The legendary Shula Miami Dolphins history book might need an appendix.
Don Shula’s grandson, Chris Shula, is a candidate to replace Vic Fangio as Dolphins defensive coordinator, NFL Media reported Thursday.
And it’s fitting that the guy giving Shula a shot at the biggest job of his career is Mike McDaniel, a history major at Yale.
Miami Dolphins To Interview Chris Shula
The Shulas are one of two three-generation NFL coaching families. (The Phillips Family is the other.)
Chris Shula, who was born in Miami and attended Fort Lauderdale’s St. Thomas Aquinas before attending Miami of Ohio, is the son of David Shula, who was the head coach of the Cincinnati Bengals from 1992-96.
The #Dolphins are interviewing Chris Shula — grandson of legendary coach Don Shula — for their defensive coordinator job today, per source.
Chris Shula has spent the past seven seasons as an assistant with the #Rams, most recently as pass rush coordinator/linebackers coach. pic.twitter.com/R8G83MWtNd
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) February 1, 2024
Chris is also the nephew of former Alabama head coach and current Bills assistant Mike Shula. Both his dad and uncle worked for their dad at some point during Don Shula’s record-breaking career.
Hiring Chris Shula, 37, would come with some risk, regardless of his pedigree. He has one year of DC experience: 2014, at John Carroll — whose stadium is named after his grandfather, an alumnus.
Shula is currently the linebackers and pass rush coordinator for the Los Angeles Rams, for whom he has worked the past seven seasons.
His boss is Rams coach Sean McVay, who was his teammate at Miami.
While McDaniel and Shula have never worked together, McDaniel and McVay have a long history that dates back at least to the 2011 season, when both worked on Mike Shanahan’s staff in Washington.
Asked in 2022 if he ever crossed paths with Don Shula before his death in 2020, McDaniel replied:
“I did not unfortunately, no. Obviously, I wish I would have. It would have been an honor, but really there were a lot of years that I was a Broncos fan and I was like, ‘wow, they’re better than us.’ There were a lot of years that was occurring. But no I unfortunately did not.”
MORE: The Potential Butterfly Effect of the Johnny Manziel Debacle on 2024 Miami Dolphins
Shula is one of seven known candidates for the Dolphins’ DC job.
The others?
Dolphins linebackers coach Anthony Campanile; former Bills defensive coordinator and ex-Vikings head coach Leslie Frazier; Houston Texans linebackers coach Chris Kiffin; Dolphins outside linebackers coach Ryan Slowik; ex-Chargers head coach Brandon Staley; and Ravens associate head coach Anthony Weaver.
As the 2023 NFL season comes to a close, the 2024 NFL Draft is on the horizon. Pro Football Network has you covered with everything from team draft needs to the Top 100 prospects available. Plus, fire up PFN’s Mock Draft Simulator to put yourself in the general manager’s seat and make all the calls!