|1971|1973}})<br>Defensive backs coach
* [[Baltimore Colts]] ({{NFL Year|1974}})<br>Defensive coordinator
* [[Miami Dolphins]] ({{NFL Year|1975|1976}})<br>Linebackers coach
* [[San Francisco 49ers]] ({{NFL Year|1977}})<br>Special assignments coach
* Detroit Lions ({{NFL Year|1978|1985}})<br>Special teams coach
* Detroit Lions ({{NFL Year|1986|1988}})<br>Tight ends coach
| highlights   =
* [[List of NFL champions (1920–69)|NFL champion]] ([[1952 NFL Championship Game|1952]])
* Second-team [[All-Pro]] ([[1951 All-Pro Team|1951]])
* 4× [[Pro Bowl]] ([[1951 Pro Bowl|1950]]–[[1954 Pro Bowl|1953]])
* [[Detroit Lions 75th Anniversary Team]]
* [[Detroit Lions#Lions All-Time Team|Detroit Lions All-Time Team]]
* Third-team [[College Football All-America Team|All-American]] ([[1947 College Football All-America Team|1947]])
* 2× First-team [[List of All-Pac-12 Conference football teams|All-PCC]] ([[1947 All-Pacific Coast football team|1947]], [[1948 All-Pacific Coast football team|1948]])
; NFL record
* Most interception return yards in a season by a rookie: 301
| statlabel1   = [[Interception]]s
| statvalue1   = 41
| statlabel2   = interception return yards
| statvalue2   = 617
| statlabel3   = Total [[touchdown]]s
| statvalue3   = 3
| regular_record = {{Winning percentage|2|7|0|record=y}}
| pfr          = D/DollDo00
| pfrcoach     = DollDo0 
}}

'''Donald LeRoy Doll''' (August 29, 1926 – September 22, 2010), also known as '''Don Burnside''', was an [[American football]] player and coach.

Doll played college football for the [[University of Southern California]] (1944, 1946–1948) and professional football in the [[National Football League]] (NFL) with  the [[Detroit Lions]] (1949–1953), [[Washington Commanders|Washington Redskins]] (1954) and [[Los Angeles Rams]] (1955).  He was selected to play in each of the first four [[Pro Bowl]]s and was named the Most Valuable Player in the 1952 season Pro Bowl.  He played safety on the [[1952 Detroit Lions season|1952 Detroit Lions team]] that won the NFL championship.  He tied an NFL record in 1949 with four interceptions in a single game and is the only player in NFL history to have 10 or more interceptions in each of three different seasons (1949, 1950 and 1953).  When he retired at the end of the 1954 season, he was the NFL's all-time leader with 41 interceptions.

After retiring as a player, Doll worked as a football coach for 34 years, serving as the head coach at [[Contra Costa College|West Contra Costa Junior College]] in 1956 and as an assistant coach with the [[University of Washington]] (1955), USC (1957–1958), [[Notre Dame University|Notre Dame]] (1959–1962), Detroit Lions (1963–1964), [[Los Angeles Rams]] (1965), [[Washington Commanders|Washington Redskins]] (1966–1970), [[Green Bay Packers]] (1971–1973), [[Baltimore Colts]] (1974), [[Miami Dolphins]] (1975–1976), [[San Francisco 49ers]] (1977) and Detroit Lions (1978–1988).  During his NFL career, he was associated with the game's legendary coaches, as a player for [[Curly Lambeau]] and an assistant coach under [[Vince Lombardi]] and [[Don Shula]].

