David Shaw is once again part of an NFL franchise after being hired Thursday to a front-office role with the Denver Broncos. Shaw was last part of an NFL franchise nearly two decades ago as an assistant coach, but now, he makes his return to the league in an off-field position.
David Shaw Joining Broncos’ Front Office
Broncos general manager George Paton announced that Shaw has been hired as a senior personnel executive, per release.
Shaw was last part of an NFL team back in 2005, when he served as the Baltimore Ravens’ wide receivers coach. It’s one of several NFL roles he held before returning to the collegiate ranks and eventually settling into a lengthy tenure at Stanford.
Shaw spent four seasons as an assistant coach with the program before leading it to strong success during a 12-year tenure as head coach. It was the most accomplished stop of his coaching career, as he was named the Pac-12 Coach of the Year four times and led Stanford to a .640 winning percentage while producing quite a few NFL Draft picks.
Shaw’s History With Sean Payton
Shaw’s history with Broncos head coach Sean Payton may also have been key in him joining the franchise.
Shaw and Payton were both on the Philadelphia Eagles’ staff for the 1997 season. The former served as an offensive quality control coach in his first NFL role after two seasons at the collegiate level. Payton, meanwhile, was in his first of two years as the franchise’s quarterbacks coach.
The gig ultimately helped Shaw break into the league. He spent four seasons on the then-Oakland Raiders’ staff and four more with the Baltimore Ravens before returning to the college ranks.
Revisiting Shaw’s Career in Football
Shaw was a four-year letter winner during his collegiate playing days at Stanford and was part of the Cardinal’s 1992 team that finished the year ranked No. 9 in the AP Poll. As a Cardinal, the wide receiver tallied 57 catches for 664 yards and five touchdowns across his four-year career.
Shaw then immediately went into coaching, spending two years at Western Washington University as an outside linebackers coach and then a tight ends coach.
FREE: Subscribe to PFN’s NFL Newsletter
Shaw then moved up to the NFL in spending one season with the Eagles. He was an offensive quality control coach both there and in his first three years with the Raiders before taking over as the team’s quarterbacks coach in his final year there.
Shaw served as QBs and WRs coach for the Ravens from 2002-04 and just the team’s wide receivers coach in 2005, his final year in the NFL. He was then an assistant at the University of San Diego for one year and then for four more years at Stanford before taking over as its head coach.
All in all, Shaw has nearly 30 years of coaching experience in various roles at the college and professional levels.