MINNEAPOLIS -- Dan Reeves hired Mike Shanahan. Dan Reeves fired Mike Shanahan (or at least they came to a parting of the ways).

And many people think Reeves was fired by Denver after the 1992 season because of a rift with John Elway.

	Dan Reeves will appear in his ninth Super Bowl as a player, assistant coach and head coach.

In two weeks, Reeves takes his upstart Atlanta Falcons to the Super Bowl to meet up with Shanahan, Elway and the defending champion Broncos, who beat the New York Jets 23-10 Sunday.

Like the Minnesota Vikings, whom the Falcons upset 30-27 in overtime Sunday, Denver is heavy favorite -- the line opened at 8½ points.

But forget for a minute who might win.

The real drama here is Reeves, who underwent quadruple heart bypass surgery just a month ago.

"If I can stand today, my heart's got to be in great shape," Reeves said after the upset of the Vikings.

"It's incredible when you think about it," added Reeves, who took over a team that was 3-13 in 1996 and began 1-7 last season. "Coming from 1-7 halfway through your first year, to be in the Super Bowl your (second) year."

It's not unprecedented. Joe Gibbs began 0-5 in 1981, his first year in Washington, and a year later, he won the Super Bowl.

But that's pretty heady company -- Gibbs won three titles, and he is in the Hall of Fame.

Reeves is no stranger to Super Bowls -- this will be his ninth appearance in the 33 games. He made it as a player with the Cowboys and an assistant coach with Dallas before losing three times as head coach of the Broncos.

Now, he faces Shanahan, fired by Reeves as offensive coordinator after the 1991 season because Reeves thought Shanahan had taken some power and was too influential with Elway.

"I'll be honest," Shanahan said after he coached the Broncos to their second straight Super Bowl. "We were best friends."

Elway later said playing for Reeves was "hell" when the coach was fired after the '92 season.

As for other matchups Jan. 31 in Miami: