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Chris Shula resolved to be himself as Rams defensive coordinator, and it has worked
Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula assumed the reins this year of a unit whose two prior bosses parlayed the stint into head-coaching jobs. But Shula knew not to try to be Raheem Morris or Brendan Staley.
Asked Friday by reporters for the best advice he’s gotten in the past year, it was simple — be yourself.
“I think it was in OTAs because we were back at the [California Lutheran University] building,” Shula said. “Jason Garrett was just there watching and hanging out and he stopped me in the hallway and just said, ‘Hey, Sean [McVay] hired you to be you. Don’t try to be anybody else and be the best version of yourself.’ That’s what I keep trying to tell myself. Just be the best version of me. Sean entrusted me with the job, do the best job you can, and don’t try to be anybody else.”
It has worked, culminating in Monday night’s masterful game plan that throttled the Vikings’ offense from the get-go and tied a postseason record with nine total sacks.
The challenge intensifies on Sunday, as the Rams get another crack at an offense that tore up the L.A. defense in Week 12, punctuated by Saquon Barkley’s 255 rushing yards.
“It was tough,” Shula said regarding the 37-20 loss. “The NFL is a humbling league. You’re only a week away from being humbled and that was a humbling night. The game got away from us a little bit in the end. We’ve had some games like that unfortunately this year and I always say, ‘Just stick your face in the fan, make the corrections that we need to do moving forward and let’s do it as coaches and players.’ We’ll try and put them in better positions and players need to make the plays that they’re supposed to make. That’s all you do. Just correct it, move forward and hopefully you play better next week.”
If they do, they’ll potentially earn a spot in the NFC Championship. And it could get an interview or two for Shula in the slowly-moving coaching carousel.
The 38-year-old Shula arrived in L.A. with McVay in 2017, working his way up to the position he now holds. He spent two years before that as a defensive quality control coach with the Chargers and, prior to that, five years at the college level.
Chris Shula, the newly appointed defensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Rams, has made a conscious decision to be true to himself and his coaching style. Known for his innovative and aggressive approach to defense, Shula has not shied away from implementing his own strategies and tactics with the Rams.Since taking over as defensive coordinator, Shula has brought a fresh perspective to the team, pushing players to take more risks and play with a sense of urgency. His no-nonsense attitude and commitment to being authentic have resonated with the players, leading to improved performance on the field.
Under Shula’s guidance, the Rams defense has flourished, ranking among the top in the league in key statistical categories. His emphasis on communication, discipline, and teamwork has fostered a strong sense of camaraderie among the players, resulting in a cohesive unit that works together seamlessly.
By staying true to himself and his coaching philosophy, Chris Shula has proven that being authentic and genuine can lead to success on the football field. His approach has not only elevated the performance of the Rams defense but has also earned him the respect and admiration of his players and coaching staff. As the season progresses, it is clear that Shula’s commitment to being himself is paying off, and the Rams defense is poised to continue their dominance under his leadership.
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One of the best defensive minds in all of football, Todd Bowles has won three Super Bowls in his life — capturing football’s ultimate prize from three different perspectives.
His first came as a player with Washington in 1988, his second came as an executive with Green Bay in 1997 and his third came as Buccaneers defensive coordinator, shutting down Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs in 2021.
Despite his extended success and his three NFC South titles in three years as Tampa Bay’s head coach, many fans have called for his firing, feeling that Bowles does not have the ability to take the Buccaneers back to the Super Bowl after their home playoff loss to Washington.
After another excellent year for Baker Mayfield, Buccaneers OC Liam Coen has established himself as a top name in the NFL as the young coordinator put his tough 2022 season with the Rams behind him, developing an offensive attack that saw Mike Evans once again achieve a 1,000 yard season while rookie Bucky Irving rushed for over 1,100 yards. Many Buccaneers fans want Coen to be their head coach and fear he may leave for another job.
There are confirmed reports supporting those fears as Coen is a key figure in the Jaguars’ search for a new head coach. How big of a priority will be determined, especially since this would be the Jaguars’ third head coaching hire under GM Trent Baalke and Baalke’s sixth overall so how much of a role owner Shad Khan will play, and how will that influence the Jaguars’ decision remains to be seen.