==Early years==
Doll attended [[Grant Union High School (Sacramento, California)|Grant Union High School]] in [[Sacramento, California]], where he was an all-league quarterback.<ref name=USC>{{cite news|title=Ex-USC And NFL Star Don Doll Dies: He was All-PCC at USC and a Pro Bowler in NFL|publisher=USC Trojans (official site)|date=September 28, 2010|url=http://www.usctrojans.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/092810aaa.html|access-date=September 29, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303181436/http://www.usctrojans.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/092810aaa.html|archive-date=March 3, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>  Doll was also named Cal-Hi Sports State Player of the Year for football in 1943.  He is one of only four Sacramento-area players to earn the honor.<ref name=SB>{{cite news|title=In history's spotlight: A look at those who made headlines in the past 150 years|newspaper=The Sacramento Bee|date=May 23, 2007}}</ref>

==USC and military service==
Doll played [[Halfback (American football)|halfback]] (both offensive and defensive) for the [[USC Trojans football|USC Trojans]] from 1944 to 1948, though he did not play in 1945 while serving in the military.  He led USC in rushing three times—in 1944, 1947 and 1948.  He also led the team in receptions and scoring in 1948.<ref name=USC/>

===1944 season===
In July 1944, he joined the Trojans as a 17-year-old freshman halfback.<ref name=Dyer2>{{cite news|author=Braven Dyer|title=The Sports Parade|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=July 23, 1944}}</ref>  He played the 1944 season under his birth name, Don Burnside.  In the 1944 season opener against [[UCLA Bruins football|UCLA]], Doll had an immediate impact.  He played halfback on both offense and defense (the norm in 1944), intercepting a [[Bob Waterfield]] pass and returning it 16 yards to the UCLA 22-yard line.  On the next play, the Trojans again gave the ball to Doll who ran 20 yards to the 2-yard line.  Two plays later, Doll scored on a 1-yard run to give USC a 13–0 lead at halftime.<ref>{{cite news|author=Braven Dyer|title=Bruins Tally Twice in Final Minutes; Roesch Runs 80 Yards at Gun|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=September 24, 1944}}</ref>

After the season opener, USC coach [[Jeff Cravath]] announced that Doll was being switched to the quarterback position for the second game of the season.<ref>{{cite news|title=Don Burnside Tested as Signal Caller|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=September 26, 1944}}</ref>  Despite the experiment, Doll played principally at halfback during the 1944 season.  Prior to the final regular season game (a re-match against UCLA), Al Wolf of the ''Los Angeles Times'' called him "S.C.'s 18-year-old freshman whiz."<ref>{{cite news|author=Al Wolf|title=Burnside Starts for Troy Saturday|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=November 21, 1944}}</ref>

The 1944 Trojans finished the season undefeated with an 8-0-2 record and defeated [[Tennessee Volunteers football|Tennessee]] 25–0 in the [[1945 Rose Bowl]].  Doll played 43 minutes in the Rose Bowl and was the game's leading rusher.  ''Los Angeles Times'' sports writer Braven Dyer wrote that Doll "shouldered the ball carrying burden almost single handedly" in the Rose Bowl.<ref>{{cite news|author=Braven Dyer|title=Trojan Gridders Start Spring Drills Tomorrow|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=April 7, 1946}}</ref>

===U.S. Marine Corps===
After playing in the Rose Bowl game, Doll was inducted into the [[United States Marine Corps]].  He served aboard the battleship {{USS|Missouri|BB-63|6}} and was an eyewitness to the [[Japanese surrender]] ceremony on the ship's deck on September 2, 1945.<ref name=Dyer/>

===1946 season and name change===
Doll was honorably discharged from the military in June 1946 and returned to USC in time for summer practice.  In July 1946, Braven Dyer wrote that USC had found "a new backfield star."  Dyer continued, "Fresh out of the Marines, the lad's name is Doll, Don Doll, that is."<ref name=Dyer>{{cite news|author=Braven Dyer|title=CRAVATH FINDS 'DOLL' AMONG GRID HOPEFULS|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=July 30, 1946}}</ref>  Doll had changed his surname from "Burnside" to "Doll" after being discharged from the military.<ref name=Dyer/>  Doll later explained the reasoning behind his decision:

