EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - Twenty-eight football coaches from across the country have been named as nominees for the inaugural Don Shula NFL Coach of the Year Award.
This new award was created to honor exemplary football coaches at all levels of the sport that display the integrity, achievement, and leadership demonstrated by the winningest coach in NFL history, Don Shula.
The coaches were nominated by NFL teams and by USA Football, the sport's national governing body on youth and amateur levels. Nominees are active football coaches at NFL, college, high school and youth levels. They were chosen for their character and integrity, inspirational leadership, commitment to the community, and on-field success.
The Don Shula NFL Coach of the Year Award selection panel is comprised of Coach Shula; NFL Commissioner ROGER GOODELL; former Indianapolis Colts Coach and current NBC analyst TONY DUNGY; Former Raiders Coach and member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame JOHN MADDEN; General RAYMOND ODIERNO, Commander, United States Joint Forces Command; SAM PALMISANO, Chairman, CEO and President of IBM; Former Secretary of State, Senior Fellow on Public Policy at the Hoover Institution and faculty member at the Stanford Graduate School of Business CONDOLEEZA RICE; and AARON THOMAS, Athletic Director at Aplington-Parkersburg High School and son of the school's late football coach Ed Thomas.
"I am honored that the NFL has put this award in my name. I think it is great that we are recognizing coaches from all levels—high school, collegiate and professional," said Shula. "Congratulations to all of the nominees, and I look forward to presenting the first annual award at this year's Super Bowl in North Texas."
The national Shula Award winner will receive $25,000 and be invited to the Super Bowl, where he will be recognized at a press conference.
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Atlanta Falcons |
Ron Gartell |
High School |
Stephenson High School |
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Baltimore Ravens |
John Harbaugh |
NFL |
Baltimore Ravens |
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Buffalo Bills |
Tom Goddard |
High School |
Clarence High School |
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Carolina Panthers |
Mike Ayers |
College |
Wofford College |
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Chicago Bears |
Scott "Reggie" Medinger |
Youth |
Cary Junior Trojans |
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Cincinnati Bengals |
Dale Mueller |
High School |
Highlands High School |
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Cleveland Browns |
Todd Filtz |
High School |
Maple Heights High School |
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Denver Broncos |
Dave Logan |
High School |
J.K. Mullen High School |
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Detroit Lions |
John Herrington |
High School |
Farmington Hills Harrison High School |
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Green Bay Packers |
Gerald Sinz |
High School |
Edgar High School |
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Houston Texans |
Ray Seals |
High School |
Madison High School |
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Indianapolis Colts |
Rick Wimmer |
High School |
Fishers High School |
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Jacksonville Jaguars |
Kevin Sullivan |
High School |
Atlantic Coast High School |
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Kansas City Chiefs |
Mel Tjeerdsma |
College |
Northwest Missouri State University |
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Miami Dolphins |
George Smith |
High School |
St. Thomas Aquinas High School |
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Minnesota Vikings |
Ron Stolski |
High School |
Brainerd High School |
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New England Patriots |
Ian Cotterell |
Youth |
Brookline-Jamaica Plain Patriots |
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New Orleans Saints |
Sean Payton |
NFL |
New Orleans Saints |
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New York Giants |
Tom Coughlin |
NFL |
New York Giants |
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New York Jets |
Clayton Kendrick-Holmes |
College |
SUNY Maritime Privateers |
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Pittsburgh Steelers |
Bob Jacoby |
High School |
Bishop Canevin High School |
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St. Louis Rams |
Cliff Ice |
High School |
Webster Groves High School |
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San Francisco 49ers |
Ken Perelta |
High School |
Marin Catholic High School |
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Seattle Seahawks |
Pete Carroll |
NFL |
Seattle Seahawks |
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Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
Raheem Morris |
NFL |
Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
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Tennessee Titans |
Mike Heimerdinger |
NFL |
Tennessee Titans |
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Washington Redskins |
Mark Burke |
High School |
Model Secondary School for the Deaf |
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USA Football |
Tom Sappington |
Middle School |
Hastings Middle School |