Those fears are intensified when you remember that the Buccaneers division rival Carolina Panthers hired former Tampa Bay OC Dave Canales last offseason and in one year, he has turned around the worst franchise in football and has given new life to Bryce Young’s career.
One man who could also be getting a head coaching job is Chris Shula. Shula’s defense showed up and showed out on Monday night, strengthening his candidacy claims. An NFL executive told Sports Illustrated last week that Shula is a rising star and “it’s not a matter of if he gets a head coaching job, it’s simply a question of when.”
If Shula moves on and Tampa fires Bowles for Coen, the Rams could sweep in and acquire his services as defensive coordinator. Both men are connected through Coen as he served as offensive coordinator on McVay’s and Bowles’ staff and both men are on the NFL’s competition committee.
If Bowles wants another head coaching shot, McVay is his best chance as he already helped Raheem Morris secure his second head coaching gig after three years as Rams defensive coordinator and for McVay, Bowles is an established coordinator who often gets the most out of his players compared to his coaching counterparts.
In a league that always changing, it is never a bad idea to have replacements lined up, especially for priority positions.
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With the Los Angeles Rams currently in search of a new defensive coordinator after Brandon Staley left to become the head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers, speculation is swirling about who could potentially fill the role.One name that has emerged as a potential candidate is Chris Shula, the Rams’ current linebackers coach. Shula has been with the team since 2018 and has received praise for his work with the linebacking corps, particularly in developing young players like Micah Kiser and Kenny Young.
However, if Shula were to receive a head coaching job elsewhere, could the Rams make a shocking hire for their defensive coordinator position?
One name that has been floated around is former NFL head coach and defensive guru Wade Phillips. Phillips has a long history of success as a defensive coordinator in the NFL, most recently with the Rams in 2018 when they boasted one of the top defenses in the league.
While Phillips is currently without a job, it would certainly be a surprising move for the Rams to bring him back into the fold. However, his experience and track record of success could make him an intriguing option for the team.
Ultimately, only time will tell who the Rams will choose as their next defensive coordinator. But if Chris Shula does indeed receive a head coaching job, don’t be surprised if the team makes a shocking hire to fill the position.
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Rams assistant Chris Shula, Don’s grandson, may be future head coach
The elements are all in place and have been for a while. The coaching tree Sean McVay developed. The last name: Shula. The fresh element came this season when Chris Shula was promoted by McVay to defensive coordinator of the Los Angeles Rams.
All of it added to the logical question of how long before Chris Shula – grandson of Don, son of Dave – might, too, be a head coach in the NFL.
“I learned from my dad and talked to our guys about that,” Dave Shula said Wednesday. “The best way to get your next job is to just be excellent at the job you have, with eyes on the future.”
What Dave Shula learned from Don, Chris learned from Dave. You could talk about what the Rams’ defense has done lately. You could credit Chris for a masterful game plan that manhandled the Minnesota Vikings Monday night in the wild-card round.
More:Miami Dolphins salary cap: How much money can they spend in 2025 NFL offseason?
But is there a better illustration of that singular Shula focus than the bigger picture in Los Angeles today?
“They’re on edge, like most everybody out there,” said Dave, a Jupiter resident.
Of course, he was talking about the fires in Southern California. Chris and his family haven’t had to evacuate, but their power has been cut as a precaution. So his wife took the kids to her parents’ place while everybody keeps tabs on the destructive path.
“I guess from what I’ve been seeing on the weather reports that if they get through today, I think the winds will abate by tomorrow and things will get back,” Dave said. “There’s people in the organization that have lost their homes and it’s just horrible.”
Losing home-field advantage was a relatively minor issue as the wild-card game was moved to the Arizona Cardinals’ facility, yet Shula devised a plan that produced a playoff-record nine sacks against the Vikings. Disregarding a game against Seattle in which the Rams rested players, the Rams have not conceded 10 points in any of their past four games. Next up is Sunday’s divisional-round game at Philadelphia.