<blockquote>My stepfather, Adna Doll, raised me and as soon as I was old enough (and, incidentally, had dough for the legal transfer) I changed my name to his because I was grateful for all Dad had done for me.  I thought that if any honors came my way in football, I'd like to be known by his name.<ref name=LAT1954>{{cite news|author=Jeane Hoffman|title=HOME AGAIN: Former Troy Star 'Dolls' Up Ram Roster|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=September 17, 1954}}</ref></blockquote>

However, Doll recalled that "sports writers had a field day" with his new name: "When I weaved downfield I was the 'Dancing Doll.'  If I took too long on a play, I was the 'Mechanical Doll.'"<ref name=LAT1954/>

Doll played at the left halfback position for the 1946 Trojans.<ref>{{cite news|author=Braven Dyer|title=Troy Grooms Right Halves|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=November 28, 1946}}</ref>  In the final game of the season, a 20–14 victory over [[Tulane Green Wave football|Tulane]] in [[New Orleans]], Doll had a key interception and return for 34 yards.<ref>{{cite news|author=Charles Curtis|title=Injury-Riddled Trojans Top Tulane, 20-13|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=December 22, 1946}}</ref>

===1947 season===
[[File:Don Doll 1947.jpg|thumb|250px|Doll during a game on November 8, 1947]]
In 1947, Doll added punting and punt and kickoff return duties to his role as a starting halfback.  In October 1947, he was leading the [[Pacific Coast Conference]] with an average of 45 yards per punt; he was also leading the Conference with an average of 20 yards on punt returns.<ref>{{cite news|title=Don Doll Sets Punting Pace in Conference|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=October 8, 1947}}</ref>  One of the highlights of the 1947 season for USC was a 32–0 victory in [[Columbus, Ohio]], over a highly touted [[1947 Ohio State Buckeyes football team|Ohio State team]].  Doll started the Trojans' scoring against the Buckeyes with a 42-yard touchdown run around the left end in the first quarter.<ref>{{cite news|author=Braven Dyer|title=Trojans Grind Out 32-0 Victory Over Buckeyes; Naumu's Arm Broken|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=October 12, 1947}}</ref>  Doll's longest gain of the season was a 95-yard kickoff return in a 21–0 victory over [[California Golden Bears football|Cal]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Bears' Dreams of Date in Rose Bowl Exploded|newspaper=Long Beach Press-Telegram|date=October 26, 1947}}</ref>

At the end of the 1947 season, Doll was picked as a first-team back on the [[United Press]] All-Coast Conference team.<ref>{{cite news|title=Bruin, Troy Stars Dominate All-Coast Conference Selections|newspaper=Nevada State Journal|date=November 26, 1947}}</ref>

The 1947 Trojans won the Pacific Coast Conference championship and faced [[1947 Michigan Wolverines football team|Michigan's famed "Mad Magicians" team]] in the [[1948 Rose Bowl]].  USC lost the game 49–0, and Doll was one of the few USC players praised for his performance in the game.  Sports writer Maxwell Stiles wrote, "Don Doll was a power in the secondary until he was forced out with what was reported to be a broken arm."<ref>{{cite news|author=Maxwell Stiles|title=Michigan Rips Trojans Apart|newspaper=Long Beach Press Telegram|date=January 2, 1948}}</ref>

===1948 season===
In 1948, Doll played his final season at the left halfback position for USC.  He scored the Trojans' only touchdown on a 28-yard run in a 7–0 victory over [[Rice Owls football|Rice]].<ref>{{cite news|author=Fred Delano|title=Trojans Squeeze By Rice, 7-0: Doll's Tally Gives S.C. Nod|newspaper=Long Beach Press Telegram|date=October 10, 1948}}</ref>  The following week, Doll again scored USC's only touchdown, this time in an 8–7 loss to [[Oregon Ducks football|Oregon]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Oregon Topples Troy Eleven, 8-7|newspaper=The Independent, Long Beach, California|date=October 17, 1948}}</ref>  He added two touchdowns in a 32–7 win over [[Washington Huskies football|Washington]].<ref>{{cite news|author=Fred Delano|title=Trojans Club Huskies, 32-7|newspaper=Long Beach Press Telegram|date=November 14, 1948}}</ref>

At the end of the 1948 season, Doll was selected as a first-team halfback on the [[Associated Press]] All-Pacific Coast Team.<ref>{{cite news|title=Four California Gridders On Pacific Coast Team|newspaper=Oakland Tribune|date=November 29, 1948}}</ref>  He was also selected as the halfback and punter for the West team in the 1948 [[East–West Shrine Game]].

