A number of defensive staffers are among the top candidates in this year’s head coach hiring cycle. Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula is certainly one of them. 
Two interview requests had already been made in his case, but many more have since emerged. Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated reports the Cardinals, Ravens, Raiders and Giants submitted a slip for Shula. That means six of the eight teams which currently have a HC vacancy hope to speak with him.
Both Arizona and Las Vegas had coaches known for their work on the defensive side of the ball until recently. Pete Carroll proved to be a one-and-done staffer upon returning to the NFL. Not long after his firing, Jonathan Gannon‘s three-year tenure with the Cardinals came to an end. Teams often look to coaches with a separate background than their predecessor when making a change on the sidelines, but Vegas and Arizona are casting a wide net.
The Ravens have conducted a large number of interviews already in the aftermath of moving on from John Harbaugh. Baltimore has also requested to speak with three other coaches in addition to Shula, though. Further slips would come as little surprise. The Giants represent one of the top destinations for Harbaugh, but New York has also been connected to a long list of other candidates. That includes several staffers with a defensive background.
The grandson of legendary coach Don Shula, Chris has served as the Rams’ DC for each of the past two years. His success in that role could very well lead to the 39-year-old becoming the latest member of the Sean McVay coaching tree to land an NFL HC gig. Virtual interviews with Shula can take place beginning Tuesday, and several can be expected given the nature of interest in his case.
Come on, that’s lame. Chris is Don Shula’s grandson, not son.
If he’s smart, he’ll avoid Miami at all costs. The QB situation is a mess and he’ll always be judged against his grandfather’s accomplishment.
Yeah. The story is cool, but it’s a no-win for him there. The next few years are going to be brutal there between the QB situation and the salary cap.
But still, a good coach tears it all down and builds his own team. Draft. Signings. Assistants. Atmosphere and expectations
I get it. Everyone wants to go to heaven but no one wants to die. That is, the idea is to come into a situation where there is something to build upon instead of the cupboard being bare. From a true coaching perspective though, that’s kind of funny
Guess I’m different. To work in a beautiful city with great weather and build my own thing?
I agree that perhaps Shula would want to avoid it for the reasons Sherminator listed but a coach who believes in his abilities?
Tua with a $99 million cap hit (currently) is a big stumbling block, not to mention the other bloated contracts and housecleaning that has to come. If rebuilding takes a couple years and the owner gets impatient, who takes the blame?
Yeah I get that, and you’re right, of course. You’d have to have some assurance of patience from ownership.
I just don’t think there are as many true coaches these days. Guys who like the challenge of building something from the ground up. But yeah, the economics make it a longer process now