And with it, the buzz is picking up that Chris Shula could soon join Matt LaFleur, Zac Taylor, Brandon Staley, Raheem Morris and Kevin O’Connell as the next McVay coordinator to get a head-coaching job.
Sean McVay, Shula family have longtime ties
McVay has longtime ties to the Shulas. He and Chris were teammates and roommates at Miami of Ohio and have remained close since. Before the Rams lost to the New England Patriots in the 2019 Super Bowl in Atlanta, Dave recalled McVay being a regular at their home.
“Sean’s been at every spring break at our house, which is awesome,” Dave says. “Back then, he’d want to talk about how did I do this and how did I do that. Just a sponge. A football savant. You couldn’t spend enough time talking football back then.”
During the 2018-19 season, Chris coached the Rams’ linebackers, saying he was “just happy to be in the NFL,” especially on a staff with one of his best friends. Chris has now coached all three levels of the Rams’ defense, meaning he was well-qualified to design blitzes that confused Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold. McVay said Shula and his assistants did “an excellent job.”
Chris’ father didn’t disagree.
“Chris, I thought, did an ingenious job, he and his staff, of coming up with some (blitzes) that were creative and caused some indecision by the line and the backs and everybody in protection,” Dave said.
McVay was 31 when he first became a head coach. Don was 33 when he became coach of the Baltimore Colts. Dave was 33 when he first coached the Cincinnati Bengals. Chris is 38, still quite young but already in his 10th season in the NFL, eighth with the Rams.
An unnamed NFL executive recently told Sports Illustrated that Chris is “a rising star.” He said it’s a matter of time before Chris is a head coach.
“He was very appreciative of the opportunity to be a first-time coordinator in the NFL,” Dave said. “Just keep grinding that way and see what the future holds.”
Growing up a Shula ‘was a challenge sometimes’
Carrying that last name wasn’t always easy.
“It was a challenge sometimes,” Chris told The Palm Beach Post in 2019. “I think just the expectations. And maybe when you’re getting playing time in high school, they think it’s because of your last name. Or when you get a certain job. So I’ve always, I think, had a chip on my shoulder to try to prove that I didn’t get to this position because of my last name.”
What may have been a bit of a burden at St. Thomas Aquinas High in Fort Lauderdale eventually became a Shula tradition to uphold.
“Looking back, the character that my uncle (Mike Shula), my dad and my grandpa had – I’ve never heard one bad thing about them as people,” Chris said. “And that’s the thing that really honors me most and it motivates me to be the same way as them and live up to that legacy.”
Don, of course, won two Super Bowls with the Dolphins. Dave and brother Mike coached in Super Bowls. Four seasons ago, Chris and the Rams returned to the Super Bowl, this time at the Rams’ SoFi Stadium. They beat the Bengals as “a large contingent” of Shulas looked on.
“Chris has the ring and we all have the memories,” Dave said. “You know, you’re always a champion. They cannot take that away. Anybody that’s been there or aspired to be one understands that.”
And no, Dave has never stopped counting the number of Super Bowls that involve a coach named Shula
“Eleven Super Bowls,” he said.
The Rams aren’t favorites to make it 12, but they might be the sentimental favorites.
And South Florida, at least, has never had a problem rooting for a Shula.
Dolphins reporter Hal Habib can be reached at hhabib@pbpost.com. Follow him on social media @gunnerhal.
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Chris Shula, the grandson of legendary NFL coach Don Shula, is making waves in the football world as an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Rams. With his impressive coaching pedigree and strong work ethic, many believe that Chris Shula may be on track to become a future head coach in the NFL.Having grown up around the game of football and learning from one of the greatest coaches of all time, Chris Shula has a deep understanding of the nuances of the sport. He has already proven himself as a valuable asset to the Rams coaching staff, helping lead the team to success on the field.
With his passion for the game and dedication to his craft, it seems only a matter of time before Chris Shula takes on a head coaching role in the NFL. His family legacy and coaching experience make him a strong candidate for future leadership positions in the league.