==Professional football player==
Doll was drafted by the [[Detroit Lions]] in the 9th round (67th overall pick) of the [[1948 NFL draft]] and signed a one-year contract with the team in February 1949.<ref>{{cite news|title=TROY'S DON DOLL SIGNS WITH DETROIT LION PROS|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=February 26, 1949}}</ref>  He played as a [[defensive back]] for the Lions for four years from 1949 to 1952.<ref name=PFR>{{cite web|title=Don Doll profile|publisher=pro-football-reference.com|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/D/DollDo00.htm|access-date=September 28, 2010}}</ref>  He was selected as an All-Pro player in his first three seasons in the NFL (1949–1951).  He was also selected four times to play in the [[Pro Bowl]] (1950–1953).<ref name=PFR/>

At 5 feet, 11&nbsp;inches, and 185 pounds, Doll was small for a professional football player.  In a 1954 profile on Doll, a reporter noted, "Don, who's built like a bank clerk, piano tuner, soda jerk, errand boy or -- egad -- even a sports writer doesn't look any more like a pro gridder than your cousin Joe."<ref name=LAT1954/>  Doll explained how he handled the disparity in size with the players he was required to tackle:

<blockquote>I just throw a shoulder into 'em and hit 'em low.  If they are over two tons I aim for their shoelaces.  If they're medium sized (around boxcar weight) I hit for the thighs.  I'll admit I do not drive 'em back but I stop 'em where they are. ... My size is no detriment in football.  I rate as the No. 1 asset the 'desire' to tackle.  And I've plenty of that desire.<ref name=LAT1954/></blockquote>

===1949 season===
During his rookie season, Doll had 11 interceptions which he returned for 301 yards, including a 95-yard return for a touchdown against the [[Pittsburgh Steelers]] on October 8, 1949.  His 301 return yards off interceptions set an NFL record that stood until 1961.  His total still ranks 5th all-time in NFL history.<ref>{{cite web|title=NFL Single-Season Interception Return Yards Leaders|publisher=pro-football-reference.com|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/leaders/def_int_yds_single_season.htm}}</ref>  Doll still holds the record for most interception return yards by a rookie, and it is one of the oldest remaining records in the NFL.

Doll also led the NFL in 1949 with 536 kickoff return yards.<ref name=PFR/>  He also tied an NFL record on October 23, 1949, with four interceptions in a 24–7 win over the [[Chicago Cardinals]].<ref name=DL>{{cite web|title=Former Lions' Player and Coach, Don Doll, Dies at Age 84|publisher=Detroit Lions|date=September 28, 2010|url=http://www.detroitlions.com/news/article-1/Former-Lions-Player-and-Coach-Don-Doll-Dies-at-Age-84/d21b7582-8200-48a4-9c70-9174d4b65554|access-date=September 28, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101002131258/http://www.detroitlions.com/news/article-1/Former-Lions-Player-and-Coach-Don-Doll-Dies-at-Age-84/d21b7582-8200-48a4-9c70-9174d4b65554|archive-date=October 2, 2010|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===1950 season===
In his second season in the NFL, Doll snagged 12 interceptions in 11 games, one interception short of the NFL record of 13 interceptions set by [[Dan Sandifer]] in 1948.<ref>{{cite web|title=NFL Single-Season Interceptions Leaders|publisher=pro-football-reference.com|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/leaders/def_int_single_season.htm}}</ref>