As Chris Shula continues to hone his skills and gain valuable experience with the Rams, it will be exciting to see where his coaching career takes him. With his talent and determination, he has the potential to follow in his grandfather’s footsteps and become a successful head coach in the NFL.
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Rams’ Chris Shula is one more great game from head coach interviews
The secret is out about Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula. Four days ago, he wasn’t on anyone’s radar as a head coaching candidate, and he still might not be today, but one more great game from L.A.’s defense and the Rams could lose Shula in a heartbeat.
Sean McVay’s best-kept secret can no longer be contained.
The soon-to-be 39 year old coordinator seems new on the block, but he’s one of the few who has been on McVay’s staff since the beginning. There’s no shortage of experience under McVay and teams can’t risk waiting until 2026, hoping that nobody else hires him this cycle IF the L.A. Rams defense has yet another dominant performance.
This time it would come against a Philadelphia Eagles team that went to the Super Bowl two years ago, features a 2,o00-yard rusher, and an All-Pro receiver.
If the Rams advance to the NFC Championship game, Chris Shula’s going to be a hard man to keep.
Recent History
Shula’s first year as defensive coordinator didn’t go as he planned:
- Week 1 – 26 points allowed, -9.52 EPA (that’s bad)
- Week 2 – 41 points allowed, -26.58 EPA (historically bad)
- Week 3 – 24 points allowed, -19.10 EPA
- Week 4 – 24 points allowed, -5.29 EPA
- Week 5 – 24 points allowed, -2.84 EPA
The Rams had one of the worst defenses in the NFL going into their Week 6 bye.
Nothing like the Raiders offense to get you right again. The Rams held the Raiders to 15 points, 195 passing yards, and posted an EPA of +19.97, their best of the 2024 season.
Since beating the Bills 44-42 in Week 14, Shula’s defense has done this in the games that the Rams TRIED to win:
- Week 15 – 6 points allowed, 14.31 EPA
- Week 16 – 9 points allowed, 3.81 EPA
- Week 17 – 9 points allowed, -.09 EPA
- Week 18 (didn’t count)
- Wild Card – 9 points allowed, 21.02 EPA (!!!)
The last month of his career could be one of the most valuable in history for a first-time coordinator on either side of the ball. Now the Rams are one win away from the NFC Championship game and Shula’s name should be a popular one if L.A. beats the Eagles with a strong defensive effort comprising a group that is the lowest-paid in the NFL and features only one former first rounder.
Though Shula’s name was floated as an idea for the Dolphins if they fired Mike McDaniel, Miami has said they’re committed to keeping their head coach this time.
But he could still be a possibility for the other openings:
- Cowboys
- Bears
- Saints
- Raiders
- Jaguars
- Jets
For the hell of it, let’s say that the Bears hire Mike McCarthy, the Saints hire Aaron Glenn, the Raiders hire Pete Carroll, and the Cowboys hire Ben Johnson.
What about a fit with a Jaguars team that has Josh Allen, Travon Walker, Foyesade Oluokun, Tyson Campbell?
Jacksonville may like a route that includes the McVay tree, possibly even poaching an offensive coach to mentor Trevor Lawrence and Brian Thomas, Jr..
More likely than not, Chris Shula won’t get a head coaching job this time.
He may not be late to the party exactly — the NFL has delayed the interview process, so nobody’s really in the lead except for Mike Vrabel already being hired in New England — but it’s a crowded field and his name hasn’t been on the radar.
However, that’s changing at exactly the right time for Shula. It’s also the right time for McVay’s 2024-2025 playoff run, but maybe not if he wants to keep Shula much longer.
The Los Angeles Rams’ Chris Shula continues to impress in his role as a head coach, with yet another great game from his team in their latest matchup. In recent interviews, Shula has been praised for his strategic game planning, leadership skills, and ability to motivate his players. The Rams’ success this season can be attributed in large part to Shula’s coaching style, which emphasizes teamwork, discipline, and attention to detail. Fans and analysts alike are excited to see what Shula and the Rams will achieve next as they continue to dominate on the field.
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