At the end of the 1950 season, Doll was selected as a first-team All-Pro for the second straight year and was also selected to appear in his first [[Pro Bowl]].<ref name=PFR/>

===1951 and 1952 seasons===
[[File:Don Doll - 1951 Bowman.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Doll on a 1951 Bowman football card]]
During the 1951 and 1952 seasons, Doll was selected to appear in his second and third [[Pro Bowl]]s and received the George S. Halas Trophy as the Most Valuable Player in the 1952 season Pro Bowl.<ref>{{cite news|author=Frank Finch|title=Doll to Get Trophy at Pro Bowl Tilt|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=November 12, 1953}}</ref>  Doll played safety on the [[1952 Detroit Lions season|1952 Detroit Lions team]] that won the NFL championship.<ref>{{cite web|title=1952 Detroit Lions|publisher=pro-football-reference.com|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/det/1952.htm}}</ref>  Though the 1952 Lions team is remembered mostly for the offensive output of [[Bobby Layne]], the defense included Doll and [[Les Bingaman]] and led the NFL in both scoring defense and rush defense.<ref>{{cite web|title=1952 NFL Opposition & Defensive Statistics|publisher=pro-football-reference.com|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1952/opp.htm}}</ref>

In 2008, Doll was selected as a member of the Lions' 75th Season All-Time Team, recognizing him as "one of franchise's greatest players."<ref name=DL/>  He still holds Lions' team records for interceptions in a season (12) and interception return yards in a season (301).<ref name=SB/>

===1953 season===
At the start of the 1953 NFL season, Doll was traded by the Lions to the [[Washington Commanders|Washington Redskins]], where he played under head coach [[Curly Lambeau]].  Doll totaled 10 interceptions for the 1953 season, making him the first player in NFL history to tally at least 10 interceptions in each of three seasons (11 in 1949, 12 in 1950 and 10 in 1953).<ref name=PFR/>  Doll remains the only player in NFL history to accomplish this feat in three seasons.<ref name=DL/>  He was also selected for his fourth consecutive Pro Bowl.<ref name=PFR/><ref name=DL/>  The [[Pro Bowl]] began with the [[1950 NFL season]], and Doll is one of the few players to have played in each of the first four Pro Bowls.

===1954 season===
In January 1954, Doll was traded to the [[Los Angeles Rams]] in a three-team, multi-player deal that also sent [[Night Train Lane]] to the [[Chicago Cardinals]].  At the time of the trade, Doll, who lived at the time in [[San Gabriel, California]], told the ''Los Angeles Times'', "This is good news.  I've wanted to play for the Rams since I got out of school."<ref>{{cite news|author=Frank Finch|title=Rams Obtain Doll, Peters in Triple Deal, Lose Lane|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=January 31, 1954}}</ref>  Doll concluded his playing career with the Rams and had five interceptions in 1954.<ref name=PFR/>  When he retired at the end of the 1954 season, Doll was the NFL's all-time career leader with 41 interceptions.<ref>{{cite web|title=NFL Career Interceptions Leaders|publisher=pro-football-reference.com|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/leaders/def_int_career.htm}}</ref>

==Coaching career==
Doll retired from playing football in 1955 and worked for the next 34 years as a football coach.

In 1955, Doll was hired as an assistant coach at the [[University of Washington]] under head coach [[John Cherberg]].  Doll was put in charge of defensive backs for the Huskies.  During his one year at Washington, the Huskies had the 10th best passing defense in the country, allowing only 60 yards per game in passing yards.<ref name=LAT1957>{{cite news|title=Don Doll Name Assistant at SC|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=February 26, 1957}}</ref>

In 1956, Doll accepted a head coaching position at [[Contra Costa College|West Contra Costa Junior College]].<ref name=LAT1957/>

In February 1957, Doll returned to USC as the Trojans' backfield coach under head coach [[Don Clark (American football)|Don Clark]].  At the time of his hiring, the ''Los Angeles Times'' called Doll "an all-time SC great" and "one of the top defensive backs in football history."<ref name=LAT1957/>  Doll served as USC's backfield coach during the 1957 and 1958 seasons.  He also served as an assistant on the College All-Star coaching staff in 1957 and 1958.<ref name=ND/>

In February 1959, Doll was hired by [[Notre Dame Fighting Irish football|Notre Dame]] as its backfield coach under head coach [[Joe Kuharich]].<ref name=ND>{{cite news|title=Don Doll Takes Kuharich Offer at Notre Dame|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=February 13, 1959}}</ref>  Prior to the 1959 game between USC and Notre Dame, Braven Dyer warned in the ''Los Angeles Times'' that the man who had "mapped SC's secondary defense" was "now in the camp of the enemy."<ref>{{cite news|author=Braven Dyer|title=Irish Gridders Tutored By Ex-Trojan Don Doll|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=November 25, 1959}}</ref>  Notre Dame defeated USC in 1959 by a score of 16–6.<ref>{{cite web|title=Southern California Yearly Results 1955-1959|publisher=College Football Data Warehouse|url=http://cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/div_ia/pac10/southern_california/yearly_results.php?year=1955|access-date=September 29, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101205120036/http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/div_ia/pac10/southern_california/yearly_results.php?year=1955|archive-date=December 5, 2010|url-status=dead}}</ref>  Doll was Notre Dame's backfield coach throughout Kuharich's tenure which ended after the 1962 season.<ref name=LAT1963>{{cite news|title=Don Doll To Coach Lions Backfield|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=January 15, 1963}}</ref>

In January 1963, Doll was hired by the [[Detroit Lions]] as their defensive backfield coach.  Doll, who was then 36 years old, replaced [[Don Shula]], who left the Lions coaching staff to become the head coach of the [[Baltimore Colts]].<ref name=LAT1963/>  Doll remained the Lions' defensive backfield coach through the 1963 and 1964 NFL seasons.  At the end of the 1964 season, Doll was "swept out" of the Lions organization when team owner [[William Clay Ford Sr.|William Clay Ford]] "purged the coaching staff."<ref name=LAT1965>{{cite news|title=Doll Replaces Crow as Ram Coaching Aide|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=January 9, 1965}}</ref>

In January 1965, Doll was hired by the [[Los Angeles Rams]] as their defensive backfield coach under head coach [[Harland Svare]].<ref name=LAT1965/>  Doll remained with the Rams for only one season.

In 1966, Doll was hired as an assistant coach for the [[Washington Redskins]] under head coach [[Otto Graham]].  Doll remained with Redskins as the defensive backfield coach for five years and through three head coaches.  In 1969, [[Vince Lombardi]] was hired as the Redskins' head coach.  Doll served as an assistant coach under Lombardi during the [[1969 NFL season]], which was Lombardi's last as a coach.  Doll also served under Redskins' head coach [[Bill Austin (American football, born 1928)|Bill Austin]] in 1970.

In February 1971, Doll was hired as defensive backfield coach for the [[Green Bay Packers]] under head coach [[Dan Devine]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Don Doll Named As Packer Aide|newspaper=Bangor Daily News (AP story)|date=February 12, 1971|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Chk0AAAAIBAJ&sjid=x-AIAAAAIBAJ&pg=5534,3600478&dq=don-doll&hl=en}}</ref>  Doll remained with the Packers for three years from 1971 to 1973.  He helped mold the Packers' backfield into what ''[[The New York Times]]'' called "one of the National Football League's stingiest pass defenses."<ref>{{cite news|title=Doll Resigns As Packers' Aide|newspaper=The New York Times|date=January 11, 1974|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1974/01/11/archives/doll-resigns-post-as-packers-aide.html}}</ref>  In 1972, the Packers had the best pass defense in the NFL.  In 1973, the defense lost All-Pro cornerback [[Willie Buchanon]] to a broken leg in the sixth game of the season, but still finished as the fifth best pass defense in the NFL.<ref name=GB>{{cite news|title=2 Packer Players Say Doll Was Fired|newspaper=The Milwaukee Journal|date=January 11, 1974|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=eh8qAAAAIBAJ&sjid=3igEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6968,220285&dq=don-doll&hl=en|access-date=June 27, 2015|archive-date=May 16, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160516203752/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=eh8qAAAAIBAJ&sjid=3igEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6968,220285&dq=don-doll&hl=en|url-status=dead}}</ref>  In January 1974, the Packers announced that Doll had resigned "because of personal problems", but it was later revealed that he was fired by Devine due to a personality conflict and disagreements over defensive strategy.<ref name=GB/><ref>{{cite news|title=Devine Says 'Sour Grapes' to Doll Being Fired|newspaper=The Spartanburg Herald|date=February 28, 1974|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=fkAsAAAAIBAJ&sjid=UM0EAAAAIBAJ&pg=5793,4867405&dq=don-doll&hl=en}}</ref>  On learning of Doll's departure, Willie Buchanon said, "It hurts to get news like this.  Not only was he a very good coach, but he was someone who we could relate to and get along with.  There aren't many people like that."<ref name=GB/>

In February 1974, after undergoing hip surgery, Doll was hired by the [[Baltimore Colts]] as defensive coordinator and secondary coach.<ref>{{cite news|title=Colts Hire Don Doll|newspaper=The New York Times|date=February 27, 1974|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1974/02/27/archives/colts-hire-don-doll.html}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Doll named Colt defense coordinator|newspaper=The Sun|location=Baltimore|date=February 27, 1974|url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/baltsun/access/1744240602.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Feb+27,+1974&author=&pub=The+Sun+(1837-1985)&desc=Doll+named+Colt+defense+coordinator&pqatl=google|access-date=July 6, 2017|archive-date=November 4, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121104005824/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/baltsun/access/1744240602.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Feb+27,+1974&author=&pub=The+Sun+(1837-1985)&desc=Doll+named+Colt+defense+coordinator&pqatl=google|url-status=dead}}</ref>  He served in Baltimore under head coaches [[Howard Schnellenberger]] (who was head coach for three games) and [[Joe Thomas (American football executive)|Joe Thomas]].  During the 1974 season, the Colts finished 2–12 and allowed 23.5 points per game, second worst in the NFL.

In February 1975, Doll resigned from his position with the Colts to accept a position as linebackers coach with [[Miami Dolphins]] under head coach [[Don Shula]], who Doll had replaced in Detroit in 1963.<ref>{{cite news|author=Cameron C. Snyder|title=Colts lose Doll: 'Continuity' plans of club are disrupted|newspaper=The Sun, Baltimore, Maryland|date=February 6, 1975|url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/baltsun/access/1745343012.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Feb+06,+1975&author=&pub=The+Sun+(1837-1985)&desc=Colts+lose+Doll&pqatl=google|access-date=July 6, 2017|archive-date=November 4, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121104014321/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/baltsun/access/1745343012.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Feb+06,+1975&author=&pub=The+Sun+(1837-1985)&desc=Colts+lose+Doll&pqatl=google|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Dolphins Replace Costello|newspaper=The Palm Beach Post|date=February 4, 1975|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=rP0sAAAAIBAJ&sjid=rM4FAAAAIBAJ&pg=1204,2243078&dq=don-doll&hl=en|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120711162444/http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=rP0sAAAAIBAJ&sjid=rM4FAAAAIBAJ&pg=1204,2243078&dq=don-doll&hl=en|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 11, 2012}}</ref>  Doll served as the Dolphins' linebackers coach during the 1975 and 1976 NFL seasons.  The Dolphins finished 10–4 in 1975 and allowed 15.8 points per game, fourth best in the NFL. In 1976, the Dolphins dropped to 6–8, allowing 18.8 points per game, ranking 15th out of 28 teams.  In January 1977, the Dolphins announced that they were restructuring the defensive coaching staff and would not renew Doll's contract.<ref>{{cite news|title=Dolphins Won't Retain Doll|newspaper=Daytona Beach Morning Journal|date=January 15, 1977|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=MrItAAAAIBAJ&sjid=asoEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3902,4871023&dq=don-doll&hl=en}}</ref>

In February 1977, Doll was hired as a special assignments coach with the [[San Francisco 49ers]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Doll to join 49ers|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|date=February 2, 1977}}</ref>

In February 1978, Doll returned to the Detroit Lions as special teams coach and film coordinator.<ref>{{cite news|title=Yesterday's Sports Transactions|newspaper=The Argus-Press, Owosso, Michigan|date=February 15, 1978|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=CTgvAAAAIBAJ&sjid=AqwFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4688,3890380&dq=don-doll&hl=en}}</ref>  In his second stint as an assistant coach for the Lions, Doll served 11 years from 1978 through 1988.<ref name=DL/> Starting in 1986, he coached the team's tight ends.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fanbase.com/Detroit-Lions-1986/roster |title=Archived copy |website=www.fanbase.com |access-date=6 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201009123329/http://www.fanbase.com/Detroit-Lions-1986/roster |archive-date=9 October 2020 |url-status=dead}}</ref>  In 1988, after 10 years in one city, Doll noted, "It's kind of nice, staying in one place for a while."<ref>{{cite news|title=FOR DOLL, AT LAST A SENSE OF PLACE NO LONGER TRAVELIN'MAN, ASSISTANT IS IN 11TH YEAR WITH LIONS|newspaper=San Jose Mercury News|date=September 6, 1988|url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=SJ&s_site=mercurynews&p_multi=SJ&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB72E5C21BC4A6C&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM}}</ref>

==Later years, family and death==
Doll was married in the early 1950s to Diana Davies, a graduate of [[UCLA]].  After their wedding, she became Diana Davies Doll, and Doll joked with a reporter in 1954 that he called her his "Triple-D Dynamo."<ref name=LAT1954/>  Doll and his wife had five children, Steven, Wendy, Kevan, Heidi and Michael.  In his later years, Doll lived with his wife in [[San Juan Capistrano, California]].

Doll died at his home in San Juan Capistrano in September 2010 at age 84.  He was survived by his wife Diana, five children, six grandchildren and one great-grandchild.<ref name=DL/>

==Head coaching record==
{{CFB Yearly Record Start | type = coach | team = | conf = | bowl = | poll = no }}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subhead
 | name      = [[Contra Costa Comets football|West Contra Costa Comets]]
 | conf      = [[Big Eight Conference (California)|Big Eight Conference]]
 | startyear = 1956
 | endyear   = single
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Entry
 | championship = 
 | year         = 1956
 | name         = West Contra Costa
 | overall      = 2–7
 | conference   = 1–6
 | confstanding = T–6th
 | bowlname     = 
 | bowloutcome  = 
 | bcsbowl      = 
 | ranking      = no
 | ranking2     = no
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record Subtotal
 | name       = West Contra Costa
 | overall    = 2–7
 | confrecord = 1–6
}}
{{CFB Yearly Record End
 | overall  = 2–7
 | bowls    = no
 | poll     = no
 | polltype = 
 | legend   = no
}}
<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Junior College Grid Log |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-san-francisco-examiner/146069272/ |newspaper=[[San Francisco Examiner]] |location=[[San Francisco|San Francisco, California]] |date=November 20, 1956 |page=14, section II |access-date=April 25, 2024 |via=[[Newspapers.com]] {{Open access}} }}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Footballstats |nfl=don-doll |espn= |cbs= |yahoo= |si= |pfr=D/DollDo00 |rotoworld= }}

{{Lions1948DraftPicks}}
{{1952 Detroit Lions}}
{{Lions75th}}
{{Detroit Lions All-Time Team}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Doll, Don}}
[[Category:1926 births]]